With adoption of the Amsterdam Pact on May 30th, EU leaders showed their full endorsement of the need to attach considerations at the urban dimension to EU decision-making. As we pointed out in our previous article on the topic (We are already on our way to Amsterdam: Countdown to the new EU Urban Agenda), the Amsterdam Pact aims at enhancing new forms of multilevel cooperation in the management of EU funds in four pilot sectors: housing, air quality, integration of migrants and refugees, urban poverty. The real breakthrough is represented by its working method, which champions partnerships on urban-salient issues across multiple levels of government. It is the symbolic beginning of a new process, signalling how sensitive this issue has become for EU policy-makers. By now, reflecting on citizens’ needs at the urban level has become a cornerstone in EU policy-making. EU institutions are demonstrating their leadership and willingness to dialogue with stakeholders on such topics.
Brussels has become a hub to share ideas and experiences and to inspire innovative solutions to the most pressing urban challenges. Here, the European Commission will host the 10th edition of the European Development Days, one of the major conferences dedicated to the issue which will be held on 15th and 16th of June. Among the co-organizers are: ALDA European Association for Local Democracy, Smart Villages Initiatives, The Hague Academy for Local Governance, UN-HABITAT, and UCLG, United Cities and Local Governments. The agenda will focus on the status of implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. Within the five main themes (People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, Partnership) a considerable number of parallel sessions will be in fact devoted to urban-related sub-topics: “Inclusive, sustainable and resilient cities”, “Circular economy”, and “Inclusive and peaceful societies”). Here our selection:
15 June 2016
Time to think urban (09.30-10.45)
City-to-city cooperation: Municipal climate partnerships (09.30-10.45)
Move towards sustainable lifestyle for the people and the planet (09.30-10.45)
My city, my right: Towards inclusive and equitable urban spaces for women (14.00-15.30)
Towards a circular economy for sustainable consumption and production (16.00 – 17.30)
Localising the Sustainable Development Goals: Owning the global development agenda (16.00 – 17.15)
New cooperation models for cities in the age of the Sustainable Development Goals (17.45 – 19.00)
16 June 2016
Mobilising innovative finance for resilient and sustainable cities (13.00 – 14.15)
Local action to address fragility and protracted displacement (14.30 – 16.00)
Urban Now: City Life in Congo (14.45 – 16.00)
Most of the sessions will be available online via streaming.
For the complete agenda and further information visit the link.
Con l’adozione del Patto di Amsterdam lo scorso 30 maggio, i leader europei hanno confermato come la dimensione urbana sia ormai elemento cardine per la formulazione di politiche efficaci a più livelli. Il tema sarà uno dei principali discussi durante gli European Development Days che si terranno il 15 e 16 luglio a Bruxelles alla presenza di personalità di spicco, dal Segretario Generale ONU, Ban Ki-Moon al Vice-Presidente della Commissione Europea, Federica Mogherini.