Barcelona 2006

Greening the streets

3rd European meeting of Green local councillors Table of Contents

1. Introduction ...... 3 2. Conference programme ...... 4

WELCOME SPEECHES 3. Imma Mayol ...... 6 4. Monica Frassoni ...... 7 5. Francisco Garrido ...... 9 6. Monica Vana ...... 11 7. Johanna Sumuvuori ...... 12

PANEL I Greens and local politics 8. Luis Tejedor ...... 13 9. Jenny Jones ...... 15 10. Jenny Jones ...... 17 11. Francois Bausch ...... 18

Introduction of EU policy on urban environment 12. Gisela Kallenbach ...... 21 13. Marc Lipinski ...... 24

The fight against climate change in cities 14. Claude Turmes ...... 27 15. Imma Mayol ...... 28

PANEL II How to fight against climate change: exchange of experience with local councillors 16. Carl Schlyter ...... 30 17. Michael Cramer ...... 32

Conclusions 18. Ian Wingrove ...... 35 19. Åsa Romson ...... 37

CLOSURE: Conclusions of greening the streets 20. Jordi Guillot ...... 38 21. Phillipe Lamberts ...... 39 22. Raül Romeva ...... 41 23. Francisco Garrido ...... 43 24. Pierre Jonckheer ...... 44 25. Joan Saura ...... 46 26. Marta Martinez ...... 48

BARCELONA DECLARATION

Introduction

Greening the Streets

On 09 - 11 November 2006 green local and regional officials from all over Europe met in Barcelona for the 3rd European Meeting of Green Local Councillors entitled ‘Greening the Streets’. It was organised by the Greens of Catalonia - Iniciativa per Catalunya Verds (ICV) - and the Spanish Greens – Los Verdes.

The meeting aimed to enhance cooperation policies in environment, energy, transport and social affairs field with a focus on urban issues. It acted as a platform for the exchange of best practise and to help to develop a network among Green local councillors in order to share expertise.

The 1st European Meeting of Green Local Councillors was organised by the Austrian Greens 10 years ago. It took place in June 1996 in the Town Hall of Vienna with about 200 participants from 20 countries. The 2nd meeting was organised in December 2003, with 300 councillors from 30 countries participating.

The outcome of the 2nd meeting was a resolution tabled during the Founding Congress of the European Green Party in Rome in February 2004, where a strong basis for common aims and goals for all local green councillors was formulated. It ranged from equal access to public services to solutions for waste and to ecological procurement. It outlined aims on labour market policy, reduction of working times and gender equality, too.

The 3rd European Meeting of Green Local Councillors ‘Greening the Streets’ addressed problems such as climate change, social exclusion and EU policy on the urban environment. The agenda, speeches of panel- lists and additional information are documented in this brochure as well as the Barcelona Declaration - the main concrete outcome of this meeting, which sets out the common objectives agreed upon.

The co-organisers hope you enjoy the read and that you find it inspiring for exchanging best practises in your cities. We look forward to a continuing fruitful debate within the network.

Thursday , 9th November 2006

4:30 pm Registration 5:00 pm Welcome speeches - Monica FRASSONI, Co-President of the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament, Italy - Imma MAYOL, Deputy Mayor of Barcelona, Catalonia - Francisco GARRIDO, Spokesperson of Los Verdes, Spain - Johanna SUMUVUORI, MP and Member of the Committee of the European Green Party, Finland

6:30 pm Visit to the area of Besos in Barcelona as an example for local environment and social policies 9:00 pm Welcome dinner (in the hotel)

Friday , 10th November 2006

Venue: Hotel Barcelò Sants, Pl dels Països Catalans, s/n, Barcelona

9:30 am -1:00 pm PANEL I

Greens and local politics 9:30 am Key speeches : - Dieter SALOMON, Mayor of Freiburg, Germany - Luis TEJEDOR, Mayor of El Prat de Llobregat, Catalonia - Jenny JONES, Member Greater London Assembly, United Kingdom - François BAUSCH, Deputy Mayor City of Luxembourg, President of the Parlamentarian Group

Introduction of EU policy on urban environment 10:00 am Chair: Elisabeth SCHROEDTER, MEP, Germany Discussion Panel : - Gisela KALLENBACH, MEP, Germany - Joe CORR, Mayor of Fingal, Ireland - Marc LIPINSKI, Vice-President of Les Verts Ile-de-France, France

The fight against climate change in cities 11:30 am Chair: Michael CRAMER, MEP, Germany Discussion Panel: - Claude TURMES, Vice-President of the Greens/EFA in the EP, Luxembourg - Imma MAYOL, Deputy Mayor of Barcelona, Catalonia - Pekka SAURI, Mayor for Public Works and Environmental Affairs, Helsinki, Finland

1:00 - 3:00 pm Lunch at the hotel

Table of Contents Original program

3:00- 5:30 pm Panel II

How to fight against climate change : exchange of experiences with local councillors

Working groups 1. ENERGY - Chair : Claude TURMES, Vice-President of the Greens/EFA in the EP, Luxembourg Rapporteur : Hans-Jürgen ZIMMERMANN, Mayor of Ludwigshafen, Germany 2. MOBILITY - Chair : Michael CRAMER, MEP, Germany Rapporteur : Ian WINGROVE, Adviser to the Green Party in the London Assembly, UK 3. PUBLIC PROCUREMENT - Chair: Heide RÜHLE, MEP, Germany Rapporteur: Åsa ROMSON, Member of Stockholm City Council for the Green Party, Sweden

5:30 - 6:00 pm Coffee break

Conclusions 6:00 -7:00 pm Chair: Monika VANA, local councillor Die Grünen, Vienna, Austria Rapporteurs : - Hans-Jürgen ZIMMERMANN, Mayor of Ludwigshafen, Germany - Ian WINGROVE, Adviser to the Green Party in the London Assembly, United Kingdom - Åsa ROMSON, Member of Stockholm City Council for the Green Party, Sweden

9:00 pm Dinner in “La Farga”, Hospitalet

10:30 pm Guided tour “Night life in Barcelona”

Saturday , 11th November 2006

10:00 -12:00 am PANEL III

Presentation of best practice (Parallel workshops)

Closure of the meeting: Conclusions of greening the streets 12:00 - 2:00 pm chair: Jordi GUILLOT, Senator and Vice-President of ICV, Catalonia

Speakers: - Dominique VOYNET, Candidate for Presidency, France - Philippe LAMBERTS, Spokesperson of the EGP, Belgium - Raül ROMEVA, MEP, Spain - Francisco GARRIDO, Spokesperson of Los Verdes, Spain - Pierre JONCKHEER, Vice-President of the Greens/EFA Group in the EP, Belgium - Joan SAURA, President of ICV, Catalonia - Representative of the European Green Gender Observatory Welcome Speeches Imma Mayol Deputy Mayor of Barcelona, Catalonia

The Austrian Greens excellently organised the 1st and 2nd meetings of the local green councillors. We would like to thank them for this organisation and for their hard work. You have come to Barcelona, Catalonia at a very good time, a good time for us and for all ‘progressive’ people. We finished the regional elections just a week ago, and we obtained almost 10% of the votes. This is three points more than in the last elections and three more seats, which is a very good result for us, especially as it gives us to have another progressive government. The other coalition parties have lost a lot of votes and seats. So it was necessary for us to maintain a green and ecological government.

The election took place a week ago, along with the gov- Twenty Five years ago the urban signification in the cit- ernment agreement. For a Mediterranean country this is ies was the priority after 40 years of dictatorship. very fast. The day after the regional election we started to prepare the communal election, which will take place Fifteen years ago the major challenge was to resolve on the 27th of May 2007, only seven months after the the big problem of unemployment in Spain, Catalonia regional election. It is a good way to start regional elec- and Barcelona. The local level has the capacity and the tions with a green local councillors meeting. We would responsibility to resolve this problem along with other like to know more about the rich experiences and we levels of the administration. Maybe we have not always would like to share the expertise of Green local coun- the absolute competence, but for sure we have the de- cillors across Europe. In the green family local elections sire to contribute towards resolving the problems in our are really important because we are absolutely con- cities. vinced that our real capacity is to transform cities are in the hands of the city councils. Today the reality is different: today globalisation is creating a new challenge, and we must create and invent a In a globalised world the big transformations happen in new response. I am absolutely sure that the third meet- the cities. Frequently we do not have the competence ing of green local councillors will help us to imagine and the economic resources to resolve the problems, new solutions. Thank you very much for your presence but we can not turn away from the poverty which can be here and I wish you a really pleasant stay in the city of found in our cities. Climate change has a direct impact Barcelona.. upon our transport system; immigrants do not have the minimal rights to live. Problems are also most likely to be direct consequences of the policies of the cities.

As I have said before we cannot turn a blind eye. We must be committed to resolving these problems and challenges. And for this we must challenge the great alliances and complicity, firstly with the citizens and secondly with other levels of the administration. As part of the Greens Initiative for Catalonia (Iniciativa per Catalu- nya Verds, ICV) we have a long experience at the communal level.

Since 1979 we have been in both town and city councils, in opposition and in government. We belong to those people that have changed the quality of life in our towns and cities over the past 25 years. Our most important ability has probably been that we have responded to each challenge at each moment.

Welcome Speeches Monica Frassoni Co-President of the Greens/EFA Group in European Parliament

Thank you so much. I am very glad to be here. The success of the ICV clearly demonstrates that - if you make politics with competent people who enjoy each others’ company and share and have clear and concrete ideas - results will follow. I think this is an important lesson for parties like my own, which have not yet been able to achieve the results that you and the others sitting at this table have been able to reach.

I am also extremely pleased to be here because I think that these kinds of initiatives, in which many green networks and other green entities from the local to the Eu- ropean level are working together, is very positive. It is a proof of the existence and functioning of the European One could argue that this problem is limited to just some Green Party. One of the most difficult things for interna- places but this is not the reality. The ‘Eco-mafia’ is very ac- tional, European and sometimes even national level pol- tive in the waste management sector in Italy but this is iticians is to avoid wasting energy and effort on solving also becoming an issue in Germany as well. The terrible problems, which others have already solved. I believe waste of land, the pressure of construction and the cor- that the exchange of best practices and the creation of ruption that goes with it are realities everywhere. So we effective networks, bringing together those working in can and should develop a European Green strategy on administrations and in civil society to pool their knowl- this question because, as Paco said, it is really true that edge, are of huge importance. Of course this is a long you can find no Green involved in these kind of corrup- term project because the European Green Party is only tion scandals and this is a plus we have to give value to. two years old and, while this network has had some meetings, I am sure it has not yet been possible to reach Today a presentation of a study has been given which all elected representatives in Europe; still, I believe that is based upon a vision for the future on climate change. this is exactly the right route to follow and this is also The work on this comprehensive study lasted several something that will enable us to measure the outcome. months and involved many people and I hope that a lot For example one of the most important outcomes of the of local councillors will make use of it in order to acquire meeting in Vienna was the fact that there were a lot of or to develop their capacity to respond to some of the people, including Imma, who could present concrete re- questions posed by those who are still sceptical about sults of their work. climate change. I truly hope that our network will be able to have this kind of easy and natural access to in- This is positive but I think we have to make a step forward. formation and initiatives that are going on in your areas. Now it is not only a question of stating what has been The Green group in European Parliament must be pres- achieved and where, it is time to assess the real impact. ent and must support the network’s activities, facilitat- In Helsinki for example there is a widespread uptake of ing more and more people to participate in it. urban public transport, yet where I live, in Brescia in Italy, nobody takes advantage of such services, even though We also need to ensure that the doors of the European all of the possible policies have been put in place. The Parliament are always open so that you, and others, can Green representative in the local government, who has come and see what we do, get information and develop been there for eight years, has had a difficult struggle, contacts. including enduring threats, to create a car-free zone in the centre of Brescia. In the next two days you have a lot of things to discuss because the programme is really excellent. We have to These are two completely different situations but I hope make sure that all elected representatives, including lo- that there are possibilities for each of us to benefit from cal and regional councillors, have a similar level of access the other’s experience. to information and relevant research/studies. This kind of level playing-field is definitely achievable and this Paco Garrido mentioned the issue of corruption, bad should be the purpose of the network. There will still be management, and illegal gains from local government some problems of course. With one of the most obvious illegal practices. This is something that has not been very being the language barrier: much on the agenda of the Greens. Welcome Speeches

in our current attempts to develop a network for elected local and regional councillors, we see that this issue is less problematic for some countries than it is for others. That is why the Green Group in the European Parliament wants to make available as many facilities as possible to help to this end.

I really hope that we will be able - through our website, through the contacts etc. - to diffuse information on our discussions and their results as widely as possible. I also want to deeply thank the ICV and the Spanish Greens, not only for the organisation, but also for their convic- tion in, and commitment to this initiative. I would also like to wholeheartedly thank the Austrian Greens for having launched this initiative a few years ago and for having it followed it up, and of course everybody else for being here. I hope you will enjoy the coming days here very much and that thanks to these kinds of initiatives we will be even stronger and we will be able to win even more elections. Thank you.

Welcome Speeches Francisco Garrido Spokesperson for the Spanish Green Party

Good afternoon. Firstly, I want to welcome all our friends from the European Greens, the Spanish Greens, and the Greens Initiative for Catalonia (Inciativa per Catalunya Verds, ICV) who are present here. Secondly, representing the Confederation of the Greens (Confederación de los Verdes), I want to give my most sincere and enthusiastic congratulations to our colleagues from the ICV for their excellent electoral results. This is not just wonderful news for the Greens and for the left, but it has also reinforced the progressive government by making it possible that the left continues governing Catalonia and that within the left the influence of political ecology will be even greater than it has been until now. Therefore today is a wonderful day in Barcelona to express our support for the Spanish Greens, the European Greens, the process Today, municipalities are targets of the political pres- that Catalonia has gone through, and the latest electoral sures felt due to corruption. Unfortunately, most of the success that our colleagues from the Catalonia Greens major political parties, including the left or the Socialist Initiative magnificently managed. Party (Partido Socialista), not to mention the right, are involved in this process. Much of the time, Spanish law The reason for the conference that starts today stems permits and establishes the conditions that enable the from a serious concern for the Greens in Spain. Those relationship between the process of urban destruction who live here know it very well. However, those who live and political corruption. We, the Greens, the political par- elsewhere, our European colleagues, perhaps do not ties that represent the fields of eco-socialism and politi- know it to the same extent. In Spain we are witnessing a cal ecology, are the only ones opposed to the consensus very dangerous situation: the growth of the urban spec- regarding construction and this model of growth. Spain, ulation phenomenon. Currently, the primary environ- for example, is the number one country in the produc- mental problem in the Iberian Peninsula and in Spain is tion of bricks and cement. For us, the next municipal urban speculation, the unbridled and unlimited growth elections are very important because we must approach of cities, the invasion of natural space, and the invasion them with a referendum against urban speculation and of the Spanish coast that is on its way to become a com- a referendum against political corruption. pletely urbanised coast. At the moment, the Greens are the only party focused Due to the greenhouse gas emissions from the construc- on political ecology and eco-socialism and the only po- tion and tourism sector, and many other sectors related litical group that supports thousands and thousands of to urban speculation growth, Spain is one of the coun- citizens who, organised in platforms, are speaking out tries that is the furthest from fulfilling the Kyoto Protocol against the phenomena of corruption. This is not just im- for example. I should include, so that you understand portant because it makes a statement, but also because the scope of the problem, that close to 25 percent of our we are presenting the alternative city model. We have a GDP is linked, directly or indirectly, with the construction model of a philanthropic city, a sustainable city, a model and real estate business. Due to this we face a large-scale of growth related to balanced land use. problem, a problem that is destroying our cities, our natural environment, and our country. Due to this, it is fundamental that we are at the forefront of the opposition because we are the only ones to have This problem is paired with a very dangerous political an alternative city project to that which has been devel- process: corruption. Political corruption in Spain has oped by property speculators in Spain. For us it is very increased with the growth of urban real estate specula- important to be able to discuss here the different experi- tion. ences in the management of alternative plans that our colleagues have been developing in Europe. In this manner real estate speculation and political corruption are inherently linked and difficult to separate. These discussions will allow us to leave here with pro- All of this implies an authentic cancer for the municipal- posals for an alternative model that will be useful for ity, the fundamental entity that must be considered in candidates in the next municipal elections. analysing any democratic decision. Welcome Speeches

An alternative model is the key for change and it is needed in order to address the most serious environmental problems in Spain - urban growth and the loss of agricul- tural land. The primary cause of the loss of biodiversity today is urban growth; therefore, we have a lot of work to do and a lot of experiences to share. I believe that we are increasingly living in a system of cities, this in itself is a key factor creating imbalance and lack of sustainability that in the immediate future must be a key factor in creating just the opposite: balance and sustainability.

