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We are globally facing a climate crisis which is intrinsically linked to biodiversity, environment, pollution and resources. How cities choose to respond to climate change and urbanisation challenges is more critical now than ever before. It affects not only the livability of the residents but also the ecological wellbeing by providing valuable refuges for a wide range of biodiversity. Cities around the world are increasingly pursuing a green sustainability agenda, to grow their economies while working to reduce carbon footprints and avoid biodiversity loss.
Moreover, cities are uniquely positioned to deliver green recovery after crises and provide the foundation of resilience. In fact, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for open green spaces in cities and access to urban nature, providing insights into future planning and policies.
For this reason at Eutropian we are greatly involved in developing strategies for greening our cities through projects and policy actions which may experiment and deliver tangible innovative solutions on green infrastructure.
We have been engaged in different projects in relation to greening cities. Within the EUI project Prato Urban Jungle we supported the Municipality of Prato in converting urban areas into so-called urban jungles or areas of high density of plants and trees to help improve the quality of air in the city, as well as the quality of life and citizen satisfaction. These were developed with citizen involvement through an inclusive model and transparent urban platforms, creating a sustainable urban environment. The REFLOW Project aims to develop circular and regenerative cities through enabling active citizen involvement and systemic change to re-think the current approach to material flows in cities. In this project we co-developed the guidebook for citizens’ participation to circular economy strategies. Within the EUI funded project GOCCIA in Milan we are developing innovative Interspecies Playground where environment becomes a stakeholder in the development of interspecies design thinking. The project will recover an area contaminated by former industrial activities and spontaneously re-naturalized through a process of land reclamation.
Throughout the Prato Urban Jungle project in Prato we developed reports and articles to share the advancement of the local program Europe-wide. We have explored how with an innovative community-led approach to design, the project has ensured a transparent and sustainable development of much needed green zones or how by interacting with innovative communities of stakeholders, citizens, businesses and civil society actors, the project aimed to mobilise the urban creativity and resources in Prato, and also contributed in the final publication on how to sustain and scale up the learnings of the project.
The Just transition report commissioned by C40 and co-authored by Eutropian provides a key resource for European cities to improve their understanding of their national contexts and key plans, policies and projects relating to just transition. The report highlights the opportunities that cities can leverage and strategies that may be effective in shaping a stronger collective voice in pursuit of just transition in Europe.
The Circular Citizens handbook for citizen engagement in circular city transition aims to give a more substantial understanding on citizens’ role in the implementation of circular solutions. Based on six pilot cities of the REFLOW EU Project, we propose six key recommendations targeting policy-makers and municipalities for citizens’ participation in the circular economy transition. The handbook was produced by Eutropian and the City of Milan.
Cooperative city articles: https://cooperativecity.org/category/environmental-sustainability/
