Policy Opportunities for Just Sustainable Cities — highlights from the panel discussion
Session 2: “Exploring the policy context” (Urban Arena #4, 30.9.2021) provided participants with a bird’s eye view of the current policy context and innovative modes of policy action. The event welcomed experienced panelists from different policy-levels to share their thoughts about the current policy context and emerging opportunities for just sustainable cities, and to highlight innovative approaches.
The panelists were Maria Nikolopoulou (President of the EESC Equality Group), Tadashi Matsumoto (Head of Sustainable Urban Development Unit at OECD), Céline Fabrequette (ECOLISE Policy Officer), Martin Grisel (Director at the EUKN EGTC) and Inês Costa, (Secretary of State for the Ministry of Environment Portugal).
Cities as leaders in the climate transition
“When we talk about cities, I think about what Frank Sinatra said — If we can make it here, we will make it anywhere! Cities are optimal battlegrounds to test these approaches [for just sustainable cities] and to implement them on urban policies.”
- Inês Costa
Cities and urban policies are now in the spotlight more than ever. Cities have both the attention and power to lead climate transition. Matsumoto expresses, it is important for all levels of policy-makers to seize this opportunity to make our cities better. He presented an example about cities potential in reducing emissions based on the report by the The Coalition for Urban Transitions
“Cities have a potential of reducing CO2 emissions. 90 % of the emissions can be reduced using existing technologies and methodologies but only one-third of this potential is materialized if city governments work only without collaboration [with national governments].”
- Tadashi Matsumoto
Nikolopoulou highlighted the importance for cities to cooperate with rural areas since they are very much connected and dependent on each other. Currently, these two areas are considered rather disconnected on a policy and funding level. She expressed the need to bring these two worlds together and to help them develop at the same time, depending on each areas needs.
Conference of the Future of Europe as an opportunity for empowerment
Panelists agreed on the importance of putting the people at the center of sustainable cities. As Nikolopoulou put it, sustainability actions will find obstacles when people are not involved. She also pointed out that sometimes social movements go too fast in relation to policy making. Nikolopoulou encouraged to collaborate with projects which are working on connecting people in a city-levelm, on the ground level. This would help to prepare the ground for any further actions that we would want to take for sustainable cities.
Fabrequette represented ECOLISE which seeks to empower and activate citizens at the local level to engage and be more involved in local and translocal policies. She presented the Conference of the Future of Europe which she sees as an interesting initiative for civic engagement which can be successful only if implemented inclusively.
“There has been a strong wish, and need, for democratic participation and to empower citizens in EU, and even wider, to get citizens to empower the EU.[..] I see the Conference of the Future of Europe as a great opportunity for just sustainable cities but it is an opportunity only if the process and the implementation of it is inclusive and intersectional.”
- Céline Fabrequette
The New Leipzig Charter as the leading framework for urban policy
Grisel presented the New Leipzig Charter as the leading framework for urban policy at the EU level, alongside with other frameworks of societal challenges and global development, such as Agenda 2030, and the SDGs. The Charter discusses the transformative power of the cities for the common good which is relevant for just sustainable cities
“It is even seen as an European framework enabling the implementation of the SDGs from the European part. [..] The New Leipzig Charter now becomes a living document that is leading the future Urban Agenda for the EU partnerships. The new in coming EU presidencies will adopt the notion of just city. ”
- Martin Grisel
Rethinking sustainability
All panelists challenged city-makers to rethink sustainability and policy-development, with social justice in the centre. The panelists and Arena participants emphasized the need for a systematic (e.g. urban metabolism), integrated (interaction between policy sectors), and intersectional approach (e.g. climate equality, inclusion of the global south).
The discussion also circled around the topic of green growth and its compatibility with social and environmental justice. Criticism of this concept focused on the unsustainable nature of growth and the limits of natural resources. However, answers challenged the participants to look beyond the dichotomy of growth and sustainability. Alternative ways to measure and produce growth were also presented — instead of GDP, maybe we should measure social growth, development in educational systems, welfare institutions etc.
Panelists also saw covid-19 as a great moment to rethink sustainability. On the one hand, the discussions around cities after the pandemic, and its potential policy implications, give an opportunity to experiment with new approaches and shift towards a new paradigm. On the other hand, the pandemic has also exposed and strengthened inequalities in cities and their suburbs.
