Brussels, 16/01/2007 (Agence Europe) - In response to the energy and climate change package (EUROPE 9341), the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) gave its approval to the Commission's objectives to reduce at least 20% or even 30% of Union greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. It also approved the binding objective of making renewable energy sources 20% of the Union's energy mix, as well its greater emphasis on energy efficiency. Although it is pleased that the Commission identifies administrative and physical obstacles that hinder the development of renewables on the Community market, as well as under-investment in the Transport Energy Network (TEN-E), the CPMR, however, underlines the fact that this situation is not only limited to inter-connections between national networks, it also affects the capacity of peripheral, maritime and island regions to fully exploit their considerable potential in renewable energies. In a press statement, the president of the Tuscany region and the CPMR, Claudio Martini, declared that by adopting the report of Eluned Morgan (PES, United Kingdom) on the Green Paper, Parliament is recommending that, “particular attention be given to the development of renewable solar and marine energies in the various sea basins of the EU, and, amongst other things, to the exploitation of offshore wind turbine energy”. By highlighting the need to reduce C02 emissions linked to transport, the CPMR is also reiterating a desire to unblock the road networks and pro-actively promote the motorways of the sea and maritime transport. (eh)