All the best for your work and thank you very much.

10 Welcome Speeches Monika Vana Member of the city government Vienna, Austria

Thank you very much, Imma, for this perfect introduction, and congratulations on your outstanding results last Sunday! We also had an election (to the National Par- liament) six weeks ago, on the 1st of October. In Vienna we received 17% of the vote. That was not fishing for compliments for me, but it was fishing for compliments for you, because I think the future of Europe and the future of the Greens lies in the cities, in urban areas and at the local level.

Without the local level there would not be good policies at the national level and also not at the European level. This was the reason why my friend and colleague Gerhard Jordan and I organised that network of local and city councillors 10 years ago. In June 1996 the 1st European Meeting of local Green councillors took place in Vienna Town Hall with about 200 participants from 20 countries. The 2nd meeting we organised took place in Vienna in December 2003 - where 300 councillors from 30 countries took part. So I think we are going down the right road to network and to discuss common aims.

Let me thank you - Iniciativa per Catalunya Verds and Los Verdes - very much for organising and initiating this meeting in Barcelona. Maybe next time we will meet in Vienna again, or if another city wants to organise this meeting we will be also very glad. Let me also thank the European Green Party and the Green Group in the Euro- pean Parliament, for strengthening and supporting our network. This is very, very important, because the majority - 80% - of European citizens are living in cities and urban areas.

The main problems we face and the main impacts of neo-liberalism are concentrated in cities and urban areas. Social exclusion, the challenge of migration, traffic, pollution, etc - all of these problems are concentrated at the city level. Therefore a good network not only among local councillors, but also between the local, the national and the European level as well as the Federation of Young Greens is necessary. I am very glad to see so many young people and so many women here and also several participants from Central and East European countries.

I think it is very important to discuss our challenges together, so good luck for this congress!

11 Welcome Speeches Johanna Sumuvuori MP and Member of the Committee of the European Green Party, Finland

First of all, on behalf of the European Green Party Com- mittee I would like to welcome you all to this Green local councillors meeting. I also would like to congratulate the Catalan Greens for the great results in the election. I hope we will be able to follow your success next March in Finland.

I am a city councillor in Helsinki and I would like to point out a few examples of successful green politics in Fin- land. Helsinki is the greenest capital in Europe and maybe even in the whole world. Greens are the third largest party in Helsinki and we also have the vice-mayor Pekka Sauri who is one of the founders of the EGP as well. In Helsinki we have managed to give our input on many Public transport: policy issues including social affairs, city planning etc. A well functioning public transport system is one of the political top priorities for the Helsinki Greens. It is really Housing policy: important to reduce air pollution and counteract climate First of all: in terms of social inclusion and equality of the change on a local level. At the moment the public trans- citizens we have pushed forward policies like prevention port percentage share of all the motor vehicle trips dur- of social marginalisation, integration of immigrants and ing the morning rush hour in Helsinki is over 70 % and equal city planning policy. We have supported socially the aim is to raise it up at least to 75%. I think we have balanced city planning, which means that we are in fa- made really good progress forward in that field. vour of social mixing in housing policy. We want to work in favour of creating city districts and neighbourhoods The biggest plus point for the public transport system in in which citizens represent different kinds of social back- Helsinki is that it is used by all social classes - not only by grounds and classes. In other words we want to halt low income citizens which is usually the case in cities. the negative development of dividing city to different neighbourhoods for rich and poor citizens. Our former US Ambassador in Finland Ruth Goldway wrote a book titled “Letters from Finland”: She was as- Immigrant pupils in Helsinki: tonished by the fact that even the richest man in Fin- I first have to admit that in general the migration policy land uses public transport. She wrote in her book: “I was in Finland is very strict, and I am ashamed of it, but in Hel- standing on a tram stop until the tram came and he en- sinki we have made some really important steps forward tered the tram so I could witness a remarkable moment: in integrating immigrants in the city and in society. We even the richest man of Finland uses public transport”. have special personal integration plans for immigrants and we also provide mother tongue studies for the im- These all are the good practices from Helsinki city and migrant pupils in numerous of different languages. It we Helsinki Greens have had our positive input into all of means almost all of the immigrant children are able to these practises. It was nice to share them here with you.” study their own mother language in the schools of Hel- “Cities are taking the lead on tackling climate change sinki. – but they can’t do it alone. Gender policy: Ken Livingstone today publishes London’s first Climate On gender politics we have promoted gender impact Change Action Plan. Billed as “the first major city to set evaluation to policies. One of the main requirements has out a comprehensive plan to achieve the serious carbon been an annual gender evaluation to the city budget, emission cuts necessary to avert catastrophic climate beginning in the year 2008. change”, the wide-ranging initiatives will cover households, offices, transport and industry. Lately we have also been insisting that city administra- tors use some kind of evaluation method for examin- The plan comes none too soon. Ten years after the Kyoto ing competence requirements for the work of women protocol was signed emissions in London are continu- and man dominated branches. We want to tackle to the ing to rise. Last week’s admission that home energy use problem that women still earn less than men in public has increased over the past two years demonstrates just sector, as it is still a big problem. how far there is to go. 12 Panel I Luís Tejedor Greens and local politics Mayor of El Prat del Llobregat

Good morning and welcome my friends! I am the mayor of the city El Prat del Llobregat which hosts the airport and where all those among you who came from abroad arrived. It is a city with a metropolitan delta that exists alongside a territorial project, the primary objective of which is to achieve sustainability through territorial balance and ecologic sustainability. Social balance is also sought and although in a difficult coexistence it is being made possible through the communication infrastructures: the harbour, the airport, the rail network, and the natural sites. I would just like to show you some reflections which are the result of the governmental experience during the period of municipal democracy in Catalonia when the Greens Initiative for the Catalonia (Iniciativa per Catalunya Verds) had the A generalist view: The deputy should think of everyone, largest government responsibility. I think that these re- changes are only real changes if they involve the major- flections, when presented at the right time, can be useful ity, in terms of people, activities, and enterprises, if not, and may also facilitate the debate. they are only token changes.

A green political party with governmental capacity must The social dimension: It is vital to know how to explain possess political thinking and global analysis. It also and to show that green proposals must always look for must know how to work in proximity with the local gov- an improvement in people’s living conditions. Without ernment and must feel comfortable working from the pedagogy there is nothing to do; if there is no pedagogy bottom to build social and economic alliances. Strate- and trust, there is only indifference and sometimes rejec- gies and sustainability policies, not only ecologicalWelc buto metion. Speeches also social, can only grow if they guarantee their viability at the municipal level. Utility: Proposals or actions of ecologic sustainability at- tract social support if they are understood as useful for Green means new or advanced, implementation and de- looking after, improving, or solving real problems in the velopment, the need for change or a break of the current daily lives of ‘normal’ people, from traditional sectors. situation with a new status quo. For this reason, the ac- Information and participation: in general, ecological tion of a councillor or a locally elected official has to take proposals require a change in citizens’ habits and behav- into consideration some rules that from my point of view iours. To achieve this, it is essential to answer with clarity are fundamental: fundamental question from the citizen: Why do I have to do this? What would be the benefits of changing my Illusion: There are many things to be done: we have to habits? Information and social participation are crucial. keep our hopes for the project, we have to believe in our ideas because changes are not easy; we need to be ca- Alliances: It should be made clear that the difficulty it is pable of transmitting our hope to others in order to trig- not to know what to do - the general diagnosis made ger a snow ball effect. by elected officials and people involved with the green party can be relied on - but how to do it. We must work Consistency: Changes, if we choose the evolutionary in order to build a network out of the momentum of par- way and not the revolutionary one, as we did, take a lot ticipation from professional sectors, academics, techni- of time to be effective. The person elected must have the cal workers, professionals, politicians, and members of mentality of a marathon runner, with lots of energy for society in the municipality or the territory where they new projects. New solutions involve new challenges as work. Alliances for change must be interlinked. a matter of fact. Consequently, they must have a higher degree of reliability, and proposals for review will be Finally, I would like to say some words concerning an is- submitted from the beginning. For this reason we must sue that seems very complex to me, about which we still avoid committing errors because when they are made, have to learn a lot. It has to do with transition, with the it can be used as an example that new things are not change of a model. good.

13 Panel I Greens and local politics

Once we have accepted that the process of change is very slow, we need to know how to manage the transition process and how to change the model. Once we have decided what we want exactly, for example a new model of reference, we have to accept that for a while the old actions will be performed alongside the implementation of the first interventions that facilitate the process through the new model. In this transition period normally we do not know how to identify the strategy for progress.

It would be wrong to stop everything and to start again from scratch: This is not reliable, neither in political nor in social terms, and it generates frustration and inef- ficiency. We do not have to be scientifically right, but we have to know how to gain the trust of citizens and this is obviously more complex. There is a Spanish saying which is appropriate here that says: “Dress me slowly because I am in a hurry”, or as you may be more familiar with: “More haste, less speed.

Thank you very much.

14 Panel I Jenny Jones Greens and local politics Member Greater London Assembly, United Kingdom

It is very good to be here today to have an opportunity to describe the situation in London, particularly, because it is an odd situation and it is been my life for six years: Quite often it is difficult to describe exactly what happens because the structures are, I think, quite different from anywhere else. Perhaps somebody in the room can tell me if that is not so when I have described it, but the fact is in London we have made breakthroughs in spite of having a tiny, tiny number of people elected and this is for all sorts of fortuitous electoral reasons and for which the Greens are very grateful.

Now in Britain, generally, it is extremely difficult for Greens to get elected. We have very few elections that Climate change has been on the agenda in Britain. I do are under proportional representation. If we have PR, not know how many of you follow politics in Britain, but then we usually are successful, as in places like Scotland David Cameron is the new media personality. He runs and Ireland. But under “First Past the Post”, which most the conservative party, or thinks he would like to, and of our elections are run under, it is extremely difficult to he actually has been talking about climate change a lot. get Greens elected. And that very much put it on the agenda in the last set of elections in May this year. And he has almost forced Now, I am a member of the London Assembly, which is a the labour government to start talking about climate sort of city government, except that is not, because we change as well. Except, of course, they have been talking are in fact a strategic body. But what we have in the City about it for the past nine years, but have not done very Government of London is essentially a mayor, a directly much about it. And so now they are talking even harder elected mayor who is called Ken Livingstone. And we on and probably trying just as hard or even harder not to do the assembly, (we are only twenty-five people it is a very anything about it still. small body), our job is to be strategic, it is to look at all his strategies, to look at his policies, and to judge and We have a real problem in that sense in Britain. The vest- comment on them and to see if they are truly the best for ed interests and the political system mean that putting London. There are five political parties on the Assembly climate change on the agenda has been almost impos- and the Greens have two seats. sible until now. However, I think that David Cameron’s talking about climate change certainly helped to give It is proved an interesting time in the past two years. It all us a boost at local level. Of course, we worked very hard came into being in 2000, at which we had three seats, we to get those seats but the political climate, I think, did did better in 2000, and in fact when the next set of elec- help. tions came in 2004 we lost a seat, which at the moment of losing looked like a tragedy. But in fact –as I described Now, we certainly have some problems in London. We before– due to electoral circumstances it in fact gave have a big problem of poverty. There is an astonishing us more power, because the mayor needed, because of statistic that 39% of the children in London live in pov- other seats lost, he needed our two Green votes to get erty. Now, I think that if you lived in Nicaragua you might his budget through. So for the past two years we have think that was quite an acceptable percentage; I think had quite a lot of fun with that. if you live in London it is absolutely shameful. And it is even worse than the rest of Britain. In the rest of Britain Now, I am also a member of a local council and – as I said it is 28% of children who live in poverty, but in London earlier – it is very difficult to get elected to a local coun- it is 39%. And that means that the Greens have not only cil because you have to get between thirty-five to forty to work on all the environmental policies, but we have percent of the vote, which is quite challenging. And until the opportunity to push forward on our social agenda May this year we had only one councillor in London; we because it is so urgent. had three people elected under PR, an MEP and two of the London Assembly, but only one councillor. And since And another statistic which actually upsets me almost as May we have had twelve councillors, which was a great much is that it is estimated that 6% of people in London win for us and has made for, I think, quite a shift in poli- go to bed hungry at night. tics in London. 15 Panel I Greens and local politics

And if you think that some of those people are children, He also says that I speak for him on food and he has put I think you begin to understand there are a lot of hidden me in charge of a mayoral commission on food, we have problems in London that are simply not understood and drawn up a food strategy for London and launched that, leave us lots of opportunities to try to fix them. and that it will soon become part of the Mayor’s London Plan, which is his framework for London. So our food Now, since we have had the balance of power in the policies, our food strategy, will soon become part of the budget we have been quite forceful about, well, selling legal framework for London. And we have just drawn up our votes quite honestly. And in the first budget round an action plan on food as well. It is been an exciting area we had seventeen demands with a very good spread of and it is made me realise that, although I am very defi- issues, right through the social and environmental agen- nitely not a food expert, it was only a Green person who da, and then for the second budget we had thirty-five was prepared to push that through and make it happen. demands. And this time we thought: we can not keep A lot of people were not even talking about food, did not putting demands on the table because, actually, we can see it as a political issue even, and so for a Green to be not keep track of whether they are delivering them or pushing it through, I think is a sort of marker about how not; it is actually getting fairly difficult to keep track. And we can do things and the wide breadth of our interests. so what we decided was this time we would actually present a Procurement Code to the mayor and we would So the fact is, in London, at local level, we Greens are in say, “These are the areas in which we want you to go for- ones and twos, apart from one council where we are six, ward and here is an example of a project that you might and they actually hold the balance of power. And those want to do, but we want you to come up with more proj- six councillors campaigned very strongly in the last May ects of the same kind.” elections on, obviously, a wide range of issues, but one of the issues was that the, then administration in that Now, the mayor Ken Livingstone is somebody who likes borough, was going to close the swimming pool. And good ideas. He is a deep, deep Red socialist, but he talks the Greens said, “This is absolutely ludicrous, it goes about climate change like a Green; it really is quite aston- against everything we are trying to do in terms of social ishing. Except, although he understands the ecological work, in terms of health and so on.” And two nights ago imperative, if you present him with a social choice or an at a council election, the Greens, holding the balance of environmental choice, he always takes the social choice; power, actually got that decision reversed and now that this is part of the problem. And this is why the pressure swimming pool will continue to exist. They have actually from the Greens is so important on him. An example found another site for the school that does not disrupt is that in the first term it was necessary to build a new the social fabric of that particular borough. school and the only place they could find was a green field site, a park and some allotments and a quite rough And so in London, in a sense, we have small beginnings, area, and the mayor decided he would build the school. but at the same time we have had opportunities to push We were saying to him, “What you have to do is find an- the Green agenda and I think we have all been finding it other site; just find another site that is not a green field very exciting. And the pleasure for me in coming here for site.” But no, he gave up and chose to build the school. So this conference is that I can talk to other elected people when I say there is conflict between his social and Green who have had similar experiences. I would really like to side, actually he almost always comes down on the so- hear about successes because we have so many, many cial side. disappointments that the successes are incredibly important to us and we need to hear more of them. He does say on platforms and to the media that, at city hall, he runs a Red-Green alliance. Now, that is putting it Thank you. quite strongly and the Greens certainly do not feel like we are in an alliance with him. We think that we are, perhaps, semi-friendly with him, which has given us the opportunity to move on several policy areas. I, for example, at the moment I am his Green transport advisor. Now it is advice that he does not necessarily listen to, but it does give me the opportunity to go out and explain to people what he should be doing.

16 Panel I Greens and local politics

Cities are taking the lead on tackling climate change – but they can’t do it alone.

