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Kremena Koutsoukou

Athens municipality is planning to encourage citizens to participate in the fight against climate change. A team of experts will present local actions, which will help fight ecoproblems at the world meeting in Copenhagen.

All citizens, who contribute to protecting the environment and lower the greenhouse effect, will be stimulated. The ones using less electricity will pay less municipal taxes. Hybrid car owners will be able to park for free on specifically designated parking spots, like the ones for disabled drivers. Building contractors, who are building in accordance to eco-construction, will pay lower taxes. Students participating in events connected to environment protection, will receive awards – they will be able to participate in eco-seminars and will be able to go on vacation.

In its action on tackling climate change, the Athens Municipality will also provide awareness campaigns, creating bicycle lanes, construction of green streets, improving the microclimate of Eleon, Psiri, Akadimiya, and Platonas. In an effort to save electricity eco-lamps will be used for street lighting. Planned is the creation of a website, which will inform citizens on shorter and economical routes, which will lead to fewer cars on the streets and will lower emissions of exhaust gases.

The execution of the planned actions will be supervised by specially appointed authorities included in the strategic plan. Athens mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis expressed his hopes that within 2010 most of the planned city changes will be a fact.