GE has announced that it's ‘ecomagination’ initiative is to support phase 2 of the EUCO2 80/50, Europe’s biggest and probably most ambitious cities initiative to reduce urban greenhouse gas emissions. The announcement was made at the COP15 summit in Copenhagen.

Europe’s large metropolitan areas are responsible for some 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Today, 15 major European metropolitan areas, representing a collective population of 48 million or approximately 10 percent of the population of Europe, are involved in the EUCO2 project, led by the metropolitan region of Hamburg, Germany.

Their ambitious target is to reduce their emissions by 30 percent by 2030 and by 80 percent by 2050, compared to 1990 levels. All of the EUCO2 80/50 cities have already produced inventories of their CO2 emissions and are now developing carbon usage reduction strategies.

In addition to supporting the initiative financially over the next two years, GE will also contribute its expertise as a global leader in clean technologies.

"We are delighted to support this ambitious climate protection initiative. We believe that urban and metropolitan centers are key in the drive to address climate change as they are estimated to produce approximately 75 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions globally,” said Steve Fludder, GE’s vice president of ecomagination.

“GE has initiated a program to develop cleaner technologies designed to reduce carbon impact as well as setting targets to significantly reduce its own carbon footprint. Through our sponsorship of EUCO2 80/50, we will translate this knowledge to assist the 15 participating metropolitan areas, to achieve the proper mix of cleaner, more energy-efficient products that will help them meet their ambitious goals."