Ken Livingstone today publishes London’s first Climate Change Action Plan. Billed as “the first major city to set out a comprehensive plan to achieve the serious carbon emission cuts necessary to avert catastrophic climate change”, the wide-ranging initiatives will cover households, offices, transport and industry.

The plan comes none too soon. Ten years after the Kyoto protocol was signed emissions in London are continuing to rise. Last week’s admission that home energy use has increased over the past two years demonstrates just how far there is to go.

As previewed in last month’s budget agreement between the Mayor and the Greens, there are many exciting initiatives coming forward. The Green Homes Service will hold the hand of residents through the often-confusing process of improving energy efficiency. When trials are completed, all new buses in London will be hybrids or hydrogen- powered. A decentralised energy network will be set up to power London from local renewables and combined heat and power rather than distant and inefficient fossil fuel plants.

Most significantly, however, the plan demonstrates that cities are showing leadership on the climate change agenda, even when national governments and international institutions have been painfully slow to react. This pattern of cities taking responsibility is being repeated all over the world, including the USA.

In the UK has struggled to prepare the ground for road pricing, London’s congestion charge has cut transport emissions within the zone by 16%. With the congestion charge extended westwards last week, emissions will drop even further. Despite slow take-up nationally of solar panels and wind turbines, London requires new developments to meet 10% of energy needs from on-site renewables, rising to 20% in 2008.

In the USA, while the federal government refuses to act, 407 cities (with a combined population of 59 million) have now signed up to Kyoto, nine states have joined a carbon trading scheme and California is even suing car-makers over their climate damage.

In China, carbon emissions are increasing fast (although per person they’re still a fraction of the UK), but the regional administration in Shanghai is building the world’s first low-carbon eco-city – the size of Bristol - at Dongtan. But despite all this excitement, cities can’t do it alone. Even if London’s action plan manages to get Londoners out of their cars and onto their feet or their bikes and eco-buses, the Department for Transport’s plans for airport expansion could override all progress.

Flights from London airports currently account for over a third of London’s CO2 emissions. In stark contrast to the target for a 20% cut in emissions by 2010, London is currently on track for a 20% rise, largely due to spiralling aviation emissions. At current rates of growth, by 2025 flights from London’s airports would account for more carbon than London’s target for emissions from all sources.

So as well as a plan of action, today’s announcement is also a cry for help. Without a change of heart on airport expansion, all of London’s good intentions could be lost.”

By Jenny Jones http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/environment/climate-change/ccap/index.jsp

17 Panel I François Bausch Greens and local politics Deputy Major of the city of Luxembourg, President of the Parliamentarian Group

First of all, good morning to all those who managed to find their way to this room so early, on such a lovely morning in Barcelona. In Luxembourg we are not so used to such bright sunshine in mid-November.

To start, may I say that the Luxembourg Greens have, for the past three or four years, been going through a rather glorious phase because not only are we constantly at the forefront, leaders in the opinion polls (gaining popularity from one opinion poll to the next), but we have also been winning from one election to the next, which is excellent.

In 2004, national elections were held in Luxembourg and That is a challenge: 90,000 inhabitants and 150,000 jobs the Green Party’s share of the vote increased from 8.4% on the City territory. 60% of those living in the Luxem- to 11.6%. In 2004 the European elections were held and bourg capital are also foreigners meaning that the Lux- the Green Party rose from 10.4% to 15.04%. We became embourgish are a minority. the third party in Luxembourg, ahead of the liberals, in the 004 European elections. In 005, local elections On a daily basis we have some 120,000 cross-border were held throughout the country and the Greens were workers arriving from France, Germany and Belgium to the great winners because we are now the only party work in Luxembourg. Luxembourg is the European coun- that has managed to be in the majority in four of the six try with the highest number of vehicles per inhabitant. major Luxembourg urban areas. You will find a maximum number of cars in Luxembourg and that alone, for a Green party joining the majority of We even managed, in the local elections, to overtake the a city like that, is a huge challenge. largest party – the Christian Social Party. In the capital, to give an example, we went from 8.6% to 17.3%. We be- But we have had this great opportunity: during the cam- came the third party in the capital, outstripping the so- paign, there was a battle between the Christian Social cialists, who achieved a fairly mediocre 16.4%: they lost Party and the Liberal Party, who were previously in the votes, which enabled us last year to join the majority for majority, to secure the post of City Mayor. This was very the first time in our history in the capital and elsewhere. much the case, the outgoing majority had to go through This is truly phenomenal because, for the Greens, it was some vicious internal struggles throughout the cam- the first time we had won in the capital. We managed to paign in the fight for the mayor’s post. That, of course, break a conservative majority, which had been in place enabled the Greens to stay on the sidelines and concen- for 36 years. In other words, we won a challenge that the trate on a campaign based on substance, i.e. on the city’s socialists have been trying, and failing, to win for the real problems, on the participation of citizens and of civil past 36 years. society. Indeed, I believe that it is partly also that which helped us. That enabled us to enter the majority. Out of six members of the City Council, there are now two Greens, in- People were ultimately fed up with this battle for the cluding myself, responsible for finance and mobility, and post of mayor. They wanted to conclude the matter once my colleague, Viviane Loschetter, who is also in this room and for all in order to inject the capital with fresh politi- – in the middle – and who is responsible for the environ- cal energy and in fact, the Christian Social Party, which ment, education and equal opportunities. wanted the mayor’s post, lost the elections. We were the key winners, along with the liberals, who managed to So maybe I should clarify the situation of the Luxem- keep their dominant position in the capital. bourg capital a little, to show you that it is a true challenge for a Green party to join a majority in a capital such That enabled us subsequently to reach a coalition con- as Luxembourg City. The city of Luxembourg has 90,000 sensus with the liberal party fairly quickly. Of course, inhabitants, which is not a lot, but it also has a financial when I say ‘liberal party’, I would point out that the Lux- centre, which with all its associated satellite service in- embourg City liberal party is not the typical liberal party, dustries employs some 150,000 people. which you might imagine in your own countries.

18 Panel I Greens and local politics

The mayor, who had already been mayor before and who remained mayor in the new coalition, was a, let’s say, liberal mayor, or rather a left-wing liberal, with a very open mind regarding all those subjects of major interest to environmentalists. So during the entire campaign, our prime concern was to say: ‘We have to find new ways of making citizens participate more intensely in the daily political life of the commune’. And indeed, all our challenges consisted of finding, very quickly after the elections and concluding a coalition agreement, ways of proving that, over the next few years, the new majority would find new ways and means of improving the participation of civil society.

So the first thing we did – which was very innovative Of course, we have a huge task ahead of us, because it because in Luxembourg, nobody, either nationally or lo- will last for three to four years, but we hope, in three or cally had ever done such a thing – was to take our coali- four years’ time, to create a vision for the Luxembourg tion manifesto and tour all parts of the city. We organ- capital, not only for the next four or five years, but for the ised great citizens’ assemblies in the various districts to next 20-25 years. present our manifesto for the following six years. Now, as you can imagine, at first, a certain segment of the liberal Once again, we are going to try to include citizens as party was a little more.... not exactly against, but a little much as possible. We are now trying to find a system to more dubious as to the likely outcome of this exercise. set up district committees, which will be able to closely But I can tell you that in the seven assemblies we held cooperate in drawing up this new urban development in the various districts, the room was always full. In fact, plan for the city of Luxembourg as I have just described. the rooms were crammed with citizens who had come because for them it was a great surprise to see that a Of course, we must be honest – to start such an exercise new majority was not merely trying to conclude a co- requires a huge amount of energy, because we have to alition agreement, but was attempting to immediately realise - you will soon realise - that citizens are far more establish a dialogue with citizens in relation to their pro- interested in politics than public opinion or the media gramme for the following six years. would believe. The only problem is that, in general, people are not taken seriously, but as soon as they are taken It was therefore an overwhelming success. We have now seriously, as soon as we try to get them involved, they decided to follow it up by touring the various parts of are ready and willing. Of course, that all takes time. When the city at the start of each year to discuss with people going about your daily political responsibilities, you can how our programme is panning out. Secondly, we have well imagine that an incredible amount of your day is set up a kind of ‘Open Tuesday’ in the City Hall, in the city taken up by answering all the questions and emails you centre; that is, doors will be open to citizens every Tues- receive each day, etc. in order to avoid frustrating people day between 8 and 9 a.m., the entire municipal council who have now been mobilised in the attempt to create, will be present and any citizen can come and talk to with the new majority, a new image for the Luxembourg members of the council if they have any problems. capital.

The third important point is that the new majority has My experience, over the past year with my colleague Viv- set itself the target of totally reforming the general ur- iane, has been fantastic. I hope we will manage to hold ban development plan with a view to sustainable devel- out to the end; in Luxembourg, the term of office for opment. That is, not only do we intend to create a new town councils is six years. In Luxembourg, moreover, we general urban development plan, but also we would like have a fairly complicated electoral system that is largely to try to include all aspects relating to the city. This would based on political personalities; that is, both of us, in ad- not only include the traditional building regulations dition to our work in the capital, are also involved in Par- with which we are all familiar in our cities, but we would liament – we are both Members of Parliament. We do not also like to incorporate mobility, culture, commerce – ev- have the same electoral system as in France for example, erything of concern to the city – in developing this new but in practice we have more or less the same culture: general urban development plan. we can hold two offices at the same time. 19 Panel I Greens and local politics

The Greens had initially tried to oppose this system, but unless a consensus can be found amongst all parties, this does not work; you will always be at a disadvantage if you don’t take up more than one official post because effectively, the electoral system is so focused on political personalities that if posts are shared you will be at a disadvantage when it comes to elections. So of course, you can imagine that for people who take their responsibilities seriously that does not make life easier.

We are very optimistic however, because we have also to some extent, I believe, really managed to drag the liberal party along with us in this new process; in the city council I would even say that we have an excellent climate of solidarity between the two parties. This is what also gives us strength in the capital, because the opposition today, in my view, does not have it easy with this majority, given that the majority is not divided at all.

We are truly working together, and this is another message I would like to give: it doesn’t matter what majority a Green party joins – we can only succeed if we manage to create a climate of solidarity within the coalition.

That does not mean we can forget the differences of opinion between parties, that has nothing to do with it, but we really have to show solidarity in our daily approach with a view to transposing the coalition’s programme; otherwise it cannot work. And we have managed to create that climate.

I believe that if things continue in this way we will certainly manage to give the capital a fresh new image. Of course, that will also be to the great advantage of the Green Party nationally and it is on this note I would like to conclude: the local level is very important for the Greens, because not only do we have the opportunity to interact far more directly with the people, but local action is a prerequisite for creating a party in general, and especially a Green party at the national level. All Green parties must realise that national success will only be achieved once they have become well established locally.

Thank you.

20 Panel I Gisela Kallenbach Introduction of EU policy on urban environment MEP, Germany

Thematic Strategy on the Urban Environment • One of 7 thematic strategies under 6th EU-Environmental Action Programme • Objective: contribution to improve the urban environment • Context – >80% of EU-citizens live in cities – environmental problems in cities are very complex, making integrated approaches necessary www.gisela-kallenbach.eu

EP Report (Hegyi) • Criticizes the non binding character of the EU Commission‘s document • Missing conclusions about – balanced urban-rural development – sustainable architecture and sustainable urban planning • Calls on MS to prioritise funding for projects which aim to – Implement sust. Urban management plans – Limit greenfield and promoting brownfield development • Many practical recommendations and requirements like – Modernisation of water supply, central heating systems, renovation of historical parts of cities, social dimension of urban planning www.gisela-kallenbach.eu

Com 12/01/06; Adopted by EP: 26/09/2006

21 Panel I Introduction of EU policy on urban environment

Instruments • Cities with >100.000 inhabitants – should introduce: integrated (!!!) environmental and transport management plans – Including plans concerning waste disposal, noise reduction, clean air • Achieving... – less illnesses caused by env. problems – reduction of CO2-emissions – better accessibility for handicapped and elderly people – Assessing demographic change and www.gisela-kallenbach.eu changing needs for urban development

• Central Instrument: Strengthening Sustainable Urban Transport – Access to mobility for everybody – 5% shift towards sustainable means of transport by 2012 – better conditions for walking and cycling – integrated pricing and ticketing systems in public transport – more park and ride systems – lowering speed limits – Car-free zones – reducing road deaths by 50% by 2010 www.gisela-kallenbach.eu

22 Panel I Introduction of EU policy on urban environment

Eurocities • Argue for – The reduction of bureaucracy – Integration of different strategies • Integration of urban management plans and sustainable transport urban plans in one strategy – Urban management plans • not to reduce on environmental problems • comprising clear and binding actions • Monitoring based on indicators – Promotion of sustainable construction • new standards e.g. low energy houses www.gisela-kallenbach.eu

“European Cities Campaign”

Common Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Future

• Initiated by Gisela Kallenbach and David Dammerstein Mintz in 2006 • Started to promote a European exchange network for local non-governmental organisations in European Cities • Seven NGOs act as core groups to initiate local and regional networks over the next two years • Topics: monument conservation, nature protection or sustainable urban traffic • Project will be finalized with a European conference in 2008 concluding the results 16 years after the Rio Conference of 1992 • http://www.gisela-kallenbach.de/index.php?id=614 www.gisela-kallenbach.eu

23 Panel I Marc Lipinski Introduction of EU policy on urban environment Vice President of “Les Verds” Île-de-France

I would like to thank the organisers for giving me this opportunity to present a number of actions that we are carrying out at an institutional level, linking our towns and countries with Europe. The round table is entitled ‘Urban Development and Europe’. My starting point will be a little different but I hope you will not mind. I am one of the Vice-Presidents of the Regional Council of Île-de-France. Île-de-France covers the region of Paris, a vast region with its 11 million inhabitants. It is one of the wealthiest regions in Europe alongside London and Frankfurt and although it is truly a wealthy region it is also home to many inequalities, both social and territorial, and to many foreigners. Thus we have our own specific problems in Île-de-France. Indeed, in the regions in which we are operating we do During the last elections in 2004 (the regional elections so in an entirely European context, that is to say, we are in France are one of the few proportional elections – I guided by the Lisbon and Barcelona agendas, by the cre- mention this briefly because I think it is good to put it ation of a society of knowledge or what some people call into context), the Greens were elected as part of a coali- an economy of knowledge. tion with the left and we are the second-largest party in this majority. Not only are we the second-largest party in There is no doubt that our actions are often inspired by this Green-left coalition, we are also in the same situation directives or guidelines established at European level. as has just been described for London, i.e. we have con- However, I believe (and I hope to demonstrate to you) siderable numbers, at present 29 in fact. Although not that through some of the initiatives we carry out we can entirely identical, we play a pivotal role in that we can provide inspiration for new guidelines at European level. prevent the Green-left coalition from having a majority This is particularly important at a time when Europe’s if we vote differently. This therefore puts us in a strong Seventh Framework Programme for Research and De- position to push a number of issues forward. velopment is about to begin. This is a seven-year programme that is due to be launched in January and it will Having been in this relatively powerful position since contain new instruments, as they are called in Brussels, 2004, the Green Group in the Regional Council of Île-de- and I hope that some of these instruments will be based France has decided to take up a number of responsibili- on things that we have already done in Île-de-France. ties that are not necessarily in sectors that we normally look after. In addition to the environment, we are cur- One of the first things I did when I took responsibility for rently responsible for social issues, healthcare and issues further education and research was to define a label that affecting the disabled: these are dealt with by Francine we call ‘Topics of major interest’. As soon as we apply this Bavay, who is also participating in this meeting in Bar- label to a particular topic, which involves a solemn vote celona. I am responsible for further education, research at a plenary session of the Île-de-France Council, we com- and innovation. mit ourselves to supporting projects in this area. Indeed, I believe that wherever possible we should take up re- one of the first labels voted on by the Île-de-France responsibilities in sectors that have a strong impact on the gion, at my initiative, was the entire topic of ‘Sustainable future. We Greens have a tendency to think that we are Development’. I prefer to call it ‘soutenable’ (sustainable) better than the other parties when it comes to looking at in French as opposed to what is meant by the word ‘in- today’s issues in relation to the relatively long term and I soutenable’, i.e. unbearable. Therefore, everything relat- think that we should demonstrate this in all our actions. ing to sustainable development thus became a topic of One way of achieving this is to take charge of the sectors major interest. that have a real influence on the long-term future and, as far as I am concerned, education, research and innova- As soon as the regional assembly decided on this label, tion form a large part of this. I was able to start financing projects on all the topics linked to sustainable development. I would like to talk to you briefly about a number of things we are doing in Île-de-France.

