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The big highlights of the project are two cycling highways, one leading to Lower Austria in the south and another leading to Donaustadt
Sântana has only 11,000 residents, yet several municipal buildings will get connected to a renewable geothermal reservoir deep underground
With a decline in passengers due to Covid-19 and the energy crisis, among other factors, the city will focus on increasing the quality of service
The idea dates back even to Antiquity, but how feasible is it?
The cultural and victim remembrance facility will be located in Rome
Many municipalities instituted privileges for EVs to promote sustainable mobility. Now, a lot more people are driving electric, so maybe it’s time to normalise legislation
The city wants new approaches to developing the urban environment and is willing to fund the best solutions
Around 75% of German CO2 emissions come from the private sector, yet less than 1% of businesses are considered fully sustainable
The city has a strategy of putting 10,000 human-controlled and autonomous shuttles on the streets by 2030
Last week, the Chinese app was banned for Belgian federal employees for an initial period of six months
Sântana has only 11,000 residents, yet several municipal buildings will get connected to a renewable geothermal reservoir deep underground
Some of the most productive solar installations in the city are on listed buildings, such as Red City Hall
With a decline in passengers due to Covid-19 and the energy crisis, among other factors, the city will focus on increasing the quality of service
The big highlights of the project are two cycling highways, one leading to Lower Austria in the south and another leading to Donaustadt
It will open its doors in 2024 and offer cremations and burials
The building will be on the site of Plato’s Ancient Academy
The city has arranged four tailor-made programmes for the different residences as a way to reconnect with patients’ life and memories
The city has supported 65 initiatives in 9 districts away from its centre as a way to draw crowds to more unique experiences
The city has developed its own way to teach young people how to react when they witness unjust treatments
The city will supply and maintain 138 dispensers in public buildings
The city has arranged four tailor-made programmes for the different residences as a way to reconnect with patients’ life and memories
Find out which European region has the highest longevity, and which one the lowest
The Mayor of Matosinhos, Luisa Salgueiro, talked to us about her city's climate adaptation work, Source: Matosinhos Municipality
A conversation with the Mayor of Matosinhos, Portugal’s first UN Resilience Hub
In November 2021, within the scope of the European Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction (EFDRR), I made a commitment in Matosinhos with the High Representative of the United Nations Secretary General Ms Mami Mizutori, that Matosinhos would receive the Resilience Hub certificate at Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction.
What followed were months of intense work preparing the candidacy and adapting the municipal strategy for resilience to the demands of this responsibility. I must say it was a rewarding period and the result of everyone's involvement made this achievement an exciting moment for the municipal team.
But what really supported this outcome was the work that Matosinhos has developed over the years in building a resilient community. This commitment is very strong, built with an enormous sense of responsibility, with full awareness of the duties and the involvement of everyone.
Matosinhos is a coastal municipality, with a seafront of about 16km, located in the north of Portugal, with a mild annual temperature and some humidity. These characteristics make the municipality subject to both strong cold waves and heat waves as well as droughts.
Because of the coastal location, we are also very exposed to the risks of coastal overtopping, either due to rising sea levels or due to increasingly frequent and intense maritime storms. Another natural risk is urban flooding, the result of adverse weather phenomena such as rapid, sudden, highly concentrated, and intense rains. Forest fires are another risk that Matosinhos is exposed to.
However, it is important to mention that Matosinhos has never been exposed to any major natural catastrophe so far and we believe this is a result of our preparation and planning, but also of our ability to respond. Our weather conditions are not worrisome for now, however, we know that with climate change we will be increasingly exposed to natural risks, and it is in this sense that we have been developing our work strategy.
Portugal is the European country with most cities actively participating in the United Nations MCR2030 campaign, which demonstrates the level of commitment of Portuguese cities in this matter. Building more resilient cities, which are more aware of the risks and more prepared to face them, has also been a national objective through the National Strategy for Preventive Civil Protection 2030.
More and more cities are getting more and better prepared, but I believe that we still have a long way to go. In fact, this is work that will never be completed, for it is a project of continuous upgrading.
One of the projects that I like to highlight is our proximity policy. That means meeting with people, with the community and working daily with them under the umbrella of resilience.
This project involves direct contact with citizens through:
We know that being a resilience hub is not only a huge responsibility for Matosinhos but also a great challenge. The fact that we are the first Portuguese city to have this distinction makes us very proud of our journey. It also leaves us with the ambition to be an example for others, to contribute with our work to help others, to take their steps in resilience and of course, we also want to learn, exchange experiences, and continue to grow.
The fact that we propose to create a network of resilient cities in Portuguese-speaking countries also adds an additional responsibility. Creating the opportunity to have this sharing of knowledge, support and structure make us very committed to the mission.
We propose to support other cities or regions in the creation of awareness strategies and information to the population about the risks. This will create conditions for populations to know and identify the risks and be prepared to act. This community awareness facilitates the whole process of resilience.
We are also prepared to support the integration of technicians from other cities in our municipal structure for the necessary time for them to acquire knowledge to leverage in their cities, as well as send technicians from Matosinhos to other cities to support the development of the resilience process.
We are still available to host events on themes related to resilience, as will happen on 25 June with the holding of "Localizing Action for the Ocean: Local and Regional Governments", a special event of the Oceans Conference.
Yes, we are very committed, first, to Portuguese cities. Then to the cities of Portuguese-speaking countries, which are spread over several continents, from Africa to South America or Asia.
However, we are available to work with any city in the world, but naturally, we identify more closely with coastal cities.
While the new health policy will fund the morning-after pill and various progesterone treatments, it will not cover condoms
With a decline in passengers due to Covid-19 and the energy crisis, among other factors, the city will focus on increasing the quality of service
The big highlights of the project are two cycling highways, one leading to Lower Austria in the south and another leading to Donaustadt
City officials found that simple messages about respecting residents’ sleep were most effective if coupled with the right presentation
The city has a strategy of putting 10,000 human-controlled and autonomous shuttles on the streets by 2030
Last week, the Chinese app was banned for Belgian federal employees for an initial period of six months
The city has learned a lot from an ongoing project for a solar roof on the Altonaer Museum
With a decline in passengers due to Covid-19 and the energy crisis, among other factors, the city will focus on increasing the quality of service
The big highlights of the project are two cycling highways, one leading to Lower Austria in the south and another leading to Donaustadt
The city has learned a lot from an ongoing project for a solar roof on the Altonaer Museum
While the new health policy will fund the morning-after pill and various progesterone treatments, it will not cover condoms
City officials found that simple messages about respecting residents’ sleep were most effective if coupled with the right presentation
The new itineraries are part of the DiscoverEU programme, which lets 18-year-olds travel by train between important European sites
The European Commission has published its first progress report charting the achievements of the socio-cultural movement that combines beauty, inclusion and sustainability
The 2023 edition of the creative initiative promises to be bigger, bolder and more inclusive
A talk with the head of Mission Zero Academy on the benefits for municipalities if they go the zero waste way
A talk with Nicolae Urs, one of the key figures behind the city's new data platforms and online services strategy
Veni Markovski’s take on dealing with disinformation in the European Union's poorest country – Bulgaria
