October Headlines - click to see the full story
28/10/2009 - UN-HABITAT unveils State of the World’s Cities report
28/10/2009 - CEMR launches new European twinning website on 13 November 2008
28/10/2009 - Austrian village plays green gambit
28/10/2009 - Sustainable Energy Europe Campaign extended to 2011
28/10/2009 - Italian funded UN-HABITAT housing programme in Serbia a great succcess
28/10/2009 - Signing ceremony held at EU French Presidency event in Lyon
23/10/2008 - Climate change: What role for local government? (conference - Poznan)
23/10/2008 - ICLEI Executive Committee 2009-2012, Call for Candidacies
23/10/2008 - The Secretary General of the OECD, Angel Gurria, supports the participation of local governments in the post-Kyoto negotiations
22/10/2008 - New website shows that Walking Works for you
22/10/2008 - CEMR/EPSU new publication: "Reform of public services: what role for social dialogue?"
21/10/2008 - Nili Portugali lecture
20/10/2008 - Pre-procurement boosts sustainable innovations
20/10/2008 - Strengthening of the EU-Africa co-operation
20/10/2008 - Skywater Network launched in Sumida City, Japan
16/10/2008 - Cities capture spotlight at European Road Safety Day 2008
16/10/2008 - PLUS Network delegates gather in Durban, S.A.
16/10/2008 - Communication on local authorities in international development: EU Commission proposals “too institutional in practice”
15/10/2008 - Burkinabe project wins Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa Habitat Award
15/10/2008 - 2008 World Mayor Prize awarded to Helen Zille, mayor of Cape Town
13/10/2008 - Global Partnership on Cities and Biodiversity launched at IUCN World Conservation Congress
9/10/2008 - China leads the way in harmonious cities as it scoops up 2008 World Habitat Day awards
9/10/2008 - Lessons, good and bad shared on World Habitat Day
9/10/2008 - Global Risk Forum's Platform for Networks
8/10/2008 - Green Paper on territorial cohesion: "Still no definition of territorial cohesion!"
7/10/2008 - The "EGTC" project is approved by the URBACT Programme (2007/2013)
6/10/2008 - What local and regional structures for tomorrow: Findings of CEMR seminar
6/10/2008 - New European project: creation of a European Master Urban Safety
3/10/2008 - Local Governments and United Nations stand up for the Millennium Development Goals
2/10/2008 - EISCO 2008 conference: Call for a master initiative to bring electronic services closer to the citizens
2/10/2008 - 5th Urban Research Symposium
1/10/2008 - A new youth initiative of the Secretary-General in Kenya backed by Norway and Finland
1/10/2008 - Discussion Forum: Safer Cities - What Steps can the Government Take to Prevent Urban Crime?
1/10/2008 - Hate Crime and the City - Paul Iganski (The Policy Press)
1/10/2008 - Urban Climate Solutions event in Toronto postponed
UN-HABITAT unveils State of the World’s Cities report
Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka, Executive Director of UN-HABITAT said that the crisis should be viewed as a “housing finance crisis” in which the poorest of poor were left to fend for themselves.
"Clearly you cannot have a harmonious society if people are not secure in their homes," she told reporters at news conference to launch of the State of the World's Cities 2008/2009 , a flagship report published every two years by the UN agency.
"The financial crisis we are facing today cannot be seen as an event -- it is a process that has been building up over time and this process now has bust." She said governments had to provide cheaper homes for those on lower incomes because the supply of affordable housing could not be left entirely to the market.
The UN-HABITAT said income distribution (measured through Gini coefficient levels) varies considerably among less-developed regions with the divide most noticeable in African and Latin American cities. In both regions, the gulf is often extreme compared to Europe and Asia, where urban inequality levels are relatively low.
http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp?cid=5979&catid=5&typeid=6&subMenuId=0
CEMR launches new European twinning website on 13 November 2008
The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) will launch its new multilingual website totally devoted to town twinning, on 13 November 2008 in Brussels.
The new website will help Europe's local governments find.twinning partners and will feature over 20 languages including Ukrainian, Icelandic, Latvian, Greek, Romanian, French, English, German, Spanish, Portuguese... It will boast an elaborate online form enabling municipalities to post “seeking a partner” requests that will be instantly available in all of the languages. http://www.ccre.org/news_detail_en.htm?ID=1454
Austrian village plays green gambit
Güssing, a town with a population of 4000 inhabitants, in the Burgenland, Austria, has made a declaration of energetic independence.
