The Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) yesterday explained the workings of an EU funded project in which it is involved and which is seeking to develop an e-based training tool on the promotion of sustainable urban development.

The project started last October when MEPA signed a partnership agreement and joined a consortium of partner organisations from Greece, the Czech Republic, Spain, the UK, and Hungary.

The project is led by the Research and Development Centre within the Intercollege of Nicosia, Cyprus. It is part-funded by the Leonardo da Vinci Programme (2004-2006) and MEPA’s share of the budget amounts to EUR43,000. All project activities are expected to be completed by September 2008.

MEPA said that around 80 per cent of the EU population live in cities and towns. Urban areas were, therefore, the places where environmental problems most affected the quality of life of European citizens. Due to the high density of activities in urban areas, a number of environmental problems result in significant implications on human health, impacts on the wider environment and climate change, the quality of life and the economic performance of the cities themselves.

The project aims at increasing awareness of the need for sound environmental management in urban areas, in line with the EU Thematic Strategy on the Urban Environment. The strategy aims at improving the quality of the urban environment and reducing the impact cities have on the environment.

The first activity of the project involved an assessment of the current situation regarding urban environment and sustainable development and also an assessment of the role of the Local Authorities in the EU. Subsequently each partner organisation from the four new EU member states involved in this project developed an environmental performance review on their own country.

Next in line is the development of the Training e-Tool based on the priority themes set in the Commission’s Communication on the Thematic Strategy for Urban Environment. The e-Tool will then be tested through a series of pilot trainings of local officers. The training sessions will be evaluated and the e-Tool will be adapted according to the recommendations made. To fulfill the EU publicity requirements, this project will disseminate and promote the Training e-Tool to the broadest audience possible.

All the activities in which MEPA is involved are being carried out by the Development Control Unit, with the assistance of the EU and Multilateral Affairs Unit of MEPA, which helped to secure EU funds for this project.