Compose unites Mediterranean cities in the fight against climatic crisis (video)

The Compose project is designed to combine the experience of medium and small cities, and proven advanced practices in the fight against climatic crisis and the transition to renewable energy sources.

Anogue is one of the highest villages in Crete, it is located at an altitude of 700 meters above sea level. Freezing here is not uncommon, and heating is a vital necessity for 2000 residents who are earned by tourism and cattle breeding, tells Euronews.

Ten years ago, most houses used traditional fireplaces for heating. However, their disadvantages include smoke in the room, air pollution, deforestation in the surrounding mountains. Local municipality, faced with the growing needs of energy, environmental problems and the ongoing influence of the Greek economic crisis, began to look for effective alternatives:

“As a municipal authority, we consider it our duty to protect the environment and atmosphere in the village. Therefore, we urge citizens to replace traditional fireplaces with energy -efficient models and other alternatives that help save resources and improve the quality of environmental heating.”

The anogy is a participant in the European initiative of Compose, which was carried out from 2016 to 2019 and supported projects on renewable energy sources in 11 regions of the Mediterranean. The program was aimed at assisting small and average municipalities in overcoming the main obstacles necessary for the development and implementation of sustainable energy development plans – lack of personnel, lack of financing, lack of technical knowledge.

Basically, such an important initiative was financed due to the European rally policy, which covered 75% of its budget (2.5 million euros). Its main goal is to expand the use of renewable energy sources and reduce CO2 emissions in the Mediterranean, where warming occurs 20% faster than the average in the world. Stavrola Turnaki, senior expert at the Crete Technical University, says:

“This was the starting point for the Compose team: how to help small and medium municipalities who have limited resources, there are not enough staff and know-how to solve the problems associated with climate change, increase resistance to external influences and ensure sustainable planning of energy efficiency.”

The coastal city of Retimanon, located nearby, also collaborates with Compose to solve the problems of sustainable development caused by the rapid growth of cities. A system for collecting spent cooking oil, which turns these waste into biofuels, has been introduced into the retime. Solar batteries are also installed in the city to power the city town hall and charger stations for electric vehicles. The mayor of the city of Georgios Marinakis says:

“I believe that environmental protection is a collective duty. No one should assume that someone else will do work.”

Today, the legacy of the Compose project continues to live, thanks to Compose tools – Web platformsupported by Stavrola and her students in the laboratory of renewable and stable energy systems of the University of Crete.

Being simultaneously a data storage and practical guidance, the tools offer municipalities and interested parties a simple, step -by -step approach to adaptation of strategies for mitigating the consequences of climate change to local realities.

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