The town uses wood from the surrounding forests, converting it into gas, heat and electricity. Its electricity production will from now on exceed its domestic consumption and the town is now exporting throughout the region. A European centre for renewable energy was opened in 1996 to promote the "Güssing" model. This project, supported by the European Union, has signaled the creation of more than 1000 jobs in an area which was undergoing a number of financial difficulties.
Over 50 companies and 1.000 jobs have been created in in the renewable energy sector alone. Since 1995, the town has reduced its carbon dioxide emissions by 93%.
The mayor of Güssing, Peter Vadasz, said EU funding (€461.000) was an essential lever for triggering the additional national and regional funding needed to make this project happen.
Sustainable Energy Europe Campaign extended to 2011
The first Campaign period of the “Sustainable Energy Europe Campaign” (SEEC
2005-2008) has come to an end on 30 September 2008. The Cities for climate Protection (CCP) Campaign has actively supported the SEEC as a partner, and ICLEI Europe as an Associate Member.
Due to its great success, the SEEC will be extended until 2011, with even more ambitious targets and various networking opportunities. For more information on SEEC visit www.sustenergy.org and for information on the European CCP Campaign take a look at www.iclei-europe.org/ccp.
Italian funded UN-HABITAT housing programme in Serbia a great succcess Email this story
The first phase of a EUR 15 million programme to provide housing for refugees in Serbia was recently concluded at a colourful ceremony held in Belgrade. Known as the Settlement and Integration of Refugees Programme (SIRP) the initiative that ran from 2004-2008 and financed by the governmemt of Italy and implemented by UN-HABITAT has provided some 670 new homes for 3,000 refugees and vulnerable people.
It has also built institutional capacities for social housing development, assisted the social and economic integration of refugees and displaced people, and helped boost the development capacity of local governments in their development planning and municipal information systems. The programme provided tools and methodologies in the frame of the process of EU integration of Serbia.
The next phase which is about to start – The Settlement and Intergrated Local development Programme – will take stock of lessons learnt to further support institutional and capacity development for local development, including housing, in Serbia, but also to nurture similar process in Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina within their respective national contexts.
Signing ceremony held at EU French Presidency event in Lyon
In Lyon at the EUROCITIES conference on climate change, leading politicians of nearly 50 major European cities pledged their commitment to fight climate change in a common declaration. The official signing ceremony of the ‘EUROCITIES Declaration on Climate Change’ took place at the network’s conference held in collaboration with the French Presidency of the EU.
Home to around 70% of the EU’s population, cities in Europe unequivocally have a central role to play in providing solutions to what is one of the 21st century’s biggest global problems, in particular as crowded urban areas are especially susceptible to the impacts of climate change.
The Declaration testifies to the commitment of cities to ensuring that action is undertaken at the local level and that the climate change challenge is brought into the hearts and minds of the citizens they represent. Cities are best placed to speak with their citizens on global matters such as climate change, and to show how changes made at the local level in all areas of public life, from waste management, to public transport, to cultural events, among others, can contribute to facing this global challenge.
Climate change: What role for local government? (conference - Poznan)
Get the involvement of local governement and define their role in meeting the goals set up by the international community on climate policy agreement beyond 2012: this is the main focus of the Local Government Climate Sessions.to be held in Poznan, from 9 to 11 December 2008, in the framework of the meeting of national governements in preparation for the after-Kyoto.
Local government are critical when it comes to practical climate actions. By 2030, two thirds of humanity will live in urban centers, where today more than 50 % of the world's population lives and more than 75 % of all energy is consumed. The Local Government Climate Sessions will aim to ensure that local government are fully involved in the climate policy agreement beyond 2012. This agreement is expected to be adopted in Copenhagen, during the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP-15), in December 2009. The event will also be an opportunity to define a common position of local government on this agreement.
The event is organised by United Cities and Local Government (UCLG) and ICLEI (Association of local government for sustainable development), and with the support of the Association of Polish Cities.
http://www.iclei.org/index.php?id=1504&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=3271&tx_ttnews[backPid]=983&cHash=e0ac3cc1ff
ICLEI Executive Committee 2009-2012, Call for Candidacies
We are pleased to announce the Call for Candidacy for the 2009-2012 ICLEI Executive Committee.
In the first months of the year 2009, ICLEI’s Members will elect their seventh Executive Committee, which will serve a three-year term from 2009-2012. ICLEI is managed by an Executive Committee, which represents ICLEI's Member municipalities and associations of local governments from around the world. ICLEI’s Executive Committee is a working body rather than a representative body.
