Within the ambit of the learning process on municipal energy efficiency projects in MENA, the virtual dialogue event was held on the 18th – 20th May 2021. The dialogue event aimed at promoting the exchange of expertise on good practices for planning and implementing energy efficiency projects. As part of the build up towards the dialogue event, several activities were conducted. This included a virtual session conducted on the 23rd March 2021 focusing on developing project proposals for funding of energy efficiency projects as well as a session on energy audits and showcasing of regional good practices (from Hebron and Bizerte) held on the 12th April 2021. Furthermore and as part of the outreach to regional actors, a number of municipalities of Connective Cities network have participated in the workshop of BUILD_ME phase II of the IKI project “Accelerating 0-emission building sector ambitions in the MENA region” held on the 11th of March 2021 to showcase the BEP tool for energy simulation in the building development phase.
Category: Integrated urban development
Sustainable, Informed and Participatory Land Management and Land Use Planning in Rapidly Growing Cities
On the 11th, 12th & 14th of May 2021, Connective Cities held a dialogue event to address the topics of integrating nature-based solutions in land use planning, land information systems and participatory & inclusive land use planning. The event attracted the participation of 38 participants from municipalities, local government associations, national governments, research institutions and civil society organizations. The countries represented include Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Germany, Ghana, Kenya, Netherlands, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia.
The statistics as highlighted by Oumar Sylla (UN-Habitat) reminded us that the population in the cities is on the rise and this irreversible urbanization trend we are now faced with the challenge of channeling its effects especially in the area of land governance. Mr. Hilmar von Lojewski (DST) then emphasizes that we need to reduce land uses for building purposes to the utmost necessary amount.
This called for understanding of the impact of the rapidly growing cities to the wellbeing of its residents and acquaintance to the different ways in which cities can integrate Nature-based Solutions in their planning & implementation of city plans including green roofs and walls, permeable pavements and green spaces just to mention a few. This was delivered by Heidi Tuhkanen (SEI) and Emmanuel Letebele (eThekwini) showcased how the cities can integrate climate change in spatial development.
This dialogue event thus provided a platform for the cities to learn and exchange. 10 good practices were shared from both the cities in SSA and Germany, 4 collegial consultations held, and 7 project ideas conceptualized.
Hebron – Promoting a healthy learning environment in public schools
The “Dr. Hafiz Abd-Nabi” public school was constructed as a green building that is naturally ventilated, heated and cooled. In comparison to regular school buildings in Hebron, this school building exhibits improved indoor air quality in classrooms. Thermal comfort is achieved mainly via passive design thus reducing the need for auxiliary heating and cooling. As a result, students enjoy a healthy learning environment in both heating and cooling seasons.
The project is a fruitful cooperation between the Belgian Development Agency, the Palestinian Ministry of Education, and Hebron Municipality.
Stari Grad – how vaccination campaigns can reach groups at risk
As in many other countries, people in Serbia who want to be vaccinated have to book an appointment online and then get their jabs at a vaccination centre. But what about the elderly and people without internet access, or those unable to operate digital devices? And what do people do who can’t travel to the vaccination centres on their own? Stari Grad, in Serbia, shows how municipalities can reach this important target group in their vaccination campaigns.
Urban Gardening
The concept of Urban Gardening, which emerged in the seventies in New York, Manhattan, describes a communal garden use of urban green spaces. It therefore differs from the so-called “gardens for the poor” that emerged in Germany as early as the beginning of the 19th century and from which the allotment garden (“Kleingarten”) movement later grew from. Private allotment gardens and community gardens should be seen as complementary to each other and not as competition. In modern practice, there are increasingly mixed forms of private and community gardens. They range from cooperatively managed urban agricultural plots, to community gardens within allotments, botanical gardens or parks, to urban gardening with primarily social goals such as inclusion and environmental education.
Municipal practitioners from 9 countries and 16 cities discussed this new diversity of approaches and experiences in depth and jointly developed solutions and project ideas. They had accepted the invitation of Connective Cities and the Berlin districts of Berlin-Mitte, Pankow, Lichtenberg, Tempelhof-Schönfeld and Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf to join the virtual dialogue event that took place from 20.04. – 22.04.2021.
Streets for all – Glasgow’s new avenues
The pandemic has fundamentally changed all our daily lives. Instead of meeting indoors, we meet outside and instead of taking the bus or train, we use the bicycle or sometimes the car. Cities need to respond to this change in population behavior. Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city, whose central streets have long been reserved for car traffic, has met this challenge by taking extensive measures to create more space for cyclists and pedestrians and new central green spaces.
During the pandemic, space for cyclists and pedestrians in Glasgow was provisionally separated from the streets with plastic elements, giving them more space. By doing so, the city successfully responded to the new needs of its residents.
