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ROME (AP) – Rome’s mayor unveiled a master plan Monday to transform the eternal city into a green, low-carbon, post-petroleum capital aimed in part at bolstering Rome’s 2020 Olympic bid.
Mayor Gianni Alemanno presented the proposal alongside U.S. economist Jeremy Rifkin, who has been advising the EU on a long-term economic sustainability plan to address the global economic crisis, energy security and climate change.
The plan calls for Rome to invest around euro500 million ($615 million) over the next 20 years in new industries and businesses, creating what city officials claim will result in thousands of new jobs and making the capital independent energetically.
“It’s not just an energy plan, but also an environmental, urban and economic one,” Alemanno told a news conference. “It’s a complete plan to develop the city.”
It envisages three main areas of transformation: turning the congested historic center into a greener, pedestrian friendly space; developing the commercial/industrial “ring” around the capital; and improving the agricultural areas outside the city to reduce its carbon imprint.
Rifkin said the aim was to create a durable economic vision, saying the aim was a “democratization of energy.”
Rome is one of several Italian cities that have expressed an interest in bidding for the 2020 Summer Olympics, including Venice, Palermo and Bari.
The capital already has a number of venues built it hosted the games in 1960 and lost out to Athens in 2004 but has problems with traffic, transportation links and housing for what would be a huge influx of visitors.
The International Olympic Committee will select the host in 2013.
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