The Biodiversity Foundation, a public foundation of the Government of Spain, under the Ministry of the Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs, and the Ministry of the Environment, Territorial Planning and Infrastructures of the Government of the Principality of Asturias, have signed a collaboration agreement, for a total amount of 614,200 euros. This investment will serve to develop a project that promotes employment and good environmental practices in Asturias.

The Biodiversity Foundation is the managing body of the European Social Fund (F.S.E.) and in 2008 it allocated 14,870,837.51 euros to finance 32 projects aimed at improving employment and the environment, through the Empleaverde Programme. One of these initiatives is the one that will be developed in Asturias.

In addition to the project of the Ministry of the Environment, Territorial Planning and Infrastructures of the Government of the Principality of Asturias, the initiatives of the Healthy Life Association, the Spanish Society of Organic Agriculture (SEAE), the National Association of Aggregate Manufacturing Entrepreneurs (ANEFA) and the Association for Spanish Forest Certification (PEFC Spain), they will be aimed, in part, at workers in Asturias.

The objective of the project to be developed by the Ministry of the Environment, Territorial Planning and Infrastructures of the Government of the Principality of Asturias is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development and the minimization of the possible negative impacts of climate change in the rural areas of this autonomous community. It will be carried out through the implementation of specific training and information activities, specialised studies, good practice guides, advertising and dissemination campaigns that raise awareness among companies about present and future environmental problems, in order to respectfully value environmental resources and with the ultimate aim of generating sustainable economic activities and new professions related to the environment.

This project is based on the promotion of efficiency, energy saving, the promotion of the use of renewable energies and the use of endogenous resources, in order to correctly manage environmental resources and minimise the effects of climate change.