A swift green transition of European cities and communities is urgently needed. Our living environments are central for the envisioned change. Strong international goals and initiatives are guiding the European work. On the ground, communities, public authorities, the private sector, financial institutions and universities are collaborating to support the transformation. Important know-how is being developed to increase the speed, reach and impact of change actions.
But are all values integrated, all perspectives considered? There is a unique opportunity to leverage society’s green transition by integrating aesthetical, social, and cultural values. The built environment that will be created, in addition to the places and buildings that already exists, will last for generations, and affect people and the planet through the design, use, and management we apply. What strategies, methods, practices, and visions can inspire all stakeholders to reach even further? How can sustainable, beautiful, and inclusive cities be imagined and created for the future?
The EU’s Urban Agenda and European policies and initiatives towards greener cities form the basis of this Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union event, organised by the Ministry of Rural Affairs and Infrastructure, Government Offices of Sweden, in collaboration with Boverket – National Board of Housing, Building and Planning, and SLU Movium Think Tank, and in alliance with governmental authorities in the Swedish Council of Sustainable Cities, and supported by ICLEI Europe.
Links between the green city vision and initiatives such as New European Bauhaus and the European Mission Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities 2030 will be explored, stressing the relevance of integrated approaches towards sustainable urban development. The aim is to share knowledge and methods, showcase best practices and discuss ‘next practices’.
Andreas Jäger, Senior Officer, Built Infrastructure & Sustainable Energy, at ICLEI Europe, will moderate the session titled “Circularity and energy savings in the existing built environment of the green city” that will take place on 14 June at 13.00 CEST. The session will explore how energy, and resource-efficiency measures in existing buildings and built environment can serve the green city through reuse and renovation practice in the light of the ongoing European energy crisis; how can such ambitions be socially inclusive? And how can they respect aesthetic values?. The speakers will be Tor Broström, Professor in Conservation, at the Department of Art History, Uppsala University; Roxana Apostol, Senior Project Manager at Trans-Europe Halles (European network of grassroots cultural centres); Liene Blancke, City of Leuven; Björn Wallsten/Christoph Gollner, Driving Urban Transitions; and Jonas Byström, European Investment Bank.
On-site participation is by invitation only. Online participation is open to the public for free. Take a look at the conference programme and register here for the online event.