With the support of the EU, Greater Irbid municipality is taking serious actions and setting real measures to combat climate change and enhance the quality of life for its citizens and visitors
The “Cleaner Energy Saving multi-use public building” is an original and progressive concept instigated by the municipality of Irbid with the support of the European Union and in partnership with Yarmouk University and the Future Pioneers Association. The project has won a distinguished grant from the EU’s Climate for Cities program, C4C, which aims to support Southern Neighbourhood cities in their energy and climate transition through the implementation of the concrete actions included in the Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans (SECAPs).
The “Cleaner Energy Saving multi-use public building” aims at establishing a Green Car Park, Ride and Connect facility – an energy-saving multi-use public building powered by solar energy- With a budget of 5.2 million euros.
During the Kick-off event of the project on October 30, in the Hashemite Hall in the Greater Irbid Municipality building, Mr Thibaut Moyer- Deputy Head of Cooperation, Head of Economic, Infrastructure and Trade Section, represented H.E Ms Hadjitheodosiou, Ambassador of the European Union in Jordan; he declared that the EU aims to provide continuous support to the municipality in projects related to climate change and green buildings: “Climate change is not that something that stops at the border of Europe, it’s a matter that affects and impacts all countries, and actions by all countries are necessary to lead the global temperature rise in line with the Paris agreement”, ensuring the responsibility of each country to take a forward step in climate action. Mr Moyer reminded pridefully of the different EU regional initiatives in support of climate action to local authorities in the region and thanked the National Authorities and the Clima-Med team for their enduring collaboration with the municipality and to the country in general, as a partner as well as a cross border cooperation team.
Mr Nabil AL-Kofhi, mayor of Greater Irbid Municipality, expressed his gratitude for the continuous support the European Union to the Municipality: “We believe that partnership upon which the municipality has based in all its activities, has a real value; partnership with the citizen, with state institutions, the private sector, and all the permanent institutions”.
Eng. Reham Al Jammal -Mayor’s Consultant for International Projects & Program Affairs- stressed the importance of the work done to prepare the Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan (SECAP) in 2016 in coordination with the CES-MED project. She asserted that it had opened doors for several EU-funded projects in different sectors.
The Greater Irbid municipality project “Cleaner Energy Saving multi-use public building” project will be implemented in a prime strategic location within the busy yet vibrant heart of Irbid’s downtown area, adjacent to the historical and archaeological Irbid hill.