The Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations expressed today his satisfaction with the choice of the Azores as the venue for the meeting of the Commission for the Environment, Climate Change and Energy (ENVE) to be held on Terceira Island in 2020.
 
“The Commission for the Environment of the Committee of the Regions has just chosen to meet in the Azores in the first half of 2020 in order to discuss the topic of decarbonisation and the implementation of renewable energy for electricity generation,” said Rui Bettencourt.
 
The government official stated that the choice was made "in a very interesting manner," having been disputed between the applications submitted by the Azores and Sicily.
 
According to Rui Bettencourt, the Azores won "by 33 votes against 22," so this international meeting will take place in the Region.
 
For the Secretary for External Relations, “this voting and this desire of the Environment Commission to go to the Azores is due to a very important fact on which the Azorean should reflect: the fact that we are an example in Europe."
 
“The penetration of renewable into electricity production, which has already exceeded 40%, is exemplary in the European Union. It is not only an example in the European Union but also an example of the European Union to the world,” said the Regional Secretary. According to him, “one of the two geothermal fields” under operation in Europe is located in the Azores, the other being in Tuscany, Italy.
 
“These are two examples that the European Union can present to the world as a key issue for electricity production from renewable energies. With the know-how and the ability of the European Union to produce geothermal energy, it has the potential to explain to the rest of the world and provide knowledge to other places in the world on how this energy is produced,” stressed the government official.
 
Rui Bettencourt also considered that this "is one of those important examples on which the Azores should reflect."
 
"The Azoreans should not be afraid to show what they do well and what they are good at. When we show this, the European Union understands us, follows us and accepts us, and then comes to visit us and makes the Azores an example," stated the government official.
 
The Autonomous Region of the Azores holds a seat at the Committee of the Regions since its inception. This is the advisory body to the European institutions representing regional and local EU authorities and is composed of 350 members from all Member States. Currently, the Azores are represented by the President of the Government, Vasco Cordeiro, and the Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations, Rui Bettencourt, as alternate member.
 
The Commission for the Environment, Climate Change and Energy (ENVE) of the Committee of the Regions is one of two committees in which the Region participates, alongside the Commission for Natural Resources (NAT). It covers areas such as environment, climate change and the EU space policy.