Sustainable development and green growth in Europe’s cities and regions are not just responses to fight climate change. They are also crucial parts of the roadmap to finding a path through the economic and financial crisis and recovering jobs and growth. This was the main message delivered today by local, regional and European politicians at the opening of the Fifth European Summit of Regions and Cities taking place in Copenhagen (22-23 March).
Introducing the Summit, Committee of the Regions (CoR) President
Mercedes Bresso said: "At this time of economic and financial
crisis and in a world overexploited by an unsustainable development model,
cities are at the forefront when it comes to changing our lifestyles,
stimulating creativity, attracting talent, helping the unemployed get back to
work and building bonds of cooperation with businesses. It is precisely to
discuss these challenges and generate practical solutions that local and
regional elected representatives can apply in their respective areas that this
Summit is being held.”
In her views however, despite the European
cohesion policy, the EU cities’ full potential has not yet been fully reached.
There is therefore a need for a coherent and integrated EU policy for urban
areas together with a genuine multi-level approach: “It is by fully recognising
cities' role as political players in development strategies and involving them
in drawing up sectoral policies, encouraging cooperation between them and
equipping them to work more harmoniously with other levels of governance that
Europe will be able to achieve the transition to tomorrow's development”, she
added.
Addressing the Summit during its opening session, European Commission
President José Manuel Barroso stressed that “European cities
have been hit very hard by the crisis, in particular as regards unemployment and notably youth unemployment. But as well as being confronted with major
challenges, cities are also places of opportunities. They have a remarkable
capacity to find new innovative ways to deal with a fast-changing societal,
economic and environment reality. We should therefore be proud of our cities.
European cities, thanks to the quality of life they offer to their citizens, are great examples for other parts of the world”. Mr Barroso also emphasised the key role that European cities play in realising the EU 2020 targets for jobs, investment, research, education and social inclusion. He further called upon the leaders of the EU local authorities to take a stronger role to actively defend the European project.
The Lord Mayor of Copenhagen, Frank Jensen, who is
co-hosting the Summit along with the CoR and the Capital Region of Denmark, was
keen to emphasise the key role of “sustainable green growth” in tackling current challenges: “Europe’s nations, regions and cities are facing a triple challenge:
handling climate change and reduce CO2 emissions; creating jobs and economic
growth; and securing sufficient energy supplies. The good news is that we do not need to find three solutions, because there is in my view one answer:
sustainable green growth. This is why we need to invest in our cities as they
have a central role to play in the economic recovery, for example through
investments in urban infrastructure, energy efficiency and innovation.” The Lord Mayor gave concrete examples and achievements about the city of Copenhagen in a bid to become the world’s first CO2-neutral capital by 2025.
Vibeke Storm Rasmussen, Chairman of the Regional Council,
Capital Region of Denmark discussed how the Region is continuing to commit
resources to sustainable and green innovation. She noted that they wanted to
ensure that a “sustainable structure” underpins their urban development efforts
such as their plans for improving transport links between Denmark and Europe,
complementing their achievement as the worlds’ bicycle Region. Ms Rasmussen gave
further examples taking place in the Capital Region of Denmark noting that “the
green renovation of private housing and also our hospitals will have an
increased focus on sustainability and energy consumption”. She placed these
efforts within the broader economic crisis stating that “cities and regions
creativity can be used against the crisis that we all
face”.
Note to the editors:
For two days, over 300 mayors and presidents of regions from the 27 EU Member States, together with leading architects, urban planners and researchers in urban development, are sharing their experiences and thoughts with a view to
ensuring that urban issues feature more prominently on the European and world
agendas. The Summit offers the opportunity of an open debate on issues such as
the impact of the EU on urban development, the involvement of the citizens in
regional and local projects and the development of innovative funding to
encourage green urban economy. The aim is also to ensure that integrated,
sustainable urban development does not remain a pious wish but becomes a living
reality for all Europeans.
In this perspective, CoR members are due to adopt at the end of the Summit a
declaration ("Copenhagen Declaration") on the role to be played by urban
development in each region and on urban sustainable development in the context
of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (“Rio+20”) debate. It will also
be the expression of a shared political commitment taken beyond Rio+20.
Under the tile “The European urban fabric in the 21st century”, this Fifth
European Summit of Regions and cities is organised by the CoR in partnership
with the City of Copenhagen and the Capital Region of Denmark. It is accompanied by an exhibition illustrating best practices in sustainable development in some thirty European cities and Regions. The exhibition will be shown in CoR premises in May and in the European Commission headquarters during the European Week of Regions and Cities in October.
Nathalie Vandelle (FR, EN)
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(0)2 282 24 99
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David French (EN)
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(0)2 282 25 35
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