In pursuit of Urban Sustainability in Europe

1. In pursuit of Urban Sustainability in Europe Session 5a. Urban Sustainability Aleh Cherp Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy Central European University

2. Introduction • Research: • Environmental Assessment & Management Systems, Sustainable Development Strategies, Environment in Transition, Institutional Transfer • Teaching: • At CEU from 2000 • From 2005 Director of the MESPOM (Masters in Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management) “Erasmus Mundus” course supported by EC and operated by Universities of Lund, Manchester and the Aegean in cooperation with CEU • Sweden: International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics • Professional: • Co-facilitator of a working group of ISO TC 207 (developing the ISO 14000 series standards) • Co-Author of UNDP Regional Human Development Reports; • Consulting UNDP, UNICEF, OECD, NOVEM, WHO, the World Bank etc • cherpa@ceu.hu; http://www.ceu.hu/envsci/aleg/

3. Contents • Meanings of urban sustainability • Conceptual approaches to ensuring urban sustainability • Illustrating through ‘city form’ • EU policies on urban sustainability

4. Importance of cities • Cities have been the foci of the changing human civilization • Culture, science, religion, education • Government (e.g. democracy, revolutions) • Economies • Presently 40% of the world population and 80% of European population live in cities • Urban-based economic activities account for up to 80 % of GDP in Europe • Cities are key to sustainable development

5. Urban population in world regions, %

6. What is a sustainable city?

7. Elements of sustainable cities • Harmony of ecological, cultural, political, institutional, social and economic conditions • Freedom to make choices • Easing a burden on future generations, long-term stability, minimization of risks • “Ecosystem”-type adaptation and renewal • Governance: partnership, participation, effectiveness • Strong identity, sense of place, self-reliance See e.g. “Sustainable Cities Report” 1996

8. Threats to urban sustainability Globalization: "the race to the bottom" Privatization: "the cherry picking"? Governance Tax base Economic transformation

9. Traditional tools of urban management • Land use planning: • zoning • Sectoral planning for achieving social, environmental and other sustainability objectives • Integrated management of waste, transport, energy and other issues • Pitfalls: • Sectoral specialization • Quantification of targets • Application of market mechanisms

10. Emerging elements of urban management • Complex analysis and (eco-) systems thinking • Strategic and integrated planning • Public-private partnerships and policy networks • Participatory initiatives such as Local Agenda 21 • “Ecosystems management” • Industrial ecology

11. Urban sustainability strategies • Strategic approach necessary to address most serious threats • The term “strategy” became popular after World War II • It was largely developed in the business sector, meaning, at different times • A detailed plan • <Market> positioning • An entrepreneurial vision • A plot to outperform competitors • A pattern of activity or • organizational culture • and even … “a battle cry”

12. Understanding urban sustainability • Urban studies • City form and development • Economics, investment, innovation; • Urban sociology to address migration, poverty, etc. • Urban history and culture • Urban “anatomy”: transport, infrastructure, etc.

13. A changing city 1Europe’s “balanced cities” • Europe: “balanced urban systems” • City autonomy and independence • Balance between “capital” and “secondary” cities” • Self-organization vs. control of city space • Balance between “public” & “private” space • Culture is ‘a living reality’ • “Laboratories of environmental reconstruction”

14. A changing city 2:Outside ‘balanced cities’ • Outside Europe: “primate cities” • Cities subordinate to national powers • Dominance of ‘mega-cities’ • Second world (‘socialist’) cities • Forced urbanization (Marx’s ideas of progressiveness of cities) • Little city autonomy • Greater control over land use and economy • Egalitarian ideas

16. The ‘city form’ in Europe • Autonomy of medieval and early modern cities • Effects of industrialization • “The Garden City” (1898) • Post-war reconstruction (1950s-1970s) • Economic boom, demand for housing -> ‘modernization’ of inner cities and development of ‘dormitory towns’ • Subsequent stagnation and decline of inner cities • Urban sprawl • Revival of urban centers (1980s) and the ‘compact city’ ideas • Testing and re-thinking ‘compact cities’

17. Urban Sprawl • Unlimited outward extension • Low-density residential and commercial settlements • Leapfrog development • Fragmentation of powers over land use among small jurisdictions with great fiscal disparities • Dominance of transportation by private motor cars • Threatens the very essence of European cities

18. Compact city • Concentrated high-density development • Containment of development • Mixed-use development and multifunctionality • Developments at PT nodes • Transformation of urban mobility