But in the long term the streetscapes suffer from the unsightly plastic elements. However, for the quality of life in a city and the well-being of its residents not only the functionality but also the beauty of the city is important. That’s why the long-term avenue strategy in Glasgow’s city center calls for the creation of 21 streets with continuous bicycle and pedestrian paths in combination with extensive greening by 2027. The new avenues will link central locations and better connect adjacent neighborhoods. The greening will beautify the streets, which were often completely concreted before, and more space for pedestrians and cyclists will significantly reduce motorized traffic.
Thus, not only does the functionality of the street adapt to the new needs of the population, but the new avenues are also visually much more attractive. This increases the attractiveness of the location for retailers and the quality of stay in the public space. Combined with new technologies, such as individually controllable LED lighting, the center of Glasgow is thus made fit for the future.
More Information
Glasgows Avenue Strategy & the Role of Beauty in Public Spaces (PDF)
Event Recording (Presentation on Glasgow starts min. 78): COVID-19 – A chance for urban green recovery? (Only for those registered on the Connective Cities Platform)
Contact:
Jamie Shields, Development and Regeneration Services, Glasgow City Council, UK jamie.shields@glasgow.gov.uk
Paola Pasino, Development and Regeneration Services, Glasgow City Council, UK paola.pasino@glasgow.gov.uk
Hazmieh in Lebanon: A lighthouse in good urban governance
Hazmieh municipality has set a comprehensive and effective strategy for local economic development, in which the public and the private sector’s participation in planning and decision-making are the cornerstones. The municipality has partnered with representatives of the local community and private sector to ensure the formulation of municipal development plans that prioritize the prosperity and common good of the local community and ensure gender equality and youth participation.
The municipality has attracted investments by diversifying local economy in the city. By employing the business model “Everything under one roof”, Hazmieh has succeeded in proving that one doesn’t need to leave the city boundaries to secure supplies, resulting in making the city an essential hub for investment in Lebanon.
Sustainable urban energy planning in Southeast Europe – Infographics
These infographics illustrate the current context and importance of sustainable energy in SEE:
- Final Energy Consumption rates of Southeast Europe (SEE) Region
- Greenhouse gas emission rates in Southeast Europe (SEE) Region
- Signatories of Covenant of mayors from Southeast Europe (SEE) Region
- General Challenges of SEE Region in Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
The Case for a Green and Just Recovery
To provide decision-makers with more information on how stimulus packages may affect cities, this report compares how urban greenhouse gas emissions, health and jobs could fare under a green and just recovery compared to a return to a pre-COVID business-as-usual scenario, or a scenario where the world opts to spend stimulus funding on a high-carbon recovery.
The research finds that:
- Stimulus funding that supports a green and just recovery offers a means to keep global heating below 1.5°C, and could reduce air pollution by as much as 29% between 2020-2030 compared to a return to business-as-usual. In contrast, investing an equivalent amount of stimulus funding in a high-carbon recovery would undoubtedly accelerate global heating.
- Across the nearly 100 cities in the C40 network and their supply chains, a green and just recovery could also create over 50 million good, sustainable jobs by 2025 – over a third more than would be created by investing equivalent funds into a high-carbon recovery.
This research also shows that the timing of a green and just recovery matters, and presents a clear case for early investment. Modelling of the impacts of an ‘accelerated green recovery’ where faster capital investment enables accelerated climate action over the next five years, compared to a ‘slow green recovery’ where action happens at a slower pace over 15 years, shows that:
- An ‘accelerated green recovery’ could lead to half the per capita greenhouse gas emissions of a ‘slow green recovery’ by 2030, meaning that an ‘accelerated green recovery’ provides C40 cities with a greater chance of meeting their climate commitments and limiting global heating to 1.5°C.
- An ‘accelerated green recovery’ could avert almost twice as many premature deaths (1.8 times as many) due to air pollution between 2020 and 2030, compared to a ‘slow green recovery’.
- Capital investments that are made early on under an ‘accelerated green recovery’ could create over 80 million good, sustainable jobs by 2023, across the nearly 100 cities in the C40 network and their supply chains – more than double a ‘slow green recovery’. At a time of mass unemployment and economic hardship in many parts of the world, generating jobs now will benefit millions of families.
Sustainable urban energy planning in Southeast Europe (SEE)
The energy sector influences the vibrancy and sustainability of the entire economy – from job creation to resource efficiency and the environment. Significant shifts in the sector can have a strong ripple effect throughout the economy. Making the energy supply more cost-effective, reliable, secure, and environmentally sustainable thus contributes to the long-term resilience of economic development.
This concept paper describes the current context and importance of sustainable energy in SEE; current trends and scenarios in SEE; how SDG 7 and 13 as well as the Paris agreement affects the energy response in SEE; critical challenges for SEE to be energy responsive; some key steps needed for the future in SEE; energy financing – a key strategy for going forward; and finally the agenda for action for the dialogue event: sustainable urban energy planning in SEE.