24 Panel I Introduction of EU policy on urban environment

Thus since 2005 several million euros have been allocat- With regards to sustainable cities and sustainable mobil- ed to research projects focusing on questions concern- ity, some of the current research projects are looking at ing the future of our cities, the future of mobility in cities, how to support the changes in public transport policies how to assure mobility in cities while taking account of to make them more durable, how to combat the pol- the requirements imposed by climate change, the en- lution caused by all motor vehicles, and how to design ergy crisis, etc. innovative cars that are capable of meeting both our mobility requirements and those imposed by the deple- As just mentioned in relation to the City of Luxembourg, tion of energy sources and pollution. These are just a few and this is something that is very evident in a city as examples of topics that receive significant financial sup- large as Paris, mobility issues are essential, as are the is- port from us on an annual basis. sues concerning pollution. We must make better progress with our research in order to propose solutions that We are also trying to encourage other forms of research are innovative, attractive and ecologically sustainable by launching invitations to tender on subjects that are and that contribute to the construction of cities that are important to the Greens and, I believe, for the future of habitable in the medium term. all citizens. For example, some topics relate to territorial inequalities, thus topics that deal with town planning. At Another topic of major interest that we have labelled present in Île-de-France we are in the process of revising this year, in 2006, is that of studies on and research into our urban development plan. We are working on the ba- gender (‘Gender Studies’). We believe that a city, an eco- sis of a 20-year plan and it is extremely important when logical city, is also a city where all of the residents have a looking 20 years into the future to pose questions that role and the role that they deserve. This brings us straight focus on the long-term and that extend some way be- away to the issue of discrimination, be it discrimination yond the normal duration of political office. between the sexes, discrimination between nationals and foreigners, between one section of the population I do not want to speak for too long. However, I would like and another, whom we are naturally refusing to discrimi- to mention that we are also working on topics relating nate against or segregate. Something new is happen- to innovation and in this respect there has been greater ing in this area: The 28th November will see the official emphasis on business. We believe that we may see the launch of one of the first institutes for gender research in birth of extremely important innovations from a social Europe, and the first in France. and ecological perspective and that these innovations deserve our support, especially in small and medium- It will aim to bring together the actors involved in such sized enterprises. research, be they experts in sociology, history, literature, demographics, biology or paleoanthropology. It is im- We do not have as much faith in innovations from large portant to bring together people from very diverse dis- corporations and we have no faith at all that we can have ciplines to examine the reasons why gender discrimina- any impact on such innovations in large companies. tion still exists today and at times is even getting worse. However, we do believe that important things are hap- Something I am very proud of is the capacity we have in pening in the small and medium-sized enterprises. our region to launch such research, or at least support it by providing not inconsiderable funding, which may total hundreds of thousands or millions of euro in the years to come. I am very interested in what could be done in terms of benchmarking at EU level, and perhaps the European Our commitment extends over a number of years, Greens and European bodies could help us to see how somewhat like the situation at European level and it is innovations that are socially useful and ecologically sus- therefore a commitment that is far from trivial. Research tainable are being supported in the different European topics currently being explored include the status and regions. working conditions of migrant women in Île-de-France, as well as in other regions of Europe, and the formation I also think that we need to look outside Europe: what is of parental roles according to gender, which fall under going on in California at the moment is certainly of inter- ‘Gender Studies’. est, with the extremely strict laws that are being passed in the California Legislature, and the commitment, at last, by California and other American states to comply with the Kyoto Protocol. 25 Panel I Introduction of EU policy on urban environment

This is very important and I think that often, in the his- it is essential to be able to lead these debates. Nanosci- tory of the 20th century, it is worth looking at what has ences and nanotechnologies can serve as an example. happened in California to determine important trends There is a wave of scientific progress that enables us to that are subsequently adapted to the European context. comprehend a subject at a very sophisticated level, at a level that we have never been able to reach before. To- My final point concerns something to which we Greens day we are capable of manufacturing products on a mo- are completely committed: involving the citizens in the lecular scale. This presents possible sources of progress preparation of policies. This was mentioned before in re- but also possible new risks and there is a crying need for lation to Luxembourg and London. It is very relevant for a debate in society to determine what we need to do to scientific and technological choices. These are choices support this wave of nanosciences and nanotechnolo- that are made at often obscure institutional levels and gies. that have a very lasting impact on the development of society. What is happening with my initiative in the Île-de-France region, and thus I think that it should be duplicated and I do not need to go into detail about France’s choice replicated in all the major European regions, is a confer- of nuclear power as its main source of electricity in the ence of citizens, in other words an assembly of volun- 1960s, which contradicted anything resembling a dem- teers who are supposed to represent professional, social ocratic process as it was decided by a few people sur- and regional diversity, who have no prior knowledge of rounding the President at the time. Thus the question these subjects and who learn about complex scientific arises of how to involve the citizens in the planning of issues weekend after weekend. scientific projects, in the implementation of projects and in the debate on complex scientific questions that con- At the end of this training, which they plan themselves, cern us all. they will organise a public conference at which the questions relating to nanotechnologies will be debated in I introduced two initiatives two years ago to try to re- public. Following the conference, these citizens will pro- spond to these needs. The first was the creation of the vide us, their elected representatives, with recommenda- PICRIs. The PICRIs are Partnerships between Citizens and tions that we are obliged to consider. We are not obliged Institutions for Research and Innovation (‘Partenariats to implement all of the recommendations the citizens Institutions Citoyens pour la Recherche et l’Innovation’). put forward, but we are obliged to listen to them, to tell These partnerships are set up in response to calls for them which we are going to take over and which we tender that we launch for research projects that must are going to reject, and why we are rejecting them if we be prepared jointly by civil society groups: associations, have to do so. I feel that when it comes to major scientific large associations. and technological choices it is very important to be able to introduce an element of participatory democracy into They must work with academic researchers to propose the preparation of our policies. research projects and then implement them over a number of years with the support of the Île-de-France That is more or less what I wanted to say today. I did not region. speak a great deal about foreigners – sorry – but the issue of foreigners is quite simple for us. I believe that In fact, the projects chosen in 2005 (there were 12 in to- everything that is available to French people must be tal and 9 will be chosen next week for 2006) put forward available to foreigners and that is the case in the Île-de- very interesting proposals in the areas of democracy, the France region: all of the research funds that we propose role of the changing democratic systems in our societies, are equally available to foreigners (from Europe or else- the environment, health and many more areas in which where) and to French nationals. It is therefore not a sub- citizens, interested citizens, volunteers can play a role. ject that I wish to speak about today, but it is obviously This is something that I believe will be taken up at Euro- something that is very close to my heart, and thank you, pean level as part of the Seventh Framework Programme Elisabeth, for mentioning it at the beginning. and I am quite proud of that. Thank you. Another important role can be played when new scientific or technological topics are coming to the forefront of debates in society:

26 Panel I Claude Turmes The fight against climate change in cities MEP, Luxembourg

The Greens in the European Parliament have done a data scenario analysis on how to reduce 30% of emissions in Europe, phasing out nuclear and assuming that no nuclear reactor in Europe runs longer than forty years and thirty-two years for Germany. It is the first scenario ever done at a European level, where you take a political measure and then you measure what the outcome would be. For example, on transport we suppose that in 2020 cars will have 80 grams CO2 emissions per 100 kilometres. We assume in this scenario a 10% model split move from lorries to rail and 10% of pas- senger traffic, moving away from cars to buses and other public transport. Aviation is another field of action. This will give us much more space to attack the indus- What are the messages? On energy, there are 3 impor- tries. I have identified four industries which are really tant areas: the power production sector, the electricity causing all this trouble: European carmakers, above all demand and the housing sector. In power productions, the German and the Swedish ones; the European avia- the next decade will be crucial: more than 50% of the tion industry; the European roads, lorry industry; and of European power plants will be replaced in the next ten course, the big European electricity utilities. That is ba- years. If this is done, even only in a small amount, by coal sically the four only sectors that have a vast interest in power plants, then the European climate change target keeping the unsustainable structures we have today. is gone. So we have to do everything to prevent new coal power plants. Of course, as Greens we don’t want either All these changes cannot happen by top-down politics. prolongation of existing nuclear plants or new nuclear The best directives we can bring through will not replace plants to be built. day-to-day good practice in the smallest cities of Europe and in the biggest cities of Europe. This is because these Be aware that we need also tough reductions in electric- decisions are not made by big electricity or transport ity demand. Electricity savings must be at the core of companies anymore but it will be the retailer who will every Green future energy strategy, because there is no be more skilled on energy, it will be the local banker, way around them. We also need a revival of combined it will be the local politician and so on.Linking EU level heat and power (CHP) and cooling because it is the only with the local level is also a political opportunity to link way to produce electricity without being too massively EU citizen with the European idea. Brussels is far away dependent on Russia and its gas resources. This is really from European citizens. Even with the best propaganda necessary because almost all cooling today is done by machines, it will always be far away from the individual electricity. We have to speed up the modernisation of citizens. So the only way to get climate change done is our houses to efficiently use gas supplies because more at the local level. than 50% of the houses in Europe are heated by gas. We need this gas to come out of the housing stock and to The right investment decisions are crucial. If, in the next go into CHP production. In our scenario, we can achieve ten years, we invest in regional airports and highways a reduction of our dependence on gas while still having instead of railways, if we invest in coal power plants in- massive gas investments in the electricity sector. stead of renewables power plants; these investments are there for thirty, forty, fifty years. They lock our economy What are our strategies? We try to make alliances with into a completely “climate-unfriendly” scenario. Ste- “friendly” businesses. Our scenario is a business scenario phen Hawkins, the world famous physicist, sitting in a for Europe. We had the CEO of Philips Lighting at our wheelchair, asked this summer on his website what will conference yesterday because he knows perfectly well the planet be like in 2100. He got twenty-five thousand that he has the best technology, yet it is not going to be answers and then journalists asked him: What was your marketed. We had the representative of one of the big answer? He actually had two answers, and I think they European insulation companies because they know that were provocative answers: one was invest all the money modernising the housing stock will be a good business you have in getting space engines to get to other plan- for them. The list goes on. It is important to make Greens ets, and the second was invest the rest of the money in be seen as a major driver for business. genome science to change the stupidity gene of humanity. It is time to be energy intelligent! 27 Panel I Imma Mayol The fight against climate change in cities Deputy Mayor of Barcelona, Catalonia

Good morning! In order to talk about the energy policy in the city of Barcelona, and to do so in a brief manner, I will refer to the energy plan that we approved in the Ple- nary Council in 2002. It is the first energy plan approved by the city and has a validity of ten years: from 2002 until 2012.

The Plan established two main objectives: firstly, to decrease the tendency of increasing energy consumption and secondly, to decrease the percentage of greenhouse gas emissions. These two big objectives started on a small scale from the domestic perspective with initiatives like encouraging the substitution of regular light bulbs with energy saving light bulbs in homes, to macro-transportation projects that are associated with enabling/im- In three years we went from producing 19% of electric- proving public transportation, especially in connections ity to producing 66%. This could happen thanks to the between the suburbs and the city of Barcelona. installation of a combined cycle plant –as you know they are more energy efficient, even though they have I cannot explain all of these projects today; what I want- problems due to gas emissions. This plant has been in- ed to do first is to emphasise the diagnosis of the evolu- stalled at the border between Barcelona and Sant Adrià, tion of the energy problem in cities. Afterwards, I will ex- a neighbouring town of Barcelona located half an hour plain briefly three of the ‘best practices’ that in some way away from the city centre. should help us to get on the right track. I must say that we are very realistic; we are in a difficult situation and we Consequently, we managed to significantly increase the have started creating policies to try and change recent generation of electricity in the municipality of Barcelona trends. We are modest in this approach and convinced and its environs, and we also significantly increased– even that we would need more global alliances in order to be if it is still a very small percentage - solar energy, which is able to make a real change in our city. the main renewable energy that we can produce in our city today. I will briefly speak about this afterwards. In Barcelona we have implemented something that may seem very small - however, for us has it is very important The consumption assessment is unclear however. We and challenging: an energy observatory. The objective of managed to stabilise the consumption of the transport the observatory is simple: obtaining consumption data and industrial sectors; there has not been a further in- from the electricity companies each year. This enables us crease and this is important because in recent years the to situate our consumption in comparison. It took us a trend was increasing, above all in the transport sector. lot of time because there is an indifferent attitude from Nowadays, we see that the industrial and transport sec- companies regarding the provision of data; their policies tors are more stable, however, there is an increase in the are not very clear. domestic sector which is worrying and that stems from the recent habit of using air conditioning. Now we have an energy observatory that monitors the energy consuming sectors of the city and that is the ba- This is closely linked to the change of temperature that is sis for the decision-making process. The overall assess- taking place all over the world (also in Europe) and that ment from data collected between 1999 and 2003 shows provokes very strong seasonal changes. We go from cold an ambiguous situation. Concerning energy, specifically to hot temperatures without spring or autumn seasons, the generation of energy in the city, we improved the and summers are very hot, two or three especially so in situation because we have been able to achieve one of the last four years. It should be mentioned that domestic the objectives that the Greens are defending politically, air conditioning is very inefficient due to the bad quality that is to make the connection between the generation of the installations, which has generated an increase in of energy and the consumer. the consumption (in the cities and also all over the coun- Let me give you some data: At the moment we produce try). 25 percent of the electricity that we consume in Barce- lona, even though we are a small, dense city; about 100 square kilometres and 1,600,000 people. 28 Panel I The fight against climate change in cities

Referring to greenhouse gases, we have managed to 2. The second best practice is to try converting a problem reduce them, especially due to the acquisition of a resi- into an opportunity. Among other responsibilities I am due/waste machine, which also offers the advantage President of the Municipal Institute of Parks and Gardens that biogas can be produced by this machine. This is a for the city of Barcelona. It has been difficult, but cur- big ecological victory for this city and also for its metro- rently we have 69 parks and 150,000 trees in the street. politan surroundings because this machine is situated in These areas are very important for a city, but at the same the urban outskirts. It is very difficult to talk about the time it generates lots of biomass and vegetation waste. city of Barcelona without talking about its metropolitan Nowadays, this is a problem because the treatment and environs because they are very closely linked. the elimination of this waste cost a lot of money and, as a city council, we are working on the construction of a Now we have the challenge of increasing energy sav- biomass plant in order to take advantage of the combus- ing capacity and efficiency. I will explain a project that is tion of waste and transform them into electrical energy. heading in this direction: The objective is to take advan- We are finishing this project in order to implement it in tage of the renewable energy potential in Barcelona as the centre of the city. much as possible, specifically solar energy but also wind energy. The project we are working on is only possible to 3. Lastly, there is a very important project, which is now realise in one zone of the city: the port. At the port, there in its final stages. It is probably the most significant en- is sufficient wind, permitting the installation of the infra- ergy efficiency project in Southern Europe. We have a structure for renewable energy. In the rest of the city we gas transformation centre, located in the port of Barce- talk about photovoltaic energy. lona, which has enabled the arrival of gas from Algeria. This gas is distributed in Spain and, on a smaller scale, in I will explain three concrete experiences of the best prac- France. This centre emits large quantities of cold, of cold tices: that was not exploited before at sea, and we have carried out a process of research with the enterprise that man- 1. The first one refers to assessment of environmental ages this plant. After the investigation, it turned out that legislation. We can already present some results in the through a difficult technological process we can take ad- framework of the application of the solar-thermal leg- vantage of a big part of the cold through district heating islation that has been in place in the city of Barcelona and cooling, the generation of hot and cold, and we will since 2000. We approved a local law that obliges all new distribute it to a new urban area that includes Hospitalet, buildings to have or to facilitate integrated solar-ther- a town near Barcelona, and a part of the city of Barcelo- mal energy. This local law allowed Barcelona to go from na. The result will be to provide heating and refrigeration 1,650 square metres installed to 24,513 licenses issued making use of the cold emitted. in five years. I will end my speech with one last bit of information. There has been a very important change in energy sav- When we are able to take advantage of these cold emis- ing of hot water of 19.000 megawatts per hour every sions –at the beginning it will not be possible as we will year, an economic saving of 1,000,000 euros and a sav- have to carry it out in stages- we will save one percent ing of 3,451 tons of CO2 per year. In this manner, one of the electric consumption of the city of Barcelona. As of the most important aspects of this local law is that it you can see, we are talking about a very important in- permitted experimentation and now there are fifty cities vestment and also a very efficient one from an energy that have implemented this law throughout Spain. As a standpoint. result of this experience we learned from each other and this has improved our own local law. Thank you very much for your attention

Currently, we are researching the implementation of a photovoltaic local law where compliance would be compulsory for large service centres and offices. Technology does not permit us to extend the local law to cover houses, but it does for offices and large service enterprises. For this reason, we are conducting research in order to establish a photovoltaic local law with the consent of social sectors.