To be listed as a candidate for election to the ICLEI Executive Committee 2009-2012, please complete the forms contained in Sections II-IV of the Candidacy Paper.
Please submit completed Candidacy Papers to ICLEI Secretary General by either telefax, mail, e-mail or courier by the deadline of day-end of 20 December 2008.
http://www.iclei.org/index.php?id=1487&no_cache=1&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=3281&tx_ttnews[backPid]=983&cHash=57ccc21cce
The Secretary General of the OECD, Angel Gurria, supports the participation of local governments in the post-Kyoto negotiations
On 9 and 10 October in Milan, the OECD organized, in collaboration with the Club of Madrid, an international conference on the ‘Competitive Cities and Climate Change’. The conference gathered together the representatives of seventeen metropolises, sixteen countries and eleven international organizations. On this occasion, the Secretary General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Angel Gurria, announced that he would make the case for the involvement of cities in the Conference of the at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in which a post-Kyoto agreement will be debated.
United Cities and Local Governments was represented on this occasion by its European Vice-President, Mayor of Stuttgart, Wolfgang Schuster, and its Secretary General, Elisabeth Gateau. “Cooperation between the OECD and local governments must be increased. UCLG is the best partner if we want to reach agreements which will allow us to work together to fight climate change,” declared the Mayor of Stuttgart.
During the conference it was laid out in detail the ways that cities are as important as states when it comes to planning strategies to fight climate change.
http://www.cities-localgovernments.org/uclg/index.asp?pag=newsD.asp&L=EN&ID=263
New website shows that Walking Works for you
Commuters regularly face more stress than fighter pilots, and with people now jumping in the car for over a fifth of journeys shorter than a mile, our brand new campaign aims to help office workers build walking (and some relaxation!) into their daily commute.
You can use the fantastic new Walking Works website to make a pledge to increase your walking levels by as much as you like - in return we'll give you help and tips along the way. It's ideal whether you want to get walking yourself, or want to help your employees feel the benefits of regular activity. http://www.walkingworks.org.uk/
CEMR/EPSU new publication: "Reform of public services: what role for social dialogue?"
How are municipalities reforming their public services to respond to the challenges facing them? And to what extent dialogue between employers and employees can play a role in that process? These are the main questions.addressed in the new study "Reform of public services: what role for social dialogue?" produced by the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) and the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR).
The first section of the publication sets out the main drivers for change in services delivery in the local and regional government sector. These drivers include financial pressures resulting from low economic growth since the 1970s; EU policies on internal market, procurement and state aids; increasing pressure on municipalities to deliver more and better services; as well as demographic changes and ageing populations.
The report also features a set of 10 case studies to illustrate how municipalities and regions have modified their public services to adapt themselves to new trends and developments in services delivery. They represent a reasonable range of services and different approaches to the reform process. They all show that social dialogue can play an important role in the modernisation of public services.
The study has been carried out by the Working Lives Research Institute on behalf of EPSU and CEMR, the main representatives of local and regional government and public service unions.
The publication is available in English, French and German. http://www.ccre.org/publications_en.htm
Nili Portugali lecture
The Boston Society of Architects are hosting a lecture from Israeli architect Nili Portugali on October 29th.
Nili seeks to move “beyond sustainable/green/ecological” architecture by focusing on her interpretation of “the holistic-phenomenological worldview” explored in her book, The Act of Creation and the Spirit of Place (published in London in 2006 and nominee for the RIBA International Book Award last year).
Educated at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London, Portugali practices in Israel, writes extensively on planning and design, and teaches at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. She also lectures widely in western Europe and the Far East and will be lecturing in the United States this month and next.
At this informal presentation at The Architects Building on October 29, Portugali expands on her design theory and its application to contemporary architecture.
Reservations are required for this event. Space is limited to 45 on a fist-come, first-served basis, and the reservation deadline is October 24. Please fill out and return this registration form
Pre-procurement boosts sustainable innovations
The kick-off meeting of the SMART-SPP project on pre-procurement and innovations, co-ordinated by ICLEI and supported by the Intelligent Energy Europe programme was held 7-8 October 2008 in Brussels.
What is pre-procurement?
The term pre-procurement stands for the time frame before the main tendering of a public authority. It includes the preparation of the tender and normally a market survey on the availability of certain required products as well as the actual preparation of the tender documents. SMART-SPP will use this time frame to include smarter engagement with the market in order to stimulate the early market creation of innovative highly energy-efficient technologies.
