At the end of June, in Toledo, Spain, EU’s Urban Development Ministers adopted the Toledo Declaration, which sets out the intelligent and sustainable development of urban areas, more precisely urban integration regeneration.
Considering the urban dimension and the future challenges of European cities, the ministers analysed the 2020 Strategy, outlining the need to promote sustainable development, based on social cohesion. To that end, the ministers reaffirmed their commitment and the principles previously set during ministry reunions, outlining the fact that an integrated approach of urban policies represents one of the key instruments that would facilitate the implementation of the 2020 European Strategy. The Spanish Minister of Housing, Beatriz Corredor, stated that “an integrated urban policy approach is a critical factor behind short and medium-term economic competitiveness of a sustainable economy. The goal of European cities should be to come out of the crisis better positioned to face challenges, and also to be more liveable, sustainable, integrating and eco-efficient. The Toledo Declaration “sets out the European Union’s political commitment to defining and applying integrated urban regeneration as one of the key tools of the 2020 Strategy”.
In order to create the model of an intelligent, sustainable and social city, the ministers outlined the importance of implementing a development strategy that provides a global vision and the need to improve economic performance, eco-efficiency and social cohesion. Committee of the Regions (CoR) President Mercedes Bresso declared in her message that “the future EU regional funding must address infraregional disparities, particularly social renewal and energy efficiency”. Urban areas are engines of economic growth”.
The Toledo Declaration sets out five measurement criteria related to environmental protection, economy, social sector and urban, architectural and cultural planning. As for environmental protection, the cities and metropolitan areas are key factors for global sustainability and the fight against climate change, because they use the highest quantity of resources (both material and energy) and the generation of waste and emissions, especially greenhouse gas emissions, is concentrated in these areas. In order to generate urban sustainability and achieve a “green, eco-efficient” regeneration of the cities, the transport demands that stimulate a more sustainable mobility should be reduced. This could be achieved by prioritizing non-motorized transport or by increasing the use of less polluting means of transport, thus supporting an accessible and efficient public transport. This also applies in the case of disadvantaged neighbourhoods, which can play a major role in destroying the multimodal transport networks and optimizing urban logistics.
The ministers also pleaded for the promotion and use of renewable energy sources in order to improve energy and material resource management. Promoting the use of “green” products in order to reduce the consumption chains and consolidate the “eco-economy” is another measure considered by the Urban Development Ministers.
Following the approval of the Toledo Declaration, France presented the first stage of an instrument that measures urban sustainability. This prototype establishes four measurement criteria: analysing urban sustainability in terms of economic, social and environmental factors; verifying that each and every strategy has an integrated approach; evaluating the attention given to disadvantaged neighbourhoods; studying the evolution of sustainability in a city. This instrument will be finalized by the end of 2011, during the 6-month Polish Presidency.
European Commissioner for Regional Policy, Johannes Hahn:
“More than 60% of CO2 emissions are produced in urban areas. For this reason, Europe must take the lead, do something in favour of the climate and above all, carry out a series of measures to improve the situation, not only in European cities, but in the entire world”
by Pamela Luică
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