The European Commission employed a new action plan in order to enhance Environmental Technologies for innovation, growth and sustainable development, thus to accomplish a wider use and competitiveness of companies.

However, several barriers arose during the implementation of such action; complexity of alteration from traditional to contemporary technologies and inadequate access to capital. These barriers can be overcome by endeavouring to expand the potential of environmental technologies.

Margot Wallström, the Communication and Environment Commissioner, suggested: “This action plan is a pragmatic way to address the joint 'sustainable development' challenges of protecting the environment and at the same time enhancing innovation and competitiveness in Europe.

There are good examples in Europe showing that environmental technologies are a great way to achieve this. For example, there are European countries which, twenty years ago, invested in wind power and which today are world leaders, exporting wind turbine technology worth billions of Euros. There are many people who have brilliant ideas for new technologies that protect the environment. Often, however, they don't find the money to develop these ideas, or, if they do, the technologies are not taken up due to conservative attitudes and unhelpful markets. With the Action Plan, we want to change these attitudes and break down barriers to environmental technologies”.

“Europe is among the world leaders in the development of environmental technologies such as photovoltaics, wind energy and hydroelectric power, and pollution control through better waste management. We have to foster the development of other key environmental technologies as well.

They bear a strong potential for growth and employment. Of course, this requires a boost to our R&D efforts, by maximising the impactof European research through enhanced co-ordination and synergies and by increasing the R&D expenditure up to 3% of EU GDP by 2010. The creation of European technology platforms in some well-selected environmental technology sectors will be instrumental in achieving this ambitious objective” according to Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin.

The particular action plan entails several important points under which improvement and development of environmental technologies could be accomplished; the creation of technology platforms (on hydrogen and fuel cells, on photovoltaics, on water supply and sanitation technologies) which will assemble researchers, decision makers, industries, financial institutions or any other relevant stakeholders; encouraging business and citizens to build up environmental performance regarding processes and services; and finally, financial bodies such as banks, should be encouraged to play a role in the risk of investing.

Further Information

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