29 Panel II Carl Schlyter MEP, Sweden

We had a more traditional male majority discussing energy. What I can conclude about the executive briefing of our discussion was, in ten seconds: save, save, save. We discussed a little of other things too though. As a Green, that’s what we all need to think about always when we deal with energy policy.

We also mentioned congestion charges and some traffic related things, but I’m happy to note that we didn’t apply your work so much because we had more of a discussion on the fuels for the cars and so on. We had a report from Sweden that 13% of all cars this year are bio fuel cars that are newly registered, which is very high, and we discussed the taxation on bio fuels. Namely we dis- Then we moved onto housing: 40% approximately of cussed how the European Union legislation taxes bio fu- energy use is in the housing sector, in the building sec- els as food, and therefore you have to pay tax and it not tor; and also the time perspective: cars are renewed with being possible to make tax avoidance for carbon dioxide seven to ten years cycles; energy use in industry, a tech- neutrality, or almost neutrality. One important thing we nology shift of five, ten years cycles; but in housing if you were told however is not to call them bio fuels, because do one investment it’s often in place for twenty-five to this has the implication in some languages that they thirty years. So we need to have active municipal plan- would be organically grown. So use fuel from biomass to ning for energy efficient building and to integrate that show that is not organically grown bio fuel and, on the with a long term perspective on costs: that a slightly contrary, it can often be the opposite. higher initial cost will pay off in lower energy bills, especially with increasing energy prices over the next twen- Also when you speak about energy, that the costs are ex- ty-five years. ternalised and that, in order to save energy, we must in- ternalise the costs of energy into the price. If not, nobody So energy planning when building new houses is very would pay the investments to save energy. We touched important. Just one example that was given is that the upon the public procurement competences. If you want equivalent of oil consumption for energy use in a house a technology shift, you need to have a big enough mar- can be twenty to twenty-five litres per square metre ket to justify an investment to produce a new product. So per year, for an old-fashioned house. A modern, normal if we want bio fuel trucks on the markets, even if one sin- house would use around six, seven litres per square me- gle municipality makes the public tender for that, there tre in a year. A highly efficient house is using only half of would still not be enough market, no company would that; and the new so-called passive houses are using the produce them only for that municipality. So why not join equivalent energy of only one litre. We had an example a lot of municipalities together in the whole country or from Ljubljana where 120 new social houses have this in several countries, by saying, “For all these municipali- passive standard, with one litre of equivalent energy use ties, we need a certain number of trucks,” and everybody per square metre. says how many trucks they want to buy, and then you have a pan European tender big enough to justify a com- In Zagreb we had the example of the new sports company to produce those new technologies. plex there, which will use new geothermal and solar energy for its energy needs and in Visby, an island in Swe- Then, surprisingly, we didn’t discuss climate change and den, the new conference centre there will have much nuclear power much, because we were all Green, so we less energy use than any conference centre in existence. just moved forward to the issues and the solutions. We This is one of the new innovative ideas from that con- also touched upon the energy balance of fuels from ference centre… now it’s maybe late in the night, but biomass, and that it is not always positive, however bio- earlier, for the whole day, the lights had been on. Why generated fuels could come from sewage. Biogas from not take fibre-optic cables from the roof, ceiling leading sewage is not very well exploited in many cities and that the light in here with zero energy use? That is exactly the could be a tip for the future. Biogas from waste is exploit- technology that they are going to use in the new confer- ed in more cities and we have good examples of where ence centre. that has been the case.

30 Panel II Climate change: Exchange of experiences

During daylight hours, the lighting comes from the sun, Then came the interesting concept of “Least Cost Plan- because the sun is like a hundred times more light than ning.” It means, I think it was from Mulheim the example what we need inside here. It is such a good example. that was given, from their local energy company, that when you discuss the building of a new power plant, you Of course, when we speak about lighting remembering know how much that would cost. However you don’t that in a hot country, one-kilowatt hour used in lighting make an alternative calculation on how much would it generates three kilowatts hours needed for cooling. So cost to make the energy saving to avoid building the the energy saving is often much more than just a saving new power plant, you would just compare different new of the lighting itself; it also reduces the need to get rid of power plants with each other, but you don’t compare it the heat generated by the light. Then you have the new to the alternative cost of saving the energy taking away technology of diodes, which gives 40 to 50% of the elec- the need for the new power plant. So low cost planning tricity energy converted into light, much more efficient is introduced there and they use –I think it was 10% of than highly efficient lamps of today. their budget for that kind of Least Cost Planning. Of the profit, 10% of the profit. We also then discussed building materials: why are we using concrete when we can use wood? For wood there One other example of how to solve the problem of pro- is much less energy used in production than for con- curement related energy use is: in Stockholm they have crete. We went on to discuss the energy passports for a central distribution centre, so you buy the products to houses as well. This means declaring how much energy be delivered there, and not each company delivering to a house uses when you sell it, in order to give the buyer each place, but then you make a separate tender for the an indication on how much energy he will spend on the delivery of all products to all the different working spac- energy bill. es, this is one thousand five hundred. Then you can on that specific tender put tough demands on zero emission We also had a discussion about heat pumps: are they cars and so on, for that transport, but you couldn’t put good or bad? Are they efficient or not? And we realised the same demand for each individual product bought that, OK, at least it’s better to have a heat pump than originally. When you centralise the distribution, you can having a direct heated electrical house, because you put all the products going to the same workspace in the save energy. It might be useful in a passive house with same truck and also, you can make tougher tendering extremely low energy consumption, but putting heat and zero emissions demands on that transport, when pumps in highly energy consuming houses will give a you’ve tendered the transport service. false image of energy efficiency. Oh, I’ll let you in on one funny thing actually: we men- We also talked about district cooling and district heating. tioned that we use olive seeds for heating, using bio- District cooling is not so common. You take your heat ex- mass heating, in Stockholm, while people in Barcelona change cold water from the sea and that’s much more don’t use that. Isn’t that absurd? energy efficient than air conditioning. However, you might have microclimates changing in the sea, which It didn’t work very well in Stockholm though, but it might might affect biodiversity. However district heating is work better here. Isn’t it absurd that we tried the idea but more efficient to use than heating each individual house local suppliers didn’t? It was a funny example. with oil. If you have one central district heating, using the same oil, in the worst of the cases, it would then be more efficient because you can get electricity and you can use the waste heat as heating for the houses. We had an example from Stockholm, where the reduction in oil for heating has been two thirds, which is a very good figure. The average consumption of carbon dioxide per citizen has also been reduced from 5.3 tones in 1990 to 4.5 tones in the year 2000, and 4.4 tones in 2005. Following this we heard about an example from the US, where if you use brighter asphalt it absorbs less heat from the sun, and therefore it generates less heat in the city as well.

31 Panel II Michael Cramer Climate change: Exchange of experiences MEP, Germany

There are positive and negative developments in Berlin and of course I am gazing enviously at Barcelona because we in Berlin attempted to enact a solar thermal ordinance in our Parliament as well. It was thrown out because the construction industry pledged to adopt a voluntary commitment. Nothing came of it – and we have still not managed to push through the initiative. So Berlin has missed a great opportunity.

There is good news and bad news in the transport sector, too. We have achieved a great deal here, but there is a lot we have not achieved. Before I was elected to the European Parliament, I spent 15 years as the transport policy spokesperson for the Greens in the Berlin House Berlin has one major advantage. It has a decentralised of Representatives, which is one of Germany’s 16 state urban structure. We don’t have a mono-centre; Berlin is parliaments. For ½ years, I backed the government a conurbation of 23 medium and large cities, each with – that was when we had a Red-Green government – and more than 100 000 inhabitants. They all have a local cen- for the other 12½ years we were in opposition. But in tre, which cuts journey times overall. my view, you really can achieve a lot from the opposition benches if you work hard and, of course, if you can Berlin has a very good public transport infrastructure secure the backing of large sections of the population. – from both before and after the war – and because the Unfortunately, transport policy has been something of city was divided, we actually had a dual infrastructure a Cinderella in the entire climate debate. Kyoto was con- that was merged after reunification. It is true to say that cluded without any reference to transport, even though some of the routes would certainly not have been built this sector accounts for 30% of total emissions EU-wide, had the city not been divided. However although this is burns 70% of our imported oil and is dependent on oil all very encouraging, we would not be the Greens if we at a rate of 96%. So a climate change mitigation strat- failed to put our finger on a sore point. ‘The best is the egy, which aims to promote the shift away from oil but enemy of the good’, as they say, so I would like to talk ignores the transport sector, is bound to fail. And that is about a couple of issues which are positive, so that we why transport plays a key role, especially in cities, as was can learn from them, and a few issues where we have already mentioned. failed. Around 80% of the people living in the EU live in cities, I will start with the debit side of the balance sheet – road consequently the greatest potential for us can be found building. When we had the Red-Green coalition for two here – and let me say that there is also the greatest po- years in 1989/90, we managed to stop all the projects tential for wasted opportunities, which we can also tack- to construct expressways in West Berlin. When the Wall le effectively. came down, the old railway routes were reactivated, but the highways were then built alongside them. So the ef- This is the situation in our cities: 10% of all journeys fect was nil: billions were squandered, and we had ex- which are made by car are less than 1 km; 30% of them actly the same ‘modal split’, only at far more expense. are less than 3 km and 50% are less than 5 km. It’s easy to remember: 1, 3, 5 and 10, 30, 50. And that is where In local public transport, we managed to ensure that it there is the greatest potential, because for distances up was not the underground rail system, the U-Bahn, which to 5 km, it is of course the bicycle, which is not only the was made the priority. We have 180 km of underground greenest and healthiest mode of transport but also the rail in Berlin and 350 km of rapid transit rail, the S-Bahn. fastest. I have been practising what I preach for several Projects take a long time to be implemented, it is expen- decades and I always say that I would never make it to sive, both in terms of the technology and also capital-in- all my meetings if I had a car because I would spend so tensive. Instead, we decided to foster the renaissance of much time looking for a parking space. Using my bike the tramways, and that has worked really well. The trams and public transport, I always make it to my meetings were abolished in West Berlin in 1967, but now they are very comfortably. Taxis are also a cheaper alternative to back. having my own car – and my driver is always sober.

32 Panel II Climate change: Exchange of experiences

Of course that is a far cheaper option. A tram project is tem; many people arriving in a foreign city have major much quicker to complete and is much more flexible. problems knowing where and how to buy a ticket. But A tram can travel just as fast as a train in outlying ar- when they first arrive, they are already integrated into eas of the city but it can also trundle along at walking the public transport system. Once the travellers see how pace through the pedestrian zone. Not that we have any quick and convenient it is – I tried it out myself yesterday of those in Berlin, or only one or two very small ones. and it worked even late at night for the transfer from the Above all, it means you do not have to spend time get- airport here to the hotel – they use it, because they are ting in and out of the underground. In other words, the familiar with it. tram is an ideal mode of transport and is the perfect way to upgrade the existing transport network. And then there is another really excellent service operat- ed by Deutsche Bahn, known as ‘Call a bike’. This is a bike We have taken the initial steps. Of course, we do not hire system which now exists in several German cities, think that is enough, but we are on the right track. At the and it works like this: You call a telephone number from same time, we pressed ahead with modernisation and your mobile and you can then use one of the ‘call-bikes’ launched the ‘Umweltkarte’ – the ‘eco-ticket’. We now which are located at many different sites around the have a through-ticket for the entire network – for the centre of German cities. I call using my registered mo- bus, tram, underground, rapid transit rail, and regional bile number and am given an opening code, which I can railways. Most cities have this now, although New York, then use to unlock the bike. I use the bike to travel two for example, still has separate systems, so there I would or three kilometre and when I do not need it anymore, I need a different ticket depending on whether I travel by park it and call again to say where I have left it. The fee subway or by bus. We also worked hard to ensure that is then debited from my account. It is a really excellent the buses and trains now run throughout the night at system and it is increasing the popularity of cycling in weekends. Our model for this was New York, where the general. There is also the option to take your bike on re- subway operates 24/7, as they say. We have not managed gional public transport in Germany. We are campaigning to achieve this – not yet, anyway – but we have repeated for this to be extended to the high-speed and long-dis- our message like a mantra to the public over and over tance trains as well. again, so that there is at least a continuous service at the weekends. It is absurd to have an underground system, In Berlin, we have established a cycle path network, thus only to close it down for four hours a night and run a combining urban and eco-tourism. The best example network of night buses instead. We want to optimise the is the Berlin Wall Trail, which is 160 km long and runs use of all our resources, and the night service is proving along what used to be the route of the Berlin Wall. That popular. was one of our Green initiatives. The trail is intended to be used by cyclists and walkers. It has now been way- Then three years ago, we waged a long campaign to en- marked and developed to make it cycle-friendly, and sure that all the public transport services would allow boards have been put up, documenting the history of passengers to take their bicycles with them. That means the Wall with photographs. So in Berlin, you can liter- that you can now take your bike on the tram, the under- ally take a journey through the city’s history, culture and ground and on rapid transit rail. It costs half the standard politics. The Berlin Wall Trail has become a model for the ticket price and there are no time restrictions. So you can rest of Europe – notably for the Iron Curtain Trail, for it ‘bike and ride’ to work in Berlin. You can get to the sta- was not only Berlin and Germany that were divided, but tion quickly, take your bike on the train or tram, and then the whole of Europe. pedal on from your destination station. It is a really good system and I can see that some of you are very enthusi- We have also done a lot for pedestrians. We have reintro- astic about it. I can understand that, for in my view this duced zebra crossings, which had been abolished in Ber- was one of our toughest campaigns, because I have al- lin on the grounds that in a car-friendly city, there was no ways said that Berlin’s transport operators are ‘anti-bike’ room for zebra crossings. It is a steep learning curve for and need to change their attitude. drivers, to make them stop when someone steps on to the crossing. But I have noticed that in Brussels the driv- We also had the support of Germany’s rail operator, ers are very well trained. I always step into the road and Deutsche Bahn, which has now introduced a system in they stop – even if they are driving really fast, they still all major cities allowing you to use your ticket on the stop. So we need to take heart; we all have to do our bit public transport within the city area on the day of your and help educate the drivers, but we really can achieve arrival and departure. In my view, this is a very good sys- a great deal. 33 Panel II Climate change: Exchange of experiences

Let us talk a bit about the fear of cycling. When we started riding our bikes in Berlin 25 years ago, it was a kamikaze undertaking. After a while however, West Berlin motor- ists got used to it, to the point that whenever turning a corner, they would automatically check for cyclists coming from the side and from behind. Then the Wall came down. In East Berlin, cycling had never been popular, which was something of a setback, but now more drivers look out for us.

However most accidental deaths are caused by lorries turning right, because largely in Berlin we still have combined pedestrian and cycle paths. Based on the principle that the German word for cycle path, Radweg, means the same as Rad weg – get the bikes off the road – cycles were shifted off the road onto narrow cycle paths on narrow pavements, which we had to share with pedestrians. Wherever a cycle path existed, no matter how narrow, you were not allowed to cycle on the road. As a result, instead of the longstanding conflict between cars and bikes, we now had a conflict between pedestrians and cyclists.

We campaigned long and hard, together with cycling associations, to abolish the combined cycle paths/pavements; we wanted marked cycle paths to be built on the roads. Today, these designated cycle paths on the roads are official Senate policy – an amazing success!

