A city we like: sustainable solutions for European cities

Source: European Commission (EC) i, published on Friday, September 20 2013.

European Commission

Press release

Brussels, 20 September 2013

A city we like: sustainable solutions for European cities

On 19 and 20 September, the A world you like campaign is taking city planning specialists from all across the EU to the Danish capital Copenhagen to show sustainable solutions in practice. Participating city planners come from Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, and the UK.

In cooperation with the Danish Architecture Centre and campaign partner the Confederation of Danish Industry (DI Energy), the study visit "a city we like" will take participants to a string of low-carbon realisations: from an innovative waste incineration plant to a sustainable theatre; from low-energy housing and business headquarters to a district cooling central.

Connie Hedegaard, European Commissioner for Climate Action, said: "As European population increasingly settles in cities, we need integrated solutions that ensure inhabitants a good quality of life and reduce CO2 emissions, air pollution, congestion, etc. Many of the solutions already exist, and Copenhagen really has a lot to show that I hope can inspire others. The A world you like campaign brings city planners from Europe together to share good practices so that we can bring these to scale."

The study visit has invited chief planners and technical directors from chosen European cities as well as decision makers and practitioners from the private sector.

Background

Last year, Copenhagen won the 2014 European Green Capital Award of the European Commission. And with a plan to become carbon neutral by 2025, the city is a frontrunner where it comes to sustainable solutions.

The city we like study visit will amongst other things visit the following sites:

  • Amager Resource Centre (ARC), a waste incineration plant that supplies the city with electricity and district heat while also offering a ski slope on the roof
  • Playhouse of the Royal Theatre, with an innovative energy saving system and elevation to meet sea level rise
  • The award-winning 8 house, combining business and housing in one big sustainable complex
  • The Vildrose project, offering affordable sustainable housing
  • The energy-neutral business headquarters of Ramboll

Read more: http://world-you-like.europa.eu/en/events/a-city-we-like/

About the World you like campaign:

The city we like study visit is part of the pan-European communication campaign A world you like. With a climate you like about practical solutions to climate change . Launched in October 2012, the campaign has attracted 190 partner organisations from across the EU, and more than 40,000 followers on its Facebook site and other social media channels. The campaign has organised events in nine countries so far and was broadly covered in European media. With the aim of sharing good practices in order to scale up climate action in Europe, the campaign features success stories from 27 member states and received a further 269 submissions in the World You Like Challenge. The winners of the World You Like Challenge for the best climate solutions in Europe will be announced in October and November 2013.

For more information, visit the World You Like website and social media channels at:

http://world-you-like.europa.eu

www.facebook.com/EUClimateAction

www.twitter.com/EUClimateAction (#worldulike)

 

Contacts :

Isaac Valero Ladron (+32 2 296 49 71)