ICLEI Europe’s newest Member is the City of Cesena, located in the north of Italy among green hills and the Adriatic Sea. The city hosts almost 100,000 inhabitants and has long cultural and culinary traditions, as well as a strong agricultural sector. It was one of the first cities in Europe – and the first in Italy – to sign the Green City Accord, and is an example of excellence in green infrastructure, river conservation, and sustainable mobility.
Cesena has prioritised green infrastructure across the city, even in the very heart of the city centre. Its “Bee Path Net” initiative, for example, supports and recognises the value of pollinators and their role for biodiversity, agriculture, food safety and well-being. This reflects their belief in people-centred and environmentally-friendly actions to build a better future. It is thus unsurprising that social care and protection of nature are key points for the city and cornerstones of the local culture.
Conservation of the Savio river is another particularly important tenet for the city, which has invested extensively in protecting the river banks and making them more enjoyable for its citizens. This work has, for example, included creating a cycling path along the river bank that connects the city to the Adriatic Sea.
The municipality is part of the European Commission’s Natura 2000 ecological network, which focuses on the protection of biodiversity and the conservation of natural habitats, animals and plants. The network has recognised two other local Cesena waterways – namely the Mattero and Cuneo rivers – as sites of communal importance, hosting eight different habitats in only 421 hectares. The Cesena administration makes use of these exceptional natural areas to raise awareness of more sustainable and conscious approaches to managing local environments and nature, including hosting environmental labs for children in partnership with the local Museum of Ecology.
Finally, and as evidenced by its riverside cycling path, Cesena has also focused on sustainable mobility. The city offers a variety of sustainable mobility options (such as e-bike and scooter sharing, and car charging stations), and is part of a number of initiatives and projects to support its sustainable mobility work. The city’s Education Centre for Sustainability (CEAS), established in 2012, is currently running the “Ciclofficina” bike repair workshop project, in which workshops in school yards help children to fix their bikes, and the “Piedibus” project to help students and families find paths to commute to and from school without cars.
Given these exceptional demonstrations of commitment to sustainable urban development, it is unsurprising that Cesena signed onto the Green City Accord, an agreement between Mayors and Leaders of Local Governments, who share a vision of a sustainable urban future. ICLEI Europe – alongside Eurocities and CEMR – supports the European Commission in developing and implementing the Green City Accord.
How does Cesena do so much sustainability work? Engagement of the community has been the key to their success. They aim to share their objectives with locals, to collect suggestions and concerns, and to co-design projects and initiatives directly with inhabitants. The “Consulta per l’ambiente” (which translates to Environmental Council), for example, is an advisory group that brings together local administrators, associations and local organisations to collaboratively discuss climate and biodiversity work in the city.
Welcome to the ICLEI Europe community, Cesena!