It is much safer, but those who do feel unsafe on the roads can still use the cycle paths on the pavements. Thanks to the Red-Green coalition, we have new federal legislation, which allows me, as a cyclist, to choose whether to ride on the pavement or on the road. Using the cycle path is compulsory only if it is signed accordingly – and that can only happen if it is at least 1.50 m wide. As 90% of cycle paths in Berlin do not meet this quality standard, I can ride on the road almost everywhere in the city.

So there has been no lack of success. In the last few years, the proportion of bicycles in Berlin’s transport has doubled and now stands at 12%. For a city of 3.4 million, this is a pretty good result that would never have been achieved without us, the Greens, and our willingness to stay in for the long haul.

34 Panel II Ian Wingrove, Climate change: Exchange of experiences Advisor to the Green Party in the London Assembly, United Kingdom

The mobility workshop aims to collect loads of good ideas from what local Greens have been doing and what they are proposing to do around Europe. And so what I am going to do is just to run through them very quickly, no particular order, no particular priority.

First thing, just to flag up that as part of this year’s In Town Without Your Car Day, we have the EU is mobility week, and this year also the mobility in Climate Change Week. There is the launch of the Soft Mobility Paper, which is a fifty page document of good green ideas in German, English, French and Spanish. There is a short version on the website apparently and we were encouraged to all use this at national and local level. There is an interesting debate on how the money from congestion charging could be used; it is going on in I think it was Utrecht, in the Netherlands, that got a new urban areas like Salzburg or Prague for example. The initiative going: The aim is to increase public transport government in Sweden, the new conservative govern- by 10% at weekends from surrounding areas to the city ment, wants to help funding the big motorway around centre and it is a competition, basically, to get ideas on Stockholm. In London it is put back into public transport. how to do this, trying to encourage the private sector Hence this is an interesting issue to debate. and other partners to come forward, saying, “Look, we want to do this, you give us your ideas as to how we Another idea came from Austria again: They had success could best achieve it.” from basically telling people the truth, saying to them prior to the election, ‘Hey, we are going to double park- In Camden, we had a little idea about having the ‘polluting charges in the city centre, this is going to put people er pays principle’ applied to parking charges: this is like off coming in’. This is like a congestion charge if you like. residents parking charges; workplace parking charges Through saying that this would be good for the environ- could be applied as well, so that the more polluting ve- ment and good for the city, because it will make it work hicles will pay more. better proved to have electoral success, as a result of being very up-front and straight-forward. Another idea comes from north of Barcelona: The last seven years they have built up a night bus network The next idea comes from Toulouse: They have intro- which is very popular and the figures seem to show that duced a scheme of transport on demand. The idea of this there are also reduced crashes and collision injuries on is that when you have a terminus of the metro out in the the roads; so this might be also worth pursuing in rural suburbs, where there is no kind of economic case to be areas around major towns. made for regular bus routes, you can book a minibus up two hours in which will then take people to bus stops. In Stockholm they have really gone for congestion There are about a hundred bus stops around that area, charging. It is well worth talking to the Stockholm peo- spread in a big circle, and they will pick people up and ple about how they have approached this. As you know, do a route plan that fits in with all people’s needs. So it in London we had the mayor elected on a platform of is a very user-friendly, very flexible and apparently very bringing this in and he had the backing of the Greens successful idea that carries about six hundred people a and big business to bring congestion charging in and day, everyday. just went ahead and did it. In Edinburgh, in Scotland, they held a referendum, did not get the backing of the The city of Zagreb brought up an interesting point, business community and lost. The way Stockholm ap- which was not brought up elsewhere, about the impor- proached it was to say to people, “Have a trial and see tance of town planning in reducing the need to travel, if this works,” and then to have a referendum after that. which I think is quite important to always remember. It And, like with London, they improved the bus services at is not just about new transport, new infrastructure; it is the same time and it did work and it proved its point and also about how we plan our cities and towns. they won the referendum of people living within the city. So the national government is now implementing it.

35 Panel II Climate change: Exchange of experiences

A couple of ideas from Prague: The big floods there Gothenburg and Stockholm: Construction lorries need- meant that for two weeks rail, bikes and walking were ed, for several years already, to be low on emission and the only modes of transport around the city. And even to meet minimum standards. after that, with the clean up in the town centre, private cars were stopped for some time. They have used that A little idea came from Austria, of doing a survey into the momentum of people experiencing what it was like to real cost of a parking space, you know a parking space be totally reliant on sustainable forms of transport to get outside someone’s home, and the cost of cleaning it, a petition with ten thousand signatures in a city of one maintaining it. They did a research study and came up million people, proposing to go for either a permanent with the fact that it costs eight thousand euros a year car ban or for congestion charging. to do this, which is going to give them lots of ammuni- tion for arguing with people about introducing parking Another little idea from a small town in Italy: To stop arti- charges, etc. ficial streetlights, in nights with sufficient natural moon- light – I personally quite like this. If we did something Finally, high tolls for freight - an example from Switzer- about street lighting and other lighting right across Eu- land, where high tolls for freight were used successfully rope it would actually make a big impact on our energy to make the switch from 70% of freight being on the use. road to now 70% of it being on rail.

Here an idea from Budapest, Hungary: They organised The elephant in the room, as we call it, is aviation. Lots of a major cycling conference there and decided to have a us have airports on our doorstep, aviation is a big issue. bike route that sort of goes all along the new river and I know when we looked at this, when we got the figures up to the Atlantic Ocean, big on sustainability, big on in London, we had been quite shocked by the fact that green tourism. I know that green tourism is being men- for all the things that we are doing in London, even if we tioned by other people. reduced transport emissions to zero in the next twenty years, it is all going to be cancelled out by aviation going Lots of people brought up school kids travelling and dif- up. And it is major, and we have got to deal with that. ferent schemes to make it sustainable: walking, buses, working with kids on safe routes to school to encour- So there was a discussion about the use of an aviation age parents to leave their cars at home. We had a nice fuel tax, as they have started in The Netherlands, to gen- little idea for ‘mini-heroes’ where they give kids whose erate funds for green transport measures and for the al- parents bring them to school by bike or walking a little ternatives. And there are various ideas coming through button saying, “I am a mini-hero”, which apparently have the Greens/EFA Group in European Parliament. Caroline been very successful encouraging the other kids to say, Lucas has been the rapporteur on this, and it is very im- “Why are we going by car?” portant that we push as hard as we can.

A couple of ideas from Barcelona for example on trams:

• They are cheaper to build than the metro • Cars can be put at one side and the road can be rede- sign to give space to cyclists and pedestrians; basically a good idea to bring them back where you have lost them in the past.

Another issue concerns congestion charging: They have put four options into a traffic model for example road tolls, cleaner cars or more bikes. Their traffic models sug- gested too seriously cut pollution the best option was basically road tolls. That was the big hit. The other policies were good but they did not give you such a big sort of step forward.

36 Panel II Åsa Romson Climate change: Exchange of experiences Member of Stockholm City Council for the Green Party Sweden

I would like to present the results of the working group on public procurement focusing on environmental public procurement. It was lead by our Green MEP Heide Rühle that told us initially something about the newest directive on public procurement, and about the fact that the Greens managed to enforce environmental and social standards in this directive. However she also referred to a communication from the European Commission, which we find troublesome when it comes to public procurement under today’s threshold.

We had a very good and interesting presentation from Imma Mayol from the local environmental administration here in Barcelona that explained, from the administrative point of view, how Barcelona worked on public procure- It is necessary to do a lot of training and participatory ment, especially in the environmental field. I was also work here. Cross sector working groups were mentioned presenting some of the environmental administration and I have heard this also before in discussions on the work in Stockholm as well. The working group was dis- topic. cussing very concrete examples of environmental public procurement: recycled paper, fountains, vehicles, vehicle We had also a discussion about which group to start tyres, fuel standards, IT equipment, food, and energy... with when switching to formalised public procure- Well, I guess all of you can imagine the range of things and ment e.g. if it would be a good idea to start working services bought for the municipalities, all of which have with civil servants that are positive to use public pro- an environmental impact and could actually also be re- curement as a tool and that are convinced by the idea. duced by responsible public procurement. It just depends Another line of thinking is to discuss with those that re- on how you do it. We had some examples and briefly dis- ally do not want to use the tool even if it has been po- cussed ethical and social public procurement as well, ex- litically decided. We agreed however on the idea that it amples of which were given concerning fair trade foot- is a good starting point to begin working with civil ser- balls and coffee, of course, clothes and other equipment. vants positive about sustainable public procurement.

What I would like to highlight as a summary from the It was brought to our attention that consultants could workshop is the following: The crucial task for the politi- be of great help, especially in bigger cities. With respect cians is to know that to be successful in administrative to planning for public procurement, which can be tricky, work it is very important to have the political commit- outside consultants are good options. There was a lot of ment for sustainable public procurement inscribed in knowledge in the whole working group and we should political decisions at city council level. The people work- actually use each other’s knowledge in this. ing with public procurement have to be able to rely on the support of the city council. Even people from the city I would like to finish by saying that we did have a dis- environmental administration have struggles pushing cussion about the political rhetoric around, “Why public through procurement decisions in the administration. procurement only in an environmental sense?” and that So it’s really important that the political commitment is often goes hand in hand with the social standards and clear and I think that’s one thing for us, as politicians, to also the social goals for the city, for example traffic secu- take into account. rity as it was faced in the mobility group. When you have more environmentally friendly cars or public transport We also discussed the importance of learning processes they could also be safer. in this: Most of the work is to learn about buying processes and products in order to be successful in public There is also a relation between environmentally friendly, procurement complying with environmental standards. energy effective products and cost-effectiveness, which Even if the procurement standards are set from a central might be a good argument for other politicians. In Bar- body, the buying is often decentralised. Having these celona alone we have a very simple example of saving people on board: local workers and administrations on thirty-three thousand euros annually just from efficient the lower level in the administration is very, very impor- lighting in municipality buildings. Money talks! tant to be successful. 37 CLosure Jordi Guillot Senator and Vice-President of ICV, Barcelona

Good morning everybody! I First, I need to thank and congratulate those who organised this third meeting of local officials and the first meeting of the gender observatory of the European Green Party, because they enabled us to create this meeting and to share the experience, dialogue and knowledge between us all.

I would also like you to excuse the tiredness of the party, who have been in an intense electoral campaign for two months. This party has been negotiating for a week in order to form a coalition for the government: a left-wing government, a red-green government. This may explain some of the errors that may have been committed in this third meeting. do not want take too long, I only want to tell you that the third meeting is coming to its end and the summary At the same time I want you to share the joy of this party. will be forwarded to you. The third meeting has been so It managed to grow in electoral terms and our elector- ambitious in its work that it included one declaration: al growth guarantees a left-wing government today in the declaration whereby Barcelona focuses on an issue Catalonia while at the same time it has been the party that is a challenge for humanity: climate change. It is im- responsible for slowing down the movement of the right portant to know that in this third meeting 230 people in our country. have participated; representatives of twenty-two countries, including one representative of Nepal. In addition, For us, the fact that the European Green Party, the Euro- seven mayors have participated; six MEPs and the Presi- pean Green Group, allowed us to host this third meeting dent of the European Green Party and we definitely had of local officials has been very important indeed. Firstly, the best of all the Greens in the municipal framework. because it is the second concrete contribution that the Green Initiative (Iniciativa Verds) has made to the Euro- I want to end now by saying thanks to everybody for pean Green Party (because we could) and it is very im- their participation, especially to all the people that made portant to have a common space of work with the Span- this meeting possible, above all the European Green ish Greens. This third meeting of local officials has been Party, without whom we could not have done anything organised by the Green Initiative and the Confederation because they have helped us a lot. So, thank you to the of Spanish Greens. European Green Party.

Secondly, this work enables us to accumulate informa- Now we will enter the closing session of the third meet- tion, knowledge, experience, relations etc., in light of ing of European Green local officials, however, before I the upcoming municipal elections that will take place in must pass over to Marta Martínez in order for her to ex- Spain in May 2007. Moreover we learned with you not plain to us all what has been done by the Observatory. only how we are present in social and environmental conflicts of our cities, but also how they can be solved through governmental action. And it is for this reason that, since we consider ourselves a party of struggle and of government, we learn a lot through these kinds of meetings and experiences.

I said before that this is the second contribution that we made to the European Green Party, the first is the Gen- der Observatory, the EGGO. It has just celebrated its first assembly and meeting, and they did a good job; it was positive and constructive. Marta Martínez is going to talk to us about that afterwards.

38 CLosure Phillipe Lamberts Spokesperson of the EGP, Belgium

Thank you Jordi. I’ll speak in English if you will allow me to. I won’t repeat what Pierre said but in terms of content I think that he outlined what our challenges are right now very well and also how we can move forward. 1. From my perspective the local level is absolutely key. You might say, “Well everybody says that.” What I have seen so far though, in this young party, is that when Greens were taking hits at national or regional level, usually what saved us was the local level. The fact is that our roots are there and we are still well entrenched there. So this level is absolutely essential for our future.

Now, it is key also because it is the place where we will be able to deliver results. When you come up onto the polit- That is the condition for us to get sustainable growth, of ical scene with a new vision, people say, “Well, that is dif- course. So being marathon runners is what we all need ferent, why don’t we try it.” However if then, no concrete to be, at local and other levels. results show up quickly, people turn away to others. Due to its limited scale, the local level is where we can make Now I would like to switch to what we need to do con- a very concrete difference, as the decisions taken there cretely about this local level from the European perspec- usually have an immediate impact. So you might say, tive. Pierre talked about some things and I would like to “Hey that is good.” Yes, but this is also the place where reinforce them. First: such meetings, like we had today, we will face the fiercest opposition as to what we want to do we have to continue doing them in the same format? do, exactly because the impact of our choices will be very Well, I would say that they are really important, because concrete indeed. People do not want to change, others they allow us to share energy, and I could feel very much are lobbying against us, and there is also the problem positive energy coming from all the speakers that I have of corruption, which was mentioned earlier. It is a tough heard over the last two days. This is important because level of power. It is key, it can deliver promise but it can if you feel that you are all alone doing this you can get also provide us with difficulties that are immediate and exhausted very quickly, but if you feel collective energy, are to be overcome. Then again however, if we are able well, that helps a lot. to do that at local level then, of course, we are well set to do it at other levels, too. We can share experiences and that is also important of course, because one of the things that we need to do Now, local level is also extremely important because en- since there are not so many Greens is to be very efficient tering sustainable development is all about a change of very quickly. So let us try to repeat the successes that mindsets, a change of attitude. It is not just a change of at- have been obtained elsewhere. And then the third thing, titude of the companies that is needed, nor just a change of course, is personal networking. of attitudes of the public authorities that is needed either, but a change of attitudes, a change of mindset for So for all these reasons we need those meetings. Now I all of us, the citizens. We all know that changing a mind- would argue, looking at this meeting and the past ones set is the most difficult thing to achieve. On the other that we have had, at the initiative for instance of the hand though, if people can realise that their change of Austrian Greens, I would say that that we can do even mindset provides them with results: a different quality better. We can do better because in order to make these of life, changes in their own life; then of course it makes meetings efficient we need a big attendance – and I’m all the messages much more powerful. That is the first saying very frankly that I’m not satisfied with 200 people thing I wanted to say today: the local level is the key; I attending; I think that is already very good but that is not think that we all agree on that, even at the level of the enough. We need to go further and that means that in European Green Party. order to get there we have to be careful about the timing of our meetings. 2. The second thing is that the local level requires energy and persistence from us. The picture that was used Holding such a meeting one month after the Congress is that of a marathon runner. It is a marathon, it is not a of European Greens is not a good idea. So we will need sprint; and so we are there for the duration and we need to plan these events more carefully in the future so that to deliver sustainable results. they don’t coincide with each other. 39 CLosure

You may well say, “Well, this is a different audience.” Yes, Firstly, let us keep up the good energy. I really felt good but then it is your party that has to pay for all this. If the energy here and in Geneva a month ago; I really feel that member parties have already paid a lot for sending peo- the Greens are fighting again. I think our ICV colleagues ple to a European Green Congress, they will probably be have demonstrated that recently but there is a whole lot reluctant to again send as many people to a council of of examples where I see Greens on the offensive again, locally elected people. So, as you know, timing is impor- and that is good. tant. Secondly it is not the time now that the news proves us Now, location is of course important and agenda as well. right that we should go away from our key focus areas. So what I can commit to on behalf of the European Green Sustainable development is ours, right? If we turn away Party is that we will certainly keep those meetings on our from that or refrain ourselves from fighting for that, who agenda in the years to come and jointly, of course, with will? I mean, come on, this is our time. So let’s go for it the Green Group, but we will probably think a bit better and that also means clean politics to take over the three about the timing of those meetings. E’s. This really is clean politics. It is also participation; that makes us different. Let us focus on what really makes us But as Pierre said, this is not enough. This is not enough different. Because we are different. Let’s all be sure about because once again, meetings are good, but we need to that. have more prominent cooperation. By this I mean using what others have been doing. You will go back to your I’d like to conclude by saying thank you once again, like parties, maybe you’ll use part of what you heard, and everybody else but really from the heart. Thank you to maybe you will even talk about that to your fellow local the ICV for welcoming us here in Barcelona and huge councillors or members of the executives. But that is not congratulations for your results last week. That really enough, because the impact will quickly fade away. So gives us all enough energy to go back home. we need a more permanent tool to collaborate with. A tool, probably web based, which allows people to share Thank you. experience to build up a community, is very necessary. This is a challenge that I’m putting to you, far and wide, to all locally elected people.