Three year process to unfold the power of pre-procurement
Partners from five European countries started together on a 3-years process, using the pre-procurement phase to bring highly energy efficient new technologies such as OLED-lighting, electric vehicles, renewable energy heating and cooling, and 'Information and Communication Technologies' (ICT) equipment onto the market.
Looking for more public authorities in Europe
SMART-SPP is looking for European public authorities that are interested in joing the buyers group. For more information please contact the project co-ordinator Philipp Tepper (philipp.tepper@iclei.org).
Strengthening of the EU-Africa co-operation: 4th meeting between European Commission and African Union Commission
Almost one year on since the launch of a new strategic partnership between the EU and Africa at the Lisbon Summit, 1st October’s joint College to College meeting aims to increase partnership between the two institutions. Discussions will focus on the priority actions to be taken in areas such as migration, energy and the Millennium Development Goals as well as current concerns surrounding global economic stability and the increase in food prices.
European Commission President José Manuel Barroso said: "This meeting is a concrete example of co-operation between Europe and Africa. We must act together to tackle our major concerns: food prices, the impact of climate change, trade and regional integration, peace and security or the current global economic downturn. Africa is on the move, with less conflicts and better governance across the continent. But progress to achieve the Millennium Development Goals is essential and still not yet satisfactory. In these times of uncertainty and talks about financial rescue, I call on our Member States not to forget human rescue. I hope that the Member States and the European Parliament will soon approve our proposal of a €1 Billion Food Facility to support agriculture production in countries affected by the food crisis."
This continent-to-continent approach is a unique opportunity allowing both Europe and Africa to work in close partnership on a broad agenda which goes beyond traditional development cooperation and involves common political concerns and common interests.http://www.eudevdays.eu/Public/Page.php?ID=1697&language=eng
Skywater Network launched in Sumida City, Japan
The Skywater Network was officially launched on 6 August 2008 at the 2008 Skywater Network Forum held in Sumida City (Tokyo, Japan) and over 250 participants gathered.
Members of the network
The Skywater Network provides a platform for administrations, cities, businesses and academia to share information and experiences about rainwater in order to form a mechanism of storage, infiltration and reuse of rainwater in Japan.
Rainwater collection for the past century
During the past quarter-century, Sumida City has been involved in reuse of rainwater. There are more than 140 rainwater storages in the city that can store 12,527 cubic meters rainwater, covering 106,774 square meters of area. Stocked rainwater is used for watering plants and flushing toilets. Storage of rainwater and infiltration of rainwater play an important role in adaptation to climate change. It can prevent flooding and address water shortages as well as promoting regeneration of urban water cycle.
Recognized leadership with ICLEI Local Initiative Award
Sumida Ward is Member of ICLEI and received an excellence award for rainwater utilization project from ICLEI for "Local Initiatives" in 2000.
Cities capture spotlight at European Road Safety Day 2008
Two thirds of accidents and one third of all road fatalities occur in urban areas every year across Europe. It is against this reality, that the European Commission used its second European Road Safety Day, held 13 October in Paris, to address the subject, ‘Road Safety in our Cities’. At the EUROCITIES stand held during the event, our Policy Officer for Mobility was on hand to provide information on the network's activities in the field; Klaus Bondam, Vice-Mayor of Copenhagen, and Chair of EUROCITIES Mobility Forum represented EUROCITIES at the event’s debate.
Held within the framework of the EU French Presidency, the event formed part of the European action plan that aims to halve the number of road deaths in 2010 compared with 2001. The main event brought together 600 people from the public and private sectors, and saw European Commissioners Tajani and Barrot share the stage to call for concerted action on road safety. Antonio Tajani, European Commissioner for Transport, stated that road safety is a priority for his work programme as 40,000 people, the equivalent of a small city, die every year from road accidents in the EU. The Commissioner noted the vital role for the EU in raising awareness of all road users, particularly the young and old, which are especially vulnerable groups. Jacques Barrot, former Commissioner for Transport, warmly welcomed Mr Tajani’s approach, calling for improvement among new member states. He highlighted the problem of drivers in foreign countries breaking speed limits: an issue addressed by the directive on cross-border enforcement.
http://www.eurocities.org/main.php
PLUS Network delegates gather in Durban, S.A.
For five wonderful days in September, about 60 municipal delegates from PLUS Network cities on four continents, and many more official participants and guests, shared their learning about urban sustainability in the beautiful city of Durban.
