Amsterdam bans creation of new hotels
Another piece in the overall strategy to reduce tourist flows to the city
An interview with the ICLEI regional director for Europe аfter the close of COP28
After the close of COP28, we sat down with Wolfgang Teubner, ICLEI regional director for Europe, to take stock of the achievements from the climate summit and to hear his view on how the new multilateral deals will affect urban areas in Europe and the agency that cities have to be a proactive actor in global climate action.
First, I would like to mention the Coalition for High Ambition Multi-Level Partnerships (CHAMP), which was announced in the Local Climate Action Summit (LCAS) at COP and is already supported by more than 70 states. This coalition will strengthen the role and impact of cities and local governments in national and European climate policy.
Second, the commitment to transition away from fossil fuels, as well as tripling renewable energy capacity globally and doubling the global average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements by 2030 is an important achievement that will certainly impact the energy planning in European cities and towns.
Finally, the role of urban development in combatting climate change and achieving the necessary adaptation has again been strengthened by the urban development ministers’ conference at COP and the joint outcome statement of the conference and the LCAS.
Although the statement is still not as strong as it should have been, the path towards the end of fossil fuels is irreversible. Right now, it is only remaining open to how fast this will be achieved. Considering the impact this will have particularly on heating systems, transport and mobility, it is obvious that cities and their utilities will have to play a strong role in this development, whether it is explicitly assigned to them or not.
However, this should also result in a better and stronger involvement of cities and local governments in the development of relevant policies, measures, and financing instruments.
As I previously mentioned, the LCAS itself being an official part of the COP28 programme and the CHAMP initiative are clearly strengthening the role of cities and local governments in the negotiation process and in the multi-level governance processes in Europe between the EU, national, subnational and local level.
We definitely need to see more policies that respond to the commitments and strategies that are coming from the local level and that ensure a multilevel governance approach.
In Europe, ahead of COP28, some ICLEI members organised local stocktakes to contribute to the global stocktake under the UNFCCC. Additionally, we already have strong initiatives like the Covenant of Mayors, the Mission of Climate Neutral and Smart Cities, the Adaption Mission and some more, that are not only offering support for cities and local governments but at the same time a considerable negotiation space and relevant events. Therefore, it would be important to use all existing tools to build momentum towards ensuring a multilevel governance approach in Europe.
In Europe, we have a strong family of city networks that collaborate in all the initiatives that I have mentioned, and a vast number of European-funded projects focused on sustainability in cities and towns. This includes even the Committee of the Regions as an official body of the EU Governance system.
I am convinced that we are all aligned in strengthening the role of cities while making sure that the fiscal, financial and regulatory frameworks are becoming supportive and responsive to the needs of locally developed strategies, action- and investment plans.
For ICLEI, the LCAS and the CHAMP initiative are only the starting point and platform to work for stronger empowerment of cities in relation to the Nationally Determined Contributions and the Global Stocktake exercise. This involvement and recognition are helping us to enter into talks about better framework conditions for cities and local governments.
From our side at our European Secretariat, we are bringing these developments back home to Europe and considering, in the context of the revision of Europe’s Governance Regulation and our upcoming European Sustainable Towns and Cities Conference, what it means to implement CHAMP in the EU. With all our strong initiatives, Europe can play a leading role in this and set a good example for other countries and regions in the World.
Legislators and magnates have to await a preliminary ruling from the European Court of Justice
The building will then serve as the site for a new museum dedicated to Finnish-Russian relations
Another piece in the overall strategy to reduce tourist flows to the city
In addition, the federal government has launched the National Week of Action against Bicycle Theft to raise awareness of the issue and the new solution
The facility will replace the need to have water supplied by tankers from Valencia
Modern traffic lights do more than regulate the flow of vehicles at crossroads, they also collect enormous amounts of data
Experimenting with public transport provision in Germany is clearly in a state of creative fervour
Legislators and magnates have to await a preliminary ruling from the European Court of Justice
It also set the standards for a better European parking card for people with disabilities
The benefit will last until the Dutch parliament adopts the transgender law
Experimenting with public transport provision in Germany is clearly in a state of creative fervour
It also set the standards for a better European parking card for people with disabilities
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Forests in the EU can help green the European construction industry and bolster a continent-wide push for architectural improvements.
Apply by 10 November and do your part for the transformation of European public spaces
Catch up with some recommendations for the 2024 European Capital of Culture programme from the mayor of Tartu
An interview with the ICLEI regional director for Europe аfter the close of COP28
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