It does not only require a tool it also requires a change of mindset. Be it at local, regional, national or European level, elected people tend to focus on their mandate, their activity in their assembly or in their government, right? Not even looking to the guy next door and I’m saying next door, not even in the next country. So I think collaboration doesn’t require only tools but also an attitude, an attitude where you all see added value. This added value lies in two things: in of course getting things from your colleagues all over the place, but contributing things too. I mean, just imagine that we, jointly with the Green Group, set up a community tool on the web to share experience. If you do not provide value to it though, nobody will get any value from it. I mean, it is really give and take and that is also something that we want to put energy behind. I also think that this is one of the places where the European level can provide some added value to locally elected people. So you can count on us, both for the meetings and for the build up of a community of locally elected people.

So please allow me to give you a few bits of advice before I close.

40 CLosure Raül Romeva MEP, Spain

I must begin by thanking a lot of people, that have been working for a long time in order to make this event possible, not only the technical team of the Greens Initia- tive for Catalonia (Iniciativa per Catalunya Verds), which is numerous and active, but also to the technical team of the Green Group in the European Parliament.

In addition, I thank the interpreters that have allowed us to speak in Catalan, something that we cannot do in the European Parliament. Consequently, I think we have to recognise this in a very particular and special way. We also have to thank all councillors and local officials for their presence, who are working every day with the difficulties that we all know when affronting these policies This is a reality that may seem distant for some Europe- from a Green point of view. The ones that follow our work an countries, but here in Spain I guarantee you that it is in the European Parliament know that it is very impor- one of the main problems, just read the newspapers. It is tant for some of us. As a result, the gratitude expressed one of the main problems that we have in management here is proof of the amount of work that has been done within some municipalities. Consequently, we are chal- and also of the amount of work that can be done and lenged to find out how to guarantee the access to hous- that will be done. ing and at the same time to fight against the corruption and speculation that exist at the moment, therefore, the This having been said, I would like to make a small com- ‘E’ for Ethics is fundamental. ment about what has been for me the central debate of this conference. Currently and coincidently, I think ECOLOGY it is important, that on the one hand, in Nairobi, Kenya We have seen through the speeches that the ‘E’ for Ecol- a very important conference on climate change took ogy is also fundamental at the local level. In the frame place, which we have been following continuously and of the debate about climate change we have learned attentively: What would and could happen and what about the direct and very important responsibility that was happening, and on what. On the other hand, one comes precisely from the cities. More concretely speak- year ago another challenge was presented as a result of ing, from how cities manage mobility, (i.e. the mobility the events in the French banlieues (quarters near Paris policies that can be implemented in this domain in order and other cities): providing an answer to the increasing to combat more than just mobility problems in cities), reality of exclusion and marginalisation in cities. Some to how this can help to tackle the global and universal linked it directly with immigration even if it is not direct- problem of climate change. ly linked. EQUITY These two phenomena may not seem related to each Finally, there is a third ‘E’ for equity, which is linked to the other, but as has been made clear in the last couple other two Es. What happened in Paris may seem very of days, I think that they are. We have seen this in the far away for some people, but if we do not take steps framework of the campaign that we finished success- here and in other European cities to confront the current fully and that has finally allowed us to establish a new problems of social exclusion, it will not be a historical progressive government in the Generalitat of Catalonia exception, but a phenomenon that is repeated in other (Government of Catalonia). We have seen the three ‘Es’ contexts. Consequently, we have to pay a lot of attention are indeed linked. The three concepts that begin with ‘E’: and be very aware of the necessities that cities and mu- –I know that in some languages there will not be three nicipalities may have. ‘Es’, but in Latin languages they stand for- Ethics, Ecology and Equity. These three ‘Es’ are closely linked to Catalan Marta told us about one aspect that for me is important, and European policy, and also concern local policy. the gender dimension. I think that at the local level a criss-crossing of problems is demonstrated. There is also ETHICS a criss-crossing of solutions that are logically linked with The day before yesterday Paco Garrido talked to us about the gender issue. the importance in facing up to corruption and speculation at the local level. 41 CLosure

This is what enables me to bring a close to the debates from this conference, not only from the point of view of a network of cities and from a point of view of networks of Green cities, but also from a point of view of a network of equitable cities. The concept of networks of responsible and pro-active cities cannot be forgotten in terms of policies of equality between men and women.

My personal evaluation of these days is nothing less than absolute satisfaction. I think that the debates in small groups and also the ones in the plenary session enabled us (even though we might not have a direct responsibility in the management of cities) to learn not only what the problems are but also what the solutions can be.

I hope that, since this was the objective when we organised the conference, it has been useful for those who work directly in these circumstances in terms of gaining instruments that permit you to do a better job, a task that I insist is not only unfinished, but in which there is still a lot to do now and in the future.

Thank you.

42 CLosure Francisco Garrido Spokesperson of Los Verdes, Spain

Good morning! Speaking on behalf of the Confedera- tion of the Greens (Confederación de los Verdes), I would like to extend the same congratulations and gratitude that Raül did to those who have worked and prepared to make this conference a success. I also share the senti- ment expressed by Jordi Guillot, that for the Confedera- tion this is a very important event because it is the first that we have organised and participated in alongside the Greens Initiative for Catalonia (Iniciativa per Catalunya Verds) and as members of the European Green Party. For this reason, we also feel immense satisfaction with the political and electoral advances made in political ecology and eco-socialism in Catalonia, Europe and Spain.

The topics on the agenda during this conference seem 2. Secondly, we want to build the city from the bottom to me to be very relevant and pressing, as well as some up, with a view from the below where it is seen by chil- of the issues that Raül brilliantly mentioned, namely the dren. We also want to build from the perspective of problem of exclusion. I cannot resist sharing a short an- those outside the city, those who see the city as an ag- ecdote from a recent flight to Granada with the President gressive place, a city ruled by cars, a violent city, and a of the Spanish Islamic Community. He is a Syrian doctor, segregated city. with blond hair and light blue eyes, and a person who was allowed to pass freely through the airport until his 3. Thirdly, to build a city viewing it from its limits or in name was noticed with the comment ‘ah, but you don’t other words limits of accessibility, from the perspec- seem…’. In that moment he was stopped and there was tive of those who have problems functioning in the city, a small amount of hesitation before he was allowed to without free access and from those that have architec- pass through once it was realised that he is Spanish since tural barriers. he holds a Spanish passport. In other words, the reaction they had, the ‘ah, you don’t seem…, you aren’t…’, ‘how 4. The fourth perspective is that from outside, from those is it that you are Muslim’, demonstrates the atmosphere who come and presumably do not benefit from common in which we are now living and that we will see more law, or those that come to work in the worst places, and and more in the following years if we do not change our that suffer in the worst situations. The only sustainable policies. city is a city that is friendly to children, to the disabled, and to immigrants. From this perspective and with re- This seems to directly affect policy overall, international spect to this local knowledge, the best way of adapting policy, state policy, and it also reflects on local and mu- to meet the needs of those who have physical, social or nicipal policies. We are going to have continual prob- exclusively biological limitations is to build a city that lems of segregation that are similar to those in many is what European cities have always been: a place and other European cities. Therefore the Greens platform for a centre of civilisation, of the production of culture, in- political ecology is not just a conservationist platform formation, and social life. It appears fundamental to see concerned with gardens and parks that unfortunately this as an integrated approach, as Raül just proposed many people think of, but it is a global integration plat- with the three ‘Es’, that present the purpose of the local form. As Greens we have worked and seen in this con- view of urban problems that we Greens face and that our ference and traditionally in our municipal approach that proposals are based upon. there are four major perspectives on how to build a city. To conclude I would say that if one thing can sum up our 1. First, as Greens we want to build a city in which local vision of the city, it is the defence of the city as the street, knowledge is respected, the so-called ‘local knowledge’. the corner, and the square by standing up to the segre- It is the historical knowledge of a place that has accu- gated city and isolated city. We defend the street; we mulated over time and an ecological knowledge that are people from the street, people from the squares and defines the physical conditions and environment of a if I must say people from the corners where we have the place. We want to build the city without infringing on best view of the city and where we can capture many this knowledge. streets and perspectives giving us a pluralist vision. Thank you very much. 43 CLosure Pierre Jonckheer MEP, Belgium

In this closing session, I should like to speak on behalf of my colleagues, Members of the European Parliament. Naturally, I should like to thank Raül once again for his excellent collaboration in the group and the energy he has put into preparing this session. I should also like to thank and congratulate once again the ‘Iniciativa per Catalunya Verds’ for their success in the elections and, above all, for their entry into government.

I would like to make two comments.

1. The first is that our group in the European Par- liament consists of around 40 green MEPs and, for the past two days, ten or so of my colleagues have been here in Barcelona to discuss with you issues such as energy, It is a reflection of the group’s state of mind and of our transport and public contracts. I believe that their ac- presence here today. tive involvement in workshops and in their discussions with you is the political expression of the fact that in our I would now, very briefly, like to give you some more per- group in the European Parliament, which might some- sonal, and perhaps political, comments on several things times appear to be a little distant from daily life, we are I have heard since yesterday. We, the Greens, are in a situ- acutely aware that the type of work we can do, if it is to ation whereby, due to world events and day-to-day real- have a real impact, can only be done with you. That is ity, one of us felt able to state yesterday: why we are here today. ‘This time it’s our time’, referring to the ever increasing That is why we support the development of this net- awareness of climate change and other similar issues. work of Green councillors, because as some of you have With regard to that, I should like to say that, of course, said, we are convinced that the Green approach is not we must count on our own strength; of course, it would only a top-down approach, but above all a bottom-up be ironic if the Greens, as a political party now and as po- approach – from the people to the politicians. To con- litical environmentalists, were not able to be key players vert these words into action, we are going to discuss the in this particularly crucial period. possibility of making better use of the group website to facilitate discussions and exchanges of good practices, I also think though, that political realism requires us to because that is the philosophy behind these meetings acknowledge that in any European country we simply – that everyone should be able to express their success- do not have the strength to genuinely meet, with the es and, possibly, their failures, so that everyone can learn necessary force and urgency, the challenges we face from them. Due to the fact that we cannot meet in Barce- both environmentally and socially. That is why I believe lona, or anywhere else, every week, a more intensive use that in our political strategy, be it locally, nationally or of the Internet could be useful. at European level, we need to pay greater attention to our alliances. What stakeholder alliances can political 2. The second, purely practical matter to which I environmentalists build around themselves in order to should like to draw your attention is the existence (at the push forward their agenda? I would suggest three sec- initiative of some our colleagues) of this guide and CD tors, representatives of which have questioned me over that highlights the opportunities for two local authori- the past two days. ties to have access to the new Community fund, for the period 2007-2013 – i.e. the new EU financial perspective. Firstly, I believe that the world of science, of the scientific You have a number of materials enabling the NGOs, but community, should be taken into consideration. Marc also local authorities, to see to what extent, being in a po- Lipinski referred to that in his speech yesterday. I believe sition of responsibility, you can have access to a number he is absolutely right: the Greens must maintain a con- of these Community funds in order to fulfil your projects. stant dialogue with the scientific community. We know In my view, these are very practical but important mat- that some of the problems we are facing come from re- ters for each and every one of us and this demonstrates search and the implementation of that research. That is the connection between our work in the European Par- a fundamental issue. liament and your work. 44 CLosure

The Greens have always had a somewhat ambiguous re- You can count on our willingness to help, insofar as our lationship with the world of science. We have a critical capacities and resources permit, to ensure that the net- relationship with a number of scientific achievements, or work of local and regional representatives is genuinely so-called achievements. For us, precautionary principles able to contribute to developing environmental aware- are paramount – mention of this was made in relation to ness and quality of life for all of us. nanotechnology issues. But let us be careful. While we must retain this critical vision, we also need to have an Thank you. extremely progressive vision, because some of the solutions come from the scientific community and depend on the credibility of the Greens in the eyes of the scientific community.

The second possible alliance is clearly the business world. In his speech, Claude Turmes referred to the fact that if there were so many obstacles to the development of energy efficiency strategies due to pressure from the lobbies. He also pointed out however, that energy efficiency was also an investment strategy for the future. The Greens have to maintain a dialogue with the business world and with the world of finance, which are willing to make investments and are willing to refinance markets of the future. Unless this happens, we will not achieve our aims. There can be no sustainable development without the active participation of a part of the business world, which has understood that there are indeed some vital issues at stake.

And last but not least, we come to a key issue which is more familiar to us - that of participatory democracy. This has been widely debated over the past two days. It is true that the specific approach of the Greens is to say that, in terms of responsibilities, we, more than the other parties, offer areas for participation and areas for consul- tation and joint decision-making. This is all the more important simply because we want more democracy, but as well as that, with reference also to the speech just delivered by our friend Martinez, because we are well aware that we are entering an era of European society which is going to be harder, in which inequalities are increasing, in which life for many of our fellow citizens is becoming more difficult; and that trend is going to be very hard to reverse. And one way to form alliances and to acquire a degree of social cohesion, which is a prerequisite for the fulfilment of our plans, is to strengthen participatory democracy.

These are a few of the lessons that I personally have learned over the past two days. I believe that these views are broadly shared – or should be – by many of my colleagues. It is in this spirit that we are working and I cannot but give my undertaking, on behalf of all my colleagues that we are not going to wait for the 4th conference of local councillors to continue working on these issues. 45 CLosure Joan Saura President of Iniciativa per Catalunya Verds (ICV), Catalonia

Good morning, especially to those that have come to Catalonia from abroad. I am sure that this conference has been a good conference; even though there were some scheduling problems that were pointed out. I hope that all of you have been well received by the organisation and also by the city of Barcelona. Barcelona is histori- cally a welcoming city, and I hope it continues to be so.

