The Regional Assembly, as an institution representing the Region of Murcia, sets a good example in the field of sustainability. Many and very diverse actions have been launched to move forward in this direction, such as the collaboration in LA VERDAD’s school competition ‘Esto es verde’. “Environmental education is essential for the little ones to become aware,” emphasizes the president of the Autonomous Chamber, Alberto Castillo.
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Why is it essential to promote environmental education among the students of the Community?
-One of the major risks that we already face is the accelerated degradation of the natural environment that surrounds us: forests, seas, biodiversity… The United Nations has been pointing this out to us for decades, first with the Millennium Development Goals and now with the Sustainable Development Goals. Therefore, it is necessary to take action to stop this situation. And one of the essential actions is environmental education, so that the little ones become aware of the importance of caring for and preserving the environment.
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What strategy has the Autonomous Parliament acquired in order to contribute to the sustainable development of the planet through its policies?
-In addition to preparing laws or initiatives to promote and control the sustainability of our Region, approved within the framework of the functions of an Autonomous Parliament, we, as an institution, also focus on dissemination. In this sense, the Regional Assembly of Murcia has chaired the ‘Natural Disasters’ Working Group of the Conference of European Regional Legislative Assemblies (CALRE) for three years, and this year in particular, following one of the challenges identified by the EU – the Europe of the environmental transition – we are working on several actions, such as the development of awareness campaigns in regional media with messages focusing on the importance of preserving the natural environment and the commitment to sustainable development of our region.
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The Regional Assembly turns off the lights on its facade at night to save energy. What other environmental measures have been taken to contribute to this?
-We have replaced the enclosures of the main facade on the second floor of the building with other insulators to reduce energy consumption. And at the moment, the roof and associated facilities of the plenary hall are being renovated, with the aim of improving its thermal insulation. For example, photovoltaic panels for electricity generation will be installed on the new roof, which will allow the air conditioning of these rooms partly with the energy generated, which will lead to savings in energy consumption. To this has been added the change of the lighting system by means of LED.
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The Regional Assembly has been promoting educational outreach through school visits for over 30 years. What does this experience mean for the students? When will this activity resume?
-In fact, the call has already been published and tomorrow, October 7, the registration period for schools will open. It is an enriching experience and I consider it very necessary, because it allows the little ones to get to know the regional institutions first hand and in particular the Regional Assembly, the institution that empowers the people of the Region of Murcia and legislature in our autonomous community. It’s a way of doing Regio.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
