While it is impossible to anticipate in detail the effects of climate change in our lives in the coming years, we know some things with certainty: we should expect more extreme weather events, more intensity of those events, and continued sea level rise, among other things. To ensure that our communities are resilient in the face of these changes, it is crucial that, from now on, environmental considerations are integrated in all policies.

The European Commission supports sound, science-based decision making for resilient communities with its ‘Science for Environment Policy’ (SfEP) service. One of the roles of this service is to create in-depth reports, future briefs and thematic issues, in collaboration with research entities, to help policy makers grasp cutting-edge topics ranging from nature-based solutions to indicators for sustainable cities, to noise impacts on health.

The in-depth SfEP report on indicators for sustainable cities is a great resource for local governments and stakeholders to learn how to best measure environmental sustainability in cities. The tools featured in the report were chosen based on their proven applicability in cities, adaptation potential to varied contexts, and their potential for scalability and ease of use. By exploring the suggested tools, decision makers can enhance their city’s environmental performance and find justification for potential improvements.

SfEP provides subscribers with forthnightly news alerts that feature the latest ‘need-to-know’ insights on environmental science, helping decision makers keep abreast of developments in the field.

Explore the wealth of information on the Science for Environment Policy platform here, and subscribe to the newsalerts here to ensure to be informed about the latest buzz in environmental science.

ICLEI Europe supports SfEP and encourages our Members and readers to make use of its wealth of knowledge.