Firstly, I want to start by expressing my gratitude, obviously, to the Vienna Greens, whose hard work beforehand has made this event a successful one. Today we are able to celebrate the third meeting of local officials already. It is also clear that we should give thanks to the European Green Party and to the European Parliamentarian Group, as well as the participation of the Spanish Confederation I would like to say that I believe that today, even if it has of the Greens and last but not least to the people from been said that more people could have come, those who Iniciativa who made the organisation of this event possi- are here have made a very important contribution to the ble: Ernest Urtasun, Susanne Reiner, Sergi Alegre, Marta strength of the European Green Party. Martínez, and also Jordi Guillot. I think it is important to note four challenges at local lev- As you know (I am sure that if you did not know it before, el. A local level that, as was stated in different speeches, after this conference you will), only a short amount of is the world of proximity: a world, consequently, that has time has passed since the last electoral campaign, which a privileged position from the point of view of a policy of has been very important for Catalonia. I am positive that social and ecological transformation. I believe that local during the last elections, not only the future four years of level is definitely a privileged one, for going ahead with government were to be decided, but also the possibility positions and transformation policies. From our point of opening a new stage of a progressive government in of view the local level has four big challenges, I will just Catalonia. In these elections everybody felt losses politi- mention them as I think that they are important: cally: the right, but also the Socialist Party and Republi- can Left (Esquerra Republicana); in absolute terms the • Participation socialists lost 80,000 votes and the independent left • Living together lost 130,000 votes; we have gained 40,000 additional • Sustainability votes, all in all nearly 10 percent of the votes. • Knowledge

I think that these splendid results have a future and I I think that these are the four big challenges that define hope for what we call the ‘Green Left’. Today the Greens (they should in my opinion) the role of policies and strat- appear to be the best answer to future challenges, and egies at the local level. I think that in Catalonia this has been possible due their presence in the government for three years. This has 1. The issue of participation is very important. Partici- enabled a serious, coherent and responsible policy, of pation is not a trend, as one might say ‘nowadays par- governmental stability that goes together with a radical ticipation is fashionable’. No, participation today is an policy from a democratic point of view of ecological sus- absolutely vital solution in very complex societies with tainability and social justice. complex problems and different interests. Consequently for us, it is essential because without it, it is impossible to face world problems and deal with problems specifically Adopting this point of view, I think that our modest con- at local level. I would like to say that we want to deal with tribution, as our friend told us, is situated in a moment of citizenship problems together with citizens; we do not a new offensive of Greens’ ideas. Currently future propos- want to face citizenship problems without the involve- als for a better world have to take into account the role ment of citizens. In the previous speech it was also men- of the Greens. It has been an honour for us to be able to tioned that for a project like ours the most important be here with you, welcoming you in a political space of factor is a change in mentality, of people’s thoughts, and similar interests, making contributions for the improve- this is not possible without participation. ment of our country, of Europe, and of the whole world. 46 CLosure

Therefore participation in a project like ours is vital, and 3. The third challenge that has also been present in a lot it is also required at the local level. of debates is sustainability. As I said before, I think that I would like to tell you that, for the first time in the Cat- the debates on climate change, mobility, energy, and alan government since our arrival three years ago, a water policy have a strong presence once again in Span- council has been created which has, among other objec- ish, Catalan, European, and worldwide political debates. tives, the participation policy. For the first time in Cata- It also seems to me from the local level point of view lonia since 003 new participation policies have been that what is very important is the fact that sustainability implemented. Among these there is, as an example of values are a privilege, and we can introduce them in a the types of policies, the modification of a law regard- privileged manner, both individually and locally. I think ing a popular legislative initiative that states that in a few that the task together with citizenship for continuing the months we will also present a project of initiative law change in mentality is very important at the local level of citizenship in the local world. We will see capacities and is vital in order to advance towards a sustainable so- strengthened legislatively which is an important factor ciety. In other words, if I had to say what I think is more at the local level. important from an institutional point of view I would say that the EU environmental policy is vital, but that the 2. The second question, the second challenge that I con- work done regarding sustainability at the local level is sider to be important, is the one of living together or absolutely crucial. living with social exclusion. In our electoral campaign in Catalonia, the immigration issue has been one of central 4. Finally, I think that we are determined to advance at importance. This was closely linked to social cohesion local level to make a policy of knowledge, with cities as and to the welfare system. In the campaign the right spaces of critical knowledge. stated their position: that immigrants have to pass ex- ams, a card with points would be created for them, and This means from our point of view an investment in the depending if they have been good or bad, they would generalisation of opportunities that is provided by the have access to different services. They put together a information society. We want a knowledgeable society proposal from the public services point of view. It was for everybody and we are convinced that we must (also the selling of personal services, putting the issue of liv- from the local level in an even bigger way) advance to ing together and of the welfare system at the centre of this local citizenship, which is constructively critical, and local level politics. that is still taking place thanks to new technologies that facilitate the relationship between institutions and citi- From this point of view, I think that we all come together, zenship.I will end by saying that one of the big challeng- absolutely all of us, to agree on ideas: the equity of rights es of the building of our political space in Europe is the and obligations for everybody – and this means in our local management. As has already been said in different case, in Spain and in Catalonia; that every immigrant speeches, it is extremely important to strengthen the with some years of residency and in a legal situation has local Green network, not only in these meetings, which at least the right to vote in municipal elections (which are vital, but also through new instruments and new ele- has been one of the more debated subjects in this elec- ments, which move forward. I believe that we can learn toral campaign); and that today immigration in Catalonia a lot from others. In this meeting, many people told me and in Spain is positive. Spain has an economic growth that they have learned something, and I think that we above 3 percent of the GDP –Germany, for example, is can learn even more and that we never forget, not even near 0 percent-, and studies show that without immigra- at the local level, that we have to manage very well. In tion today, Spain would be in economic recession. other words, we must leave behind the idea that we do not need management because we do need manage- Furthermore, the social security system and pension sys- ment and we have to do it correctly. However, this man- tem has thrived thanks to the immigrant contribution. agement should be based upon values, and in this case, Consequently, immigration is positive but it represents from our values that were pointed out by Raül Romeva: or may represent dangers if there are not strong pub- the ethical values, those of equity, and those of ecology. lic policies, and by strong public policies we understand Not only because it is right from a social point of view, the equality of rights as well as the necessity of a more but also because when managed from a set of values, we inclusive welfare system that guarantees the equality of are managed better and more efficiently. This definitely services to all people who need them apart from their means that people, our focus being on the citizens, have origin. more possibilities of having life-long projects and happi- ness. That is all, thank you very much. 47 CLosure Marta Martínez Representative of the European Green Gender Observatory

Good morning, everybody.

As you know, the observatory is an instrument of the European Green Party that has been promoted by the Greens Initiative for Catalonia (Iniciativa per Catalunya Verds) and created for exchanging, sharing, and trans- ferring knowledge, as wells as for increasing the under- standing of feminist and gender questions. This weekend, as Jordi told you, we have celebrated the first seminar of the observatory, where the first results of the White Paper regarding the balanced representation of men and women in the green European parties was presented. From this presentation we have gained knowledge about the current situation in each party concerning this question and also concerning the strate- Gender and energy, New masculinities,The cross-over of gies that different organisations used in order to obtain gender policies at the local level more gender equality in their structures and in their decisions. The high participation at this seminar, the debates that During the debate, one of the facts that has been evi- were generated, and the information obtained shows the dent in this exchange is that, even if the commitment opportunity and value of this conference. In this sense, I of parties with the principle of gender balance is high, want to thank people who came and participated: the the ways in which differences between men and women Greens from Finland, Sweden, France, Italy, Austria, Cata- arise in the decision-making process are quite similar, lonia, Germany, Portugal, Turkey, Greece, above all, the regardless if we are speaking of Scandinavian countries, Federation Young European Greens and the Greens/EFA countries of central Europe or Mediterranean countries. Group in European Parliament, and especially I would For this reason, the knowledge and the exchange of the like to thank to the people that have made speeches and different strategies implemented by parties are very use- coordinated groups. I also want to thank Jordi Guillot ful for the future work of each national organisation. and above all María de la Fuente, president of Women with Initiative, for their support from the beginning. In this context we had two speeches during yesterday’s conference: the first by the MEP Raül Romeva about the This seminar has been a very important step for consoli- European agenda for gender issues. Secondly, we had dating this instrument that is strategic for the European the pleasure of having among us Deputy Alba Estela Green Party, the observatory of gender issues of the Euro- Maldonado, parliamentary for the Guatemala Revolu- pean Green Party. However maybe what has more value tionary National Union, who told us about the situa- in this seminar is that it gave us the opportunity to meet tion of women in Guatemala in the context of the peace each other, to talk to each other, and to build the basis agreements. in order to structure a stable and sustainable network on a European scale, between all the people from political In the second part of the conference, the other big proj- ecology who work in gender and feminist issues. ect elaborated in the context of the observatory was From this seminar a resolution will be elaborated in presented: The daily life at the central axis of public which the European Green Party will be asked to adopt policies (La vida quotidiana com a eix vertebrador de formal mechanisms in order to ensure a balanced partic- les polítiques públiques), a study carried out by Mònica ipation between men and women in the party. We con- Gelambí, expert in gender issues and researcher for the sider this resolution the first step for implementing the University Rovira i Virgili. This paper attempts to put to- most important conclusion of this seminar: to bring to gether a catalogue of public policies with the strategic the political agenda of the European Green Party what objective of placing daily life at the core of policies. This already exists in the national agendas of green parties. If presentation was complemented by the cases of health it is true that gender issues are present in the European policies in Sweden and working time policies in Italy. Green Party domain, we must make them stronger and formalise them to give them the place they deserve. We Finally, this morning three groups of open discussion believe that the European Green Party has to lead the were organised, and participants decided to discuss the change towards gender equality and towards the em- following three subjects: powerment of women in Europe. Thank you. 48 Barcelona Declaration

Cities, towns and citizens of Europe, actively committed to the prevention of climate change

‘Barcelona declaration’ by the local councillors of the European greens

Climate change is an indisputable truth recognised by the international scientific community. The UN Conference being held in Nairobi this week constitutes a new opportunity and there is not much more time left to make governments adopt immediate, responsible and ambitious measures and commitments to stop and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that are causing global warming.

Over the last few years, the EU has played an important role in the Kyoto process, acting as a driving force to obtain specific commitments from its Member States. However, concrete policies have not yet delivered these commitments. It was a big mistake that the transport sector was excluded from the Kyoto Protocol. Since 1990, the CO2 emissions from the transport sector have increased by almost 25%, with emissions from aviation doubling in that time. Therefore, it is necessary that the transport sector is included going forward. Without serious emissions reductions from the transport sector, the EU will never reach its climate goals. Already today this sector is responsible for 30 per cent of all CO2-emissions in the EU. Now, more than ever, we need global action encompassing the USA (which contributes 30% of total greenhouse gas emissions) and also countries undergoing economic growth, like China, India, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa, among others.

In the last three years, the government of Spain, the EU country with the largest relative increase in greenhouse gas emissions in relation to its Kyoto commitments, has joined the international commitments and the active policies for climate change prevention. The founding of the Network of Cities for Climate (Red de Ciudades por el Clima) in 2005 is a good initiative for local action. In Catalonia, local efforts are channelled, together with the Government of Catalonia (Generalitat), through the Network of Cities and Towns Towards Sustainability (Xarxa de Ciutats i Pobles cap a la Sostenibilitat), which coordinates actions from over 220 cities and towns in order to establish specific commitments to prevent and fight climate change.

It is also true, however, that we must go further. We now know the causes of climate change, as well as their effects. On the one hand, there is the intensive way in which land is inhabited and occupied in many of our urban, metropolitan and coastal areas (the planning and building fever). On the other hand, there are the economic growth and consumer models (existing in the developed countries) that determine disproportionate consumption of materials, water and energy, unsustainable mobility patterns, huge quantities of contaminating emissions and serious distorsions to the fluvial and marine systems. The results are clear: loss of diversity, greater vulnerability (droughts, floodings...), desertification, migration and more poverty globally. In short, serious environmental, social, economic, industrial and cultural problems, which impact the health and life of millions.

The logic by which development is identified with a growth in consumption and resources is unsustainable, lacks solidarity and is profoundly irresponsible. A change in perspective, which is founded on the values of social equity, ethics and ecology, is needed.

For this reason we, the local councillors of the European greens, gathered together in Barcelona, agree on the following Declaration:

(1) To demand that the Governments of industrialised countries assume more ambitious and strict commitments for reducing emissions: by 30% in 2020compared to 1990. (The commitment currently in place –the Kyoto Protocol– is to reduce them by 5.2% compared to 1990 for the period 2008-2012 and 8% for the EU-15.)

(2) To foster a movement of European citizens who are active in the fight against climate change where European cities, companies and social organisations are prominent, through local-level commitments, indicators and reports on sustainability which can be easily assessed.

49 Barcelona Declaration

This can be done by:

Demanding compliance with the 10 commitments of the European Conference on Sustainable Cities and Towns (Aalborg+10), held in June 2004. “We aim to translate our common vision for sustainable urban futures into tangible sustainability targets and action at local level”.

Promoting a chart or strategic framework (commitments, methodology and indicators) in each city in order to act in a coordinated and cooperative manner in the fight against climate change. Leading to a true local power which can influence the priorities of our respective governments and increase the effectiveness of local government networks at the European and global levels.

Encouraging local initiatives for compensation and neutralisation of CO2 (www.ceroco2.org or Climate movement (Movimiento Clima) at www.movimientoclima.org), which allow active involvement of all citizens and participation in net development projects in other countries. In other words, encouraging co-responsibility over the threats of climate change.

(3) To urge local authorities reduce greenhouse gas emissions in our cities, to make specific and measurable commitments, including:

Reducing energy consumption and promoting energy efficiency, particularly electricity efficiency, in accordance with the proposal of the EU directive on energy efficiency (all 220 municipalities within the Network of Cities and Towns Towards Sustainability have assumed a yearly reduction of the local authority’s energy consumption by 1.5% to 2010). Implementing Energy Saving and Efficiency Plans, energy accounting systems and relevant indicators.

Increasing and intensifying the contribution of renewable energies: solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, small-scale hydro power. The contribution of local authorities to the use of solar thermal energy has been decisive in the last few years (38 municipalities in the Barcelona province have passed solar by-laws which will put 150,000 sq m of solar surface at their disposal by 2010. In 2000 there were only 7,000 sq m). The city of Barcelona has pioneered this process (Energy Efficiency Plan) by generating new employment opportunities, professionalisation and innovation in the development of a new energy culture.

Promoting an increased distribution and decentralisation of energy across the land, which promotes innovation and clean sources, and diametrically opposes the interest of the powerful nuclear energy lobbies, which are trying to mislead the debate in Europe.

(4) To promote the development of environmentally-friendly consumer models. Setting an example through green public purchasing and contracting of goods and services, promotion of fair trade and responsible consumption. Fostering Social and Environmental Responsibility among agents, companies and organisations in our cities and regions. Adapting production systems, home appliances and also daily habits (in our homes) to make them more energy efficient.

(5) To promote the principles and requirements of the European Strategy on the Urban Environment whereby urban development can be structured and guided by rational and sustainable criteria. (In its assembly in Girona, the Network of Cities and Towns Towards Sustainability demanded a Catalan Strategy on the Urban Environment). This strategy considers four fields of action:

Sustainable town planning which guides urban development, recycles urban fabrics, fosters bioclimatic planning with efficient energy and water consumption patterns. Encouraging urban complexity and using the opportunities brought to us by the knowledge society.

Town planning that promotes sustainable mobility and accessibility. Regaining the multifunctional public space. Obtaining more prominence for collective and sustainable transport models. Facilitating pedestrian accessibility, bicycle use and public transport. 50 Barcelona Declaration

Town planning that promotes sustainable construction, prioritising rehabilitation and reuse over the construction ‘fever’ (particularly serious along the Mediterranean coastline). Applying efficiency criteria in using resources and materials, guaranteeing diversity and its management. Promoting quality and ecoefficiency in the whole construction sector.

Urban management, which means first and foremost to respond to the new realities in the social dimension, economic dimension, family structure, migrations, managing the new types of conflicts and demands, preserving the land and natural resources. This must include real citizens’ involvement to ensure co-responsibility.

(6) To urge local governments to set up the necessary institutions to advise all local-level actors of change: citizens, investors, local craftsmen and businesses. Only strong and professional institutions will be able to catalyse the necessary thousands of individual investment decisions. The EU should dedicate more funds for promoting these type of organisations.

(7) We, the European green local councillors gathered together on this day in the city of Barcelona note with pleasure the new growth of ICV in Catalonia, through defending the principles of social cohesion and environmental modernisation. This will improve the fight against climate change and the defence of biodiversity in Europe.

51 Imprint

Publisher The Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament Paul Henri Spaak building Office PHS02C11 60, rue Wiertz 1047 Brussels Belgium www.greens-efa.eu

Editorial office (notes from speeches) Iniciativa per Catalunya Verds Ciutat, 7 08002 Barcelona

Design & Layout Greens/EFA Group Super-Fi GmbH

Print Drukkerij Geers Offset, 9041 Oostakker (Gent)

Copyright (Pictures) Iniciativa per Catalunya Verds, Susanne Rieger Page 4-5: Udo Weber Page 11: Monika Vana, Austria Greens, wien.gruene.at/personen/monika_vana Page 25: Claude Turmes, picture from Ekowatt, www.ekowatt.si Page 35: Åsa Romson, picture from Zaida Catalán, http://.asa.romson.se