"Only technical comments arrived from the European Union with regard to the new Act on waste management. Replies were received from three member states: France, Austria and Germany, and our nation will incorporate the observations into the draft of the new legislation", announced the State Secretary for Environmental Affairs of the Ministry of Rural Development at the conference entitled SymbioCity. At the event, organised within the framework of the "Green Sweden" programme, Swedish and Hungarian experts presented opportunities for sustainable city development.

"The Ministry of Rural Development applies special attention to protecting air quality", announced the State Secretary for Environmental Affairs. Zoltán Illés also stated that the current measuring network must be developed further, and so 30-40 air pollution measuring stations will be built between 2014 and 2020. In addition, the Ministry will be reviewing cases and legislation regarding air pollution. As an example, the State Secretary mentioned incineration, which – similarly to regulations in Germany – will only be permitted following the extraction of PVC and heavy metals.

Zoltán Illés drew attention to the fact that the SymbioCity conference fits in with the RIO+20 procedure, as the issue of sustainable cities is one of the most important issues of the UN Conference of Sustainable Development. The State Secretary also spoke of the fact that the consumption and lifestyle dictated by cities has by now become unsustainable. This is what makes those initiatives that make possible the development of cities that are more energy efficient, produce less waste, have cleaner air and are "greener" so important.

The State Secretary for Environmental Affairs also stressed that Sweden's and the Swedish people's internationally known commitment to environmental protection, and their experiences are also of special importance to Hungary. Zoltán Illés emphasised that in Budapest, the development of green city areas, waste management and the improvement of the energy efficiency of buildings and of the quality of the air is of special importance.

"The goal of the "Green Sweden" programme is the propagation of environmentally aware thinking. The initiative was announced in Hungary in 2010 by the Swedish Embassy, with the participation of the Swedish Trade Council and Swedish corporations operating in Hungary", explained Eva Walder, Swedish Director-General for Trade Policy.

"Within the framework of the series of programmes, a park on the Buda side of the Chain Bridge will be renovated using an ecological approach, and a publication reinforcing environmentally aware education will be made available to young people", stated the Swedish Director-General.

(MTI / Press Office of the Ministry of Rural Development)