The EcoMunicipality competition - ecology in the urban environment

Bulgaria has great geothermal potential, says Yoann Thériaud of the French Institute in Sofia

published on 9/19/24 4:02 PM

Photo: Freepik

On 17 October, after a break of several years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the fifth edition of the "EcoMunicipality - Sustainable City and Society" competition, an initiative of the French Embassy and the French Institute in Bulgaria, will be launched.

The competition aims to highlight good practices at local level for sustainable urban development and greener, cleaner cities. The highlight of the competition will be on 24 October, when there will be an announcement of the winners. Municipalities can enter projects in three categories - "Waste and Recycling", "Sustainable Mobility" and "Energy and Emissions". Entries are further divided into two groups based on size, as smaller cities have more limited resources: those with less than 40,000 inhabitants and those with more than 40,000 inhabitants.

"EcoMunicipality" adds an environmental dimension to the already dynamic Franco-Bulgarian relations in the fields of culture and education, as Yoann Thériaud, attaché for institutional cooperation at the French Institute, explained in an interview with Radio Bulgaria.

"We have very good cooperation with Bulgaria at European and international level on environmental and climate issues, for example at the UN Climate Change Conferences (COPs), the Paris Agreement and so on. But when it comes to waste, energy and mobility - the three categories of the competition - these cover all aspects of environmental change that directly affect people, and this is where municipalities play a crucial role...

Pollution, carbon emissions - it all happens in the city. It is the cities that can renew their own transport systems, regulate traffic, promote energy efficiency, create green spaces...".

While there are many events in Bulgaria that focus on ecology, there do not seem to be as many initiatives related to green cities.

This gap will be filled by the competition and its accompanying events - three seminars on the main themes of energy, emissions, sustainable mobility, waste and recycling, and a film festival of documentaries about people and associations working for green causes or inspiring admiration for the beauty of nature. Working visits to France are also planned to encourage the exchange of ideas and practices.

In the context of the quest for green cities, what is Yoann Thériaud's perspective on Sofia, his current city?

"First of all, all the French who come or live here, all the diplomats, are impressed by the fact that there are so many parks, and they are much bigger than those in France. This is not unusual for this part of Europe, but in Sofia there are really quite a lot. All Bulgarian cities have large public parks. We also see that the people of Sofia want to preserve them, and that is very important. I have the privilege of living in the Lozenets residential area, where there are many green spaces, but they are not limited to this area."

Energy and carbon emissions are at the heart of the event. What are the possible solutions for clean energy and energy efficiency?

"Bulgaria has a great potential for geothermal energy. Two years ago we organised a study visit by French experts together with the Minister of Environment. Deep heat or cold air sources are used to cool buildings in summer or to heat them with constant heat in winter. We are going to invite people who do this in France. Bulgaria has a really huge but untapped geothermal potential," says Yoann Thériaud.

The question remains whether there is any reason to be optimistic or, on the contrary, to lose hope altogether?

"I'm in contact with associations that want change and I see people doing great things, but when I think about the diplomatic side of things, the big agreements, it's not easy for the parties to come to an agreement," says Thériaud.

Photos: ecoobchtina.bg, sofia.bg, BGNES

Translated and posted by E. Radkova

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