19. Challenges to compact cities • Long time before any change is evident • Requires strict control including by non-market methods • Poorly adapted to function in ‘urban regions’ with fragmented authorities • ‘Enables’ rather than ‘enforces’ desired behavior changes • May generate more, not less travel demand

20. Effects of the “compact-city” policy in the Netherlands

21. A changing city 3 – modern trends • “New urban economy” • Concentration on services and transnational trade • Changing trends in city evolution (e.g. mega-cities in the 3rd world) • “New poverty” • Modern city • Metropolitan regions and their declining role; • Transnational networks of cities (e.g. London-New York-Tokyo) • Urban field (clarify from articles) • Rethinking the ‘compact city’ • More flexibility and adaptation • Integration in urban regions

22. Urban sustainability in the EU milestones • 1989: The Green Paper on Urban Environment • 1991: DG XII established the Expert Group on Urban Environment • 1993: launched the Sustainable Cities Project and in 1996 issues the Sustainable Cities Report • European Conference on Urban Sustainability • 1994 in Aalborg (the Aalborg Charter (more than 2,000 authorities from 38 countries joined); launched Sustainable Cities and Town Campaign • 1996 in Lisbon (Lisbon Action Plan for implementing the Aalborg Charter); • 1998/1999 – four regional conferences; 2000 European in Hannover • 2004 – Aalborg + 10 – “The Aalborg Commitments” • 1997: Communication “Towards an Urban Agenda of the European Union” • In 6th EAP Urban Environment is a priority • 2004: Communication “On Thematic Strategy on Urban Environment”

23. Communication “Sustainable Urban Development in the EU: a framework for action” • No specific “urban” structure is recommended, but urban dimensions of other policies are highlighted • Structural funds should be more relevant to urban agendas, especially in the areas of transport, employment and regeneration of urban areas; • The Amsterdam Treaty’s intention on combatting segregation and discrimination in urban settings is stressed • In the environmental area the Framework focuses on urban energy management, transport, waste, noise, air quality and contaminated land • Calls to extend EMAS and eco-labelling to municipal authorities and utilities • Contribution to urban governance, empowerement and participation

24. 1. GOVERNANCE: 2. LOCAL MANAGEMENT FOR SUSTAINABILITY: 3. NATURAL COMMON GOODS: 4. RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION 5. PLANNING AND DESIGN 6. BETTER MOBILITY, LESS TRAFFIC: 7. LOCAL ACTION FOR HEALTH: 8. VIBRANT AND SUSTAINABLE LOCAL ECONOMY: 9. SOCIAL EQUITY AND JUSTICE: 10. LOCAL TO GLOBAL: Key Aalborg Committments

25. EU’s thematic strategy on Urban Environment • One of the 7 thematic strategies in the 6th EAP • Focuses on four priority themes: • Sustainable Urban Management • Sustainable Urban Transport • Sustainable Urban Construction • Sustainable Urban Design • Aims & mechanisms • For 500 largest European cities to have Environmental Management Plans and Sustainable Transport Plans (possibly with the EU requirement to that effect) • Member states to adopt national and regional urban development strategies • Access to data, research, reports and networking

26. Linkages of the Thematic Strategy on Urban Environment • With other Community policies: • Cohesion Policy • ERDF and the Cohesion Fund (Objectives 1 and 2) devotes at least 10% of funds (ca 15 bln euro) for urban centres and urban population • The Third Cohesion Report envisions more funds after 2006 • City of Tomorrow and Cultural Heritage research programmes • Leonardo da Vinci education & training programme • With environmental policies • Air quality, noise, climate change, waste, water, and biodiversity

27. Examples of urban sustainability networks • UN Habitat (http://www.unhabitat.org/) • UN Habitat “Best practices” initiative • ICLEI (www.iclei.org) • International Network of Local Authorities (www.iula.org) • United Towns Organization (http://www.fmcu-uto.org/) • Energie-Cités (http://www.energie-cites.org/) • A network of cities for sustainable energy • Metropolis network of metropolitan areas (www.metropolis.org) • The Bremen Initiative (http://www.bremen-initiative.de/) • A business-municipality partnership initiative

28. Summary • Threats to sustainability of contemporary cities are among most serious challenges of sustainable development • A strategic approach is necessary for tackling these challenges • History of European cities implies specific response to sustainability challenges • Many sustainability threats can be addressed through changing ‘city form’, but this is far from easy • Urban sustainability is strongly present on the agenda of the European Union, including the Thematic Strategy on Urban Environment