"Cities are best placed to speak with their citizens on global matters such as climate change" and to show how local level changes from waste management to public transport can contribute to facing this global challenge, said EUROCITIES in a statement on 27 October, underlining that over 70% of the European population lives in an urban context.
A declaration on climate change from the network of local governments of some 130 major cities across 34 European countries "testifies to the commitment of cities" to taking local action on climate change.
The declaration is not binding but provides guidelines for implementing local policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by involving all local actors, better urban planning, transport and mobility, renewable energy and diversified energy production.
Examples of actions proposed include:
- Adopting ambitious sustainable public procurement policies (see EurActiv dossier on green public procurement);
- developing innovative partnerships in the fields of research and higher education;
- limiting urban sprawl and developing compact cities;
- creating new 'eco-quarters';
- constructing energy-efficient buildings;
- developing new forms of mobility, and;
- developing the production of renewable energy.
To work towards world targets on climate change, including an EU goal to slash CO2 emmissions by 20% by 2020, the support of the member states "is obviously necessary, but it is no longer sufficient," said EUROCITIES President and Mayor of Lyon Gérard Collomb. "The states must delegate to the cities the authority to act on a local level to reduce emissions, and undertake with the European Union to provide funding for initiatives supporting public transportation, housing, and energy," he added.
He also stressed the need to consider the different levels of capacity existing in different cities.