Delegates heard presentations from many cities on their experiences with planning initiatives at each of the six stages of the PLUS Network Planning Cycle – Scoping/Awareness, Visioning/End-State Goals, Exploring Possibilities, Developing Strategies, Implementation, and Monitoring/Feedback.
Under the inspiring guidance of facilitator Bliss Brown, founder of Imagine Chicago, the catalyst for all subsequent ‘imagine’ processes in cities, small workshops and plenary sessions provided many opportunities for comparing notes and exploring promising future directions.Venues for the meetings were dispersed throughout the city in locations filled with historic and urban development significance. En route, delegates visited Gandhi’s original ashram settlement and the new Moses Mabhida stadium being constructed in readiness for the 2010 World Cup in soccer. Delegates were greeted at all venues with South African dancers and treated to local cuisine and generous hospitality.
The host city’s Imagine Durban team under the co-ordination of Sogen Modley brought in a team of artists, including film-makers, musicians and cartoonists, who were part of every component of the conference, infusing all the events with a powerful and inspiring of creativity. For many delegates, the most moving part of the conference was the role of youth, both in the conference itself and in the community visioning process underway in Durban, often expressed in art.
Communication on local authorities in international development: EU Commission proposals “too institutional in practice”
We welcome the European Commission's recognition of the growing role that local authorities play in international development and working to implement the Millennium Development Goals – but we regret the over-institutional approach proposed for future engagement with our sector.
That is the response of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) to the new Communication from the European Commission "Local Authorities: Actors for Development".
CEMR's Secretary-General Jeremy Smith said: "We really value the Commission's recognition of the important work a huge number of European local and regional authorities do in partnership with their counterparts in developing countries. We agree that well-planned twinnings and partnerships for development can really make a practical difference on the ground."
It was Kofi Annan, UN's former Secretary General, who said in 2007 while our Millennium Development Goals are global, they can most effectively be achieved through action at local level. Water, sanitation, environment, gender equality.... CEMR members are active in all these fields. And it is not a one way thing – local government staff and elected members from Europe learn a huge amount from our partners in the south in the course of these projects.
http://www.ccre.org/communiques_de_presse_detail_en.htm?ID=244
Burkinabe project wins Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa Habitat Award
The Green Brigade, a project that has seen some 1700 women being mobilized to clean up the streets of Ouagadogou in Burkina Faso, is the winner of this year’s Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa Habitat Award. A joint initiative of the Kingdom of Bahrain and UN-HABITAT, the award carries a cash prize of US$ 100,000.
The Green Brigade came out tops from a list of 16 entries and the jury had a hard time selecting the winner because of the outstanding entrants.
“The Green Brigade was finally selected by consensus as it met all the criteria of the Award and demonstrated excellence in its capacity for urban sustainability. This is a simple yet innovative and resourceful project, which at the same time is relatively cost-effective sustainable, and potentially easily replicable in many other places,” said Shaikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa, Chairperson of the jury.
2008 World Mayor Prize awarded to Helen Zille, mayor of Cape Town
The mayor of Cape Town (South Africa) Helen Zille, has been awarded the 2008 World Mayor Prize by Citymayors, the international urban affairs think tank.
Hellen Zille was chosen through a selection process out of 820 mayors in the world. Some 200 000 people took part in the 2008 World Mayor project. Participants in the competition were invited to nominate and vote for city leaders who excel in qualities like: leadership and vision, management abilities, social and economic awareness, ability to provide security and to protect the environment as well as the will and ability to foster good relations between communities from different cultural, racial and social backgrounds.
Global Partnership on Cities and Biodiversity launched at IUCN World Conservation Congress
The Global Partnership was launched on 7th October at IUCN World Conservation Congress.
Local governments working with global organizations on biodiversity
It currently brings together UN agencies, international organizations, including ICLEI and IUCN, and local governments to improve the management and conservation of biodiversity through technical cooperation, capacity building projects and communication campaigns. Other local governments associations are invited to join
“It is now critical to maintain the momentum and engage other associations of local governments such as UCLG and Metropolis for the UN International Year of Biodiversity in 2010” said Sebastian Winkler, Head of Countdown 2010 Secretariat. The existing partners are inviting other associations of cities and interested stakeholders to join this “work in progress” and to collaborate on a commune strategy.
China leads the way in harmonious cities as it scoops up 2008 World Habitat Day awards
At a time the global financial crisis has everybody worrying about their housing financing and mortgages in the United States and other developed countries, Chinese cities may have some of the best solutions to be found anywhere in the world.
It is not by coincidence that this year for the first time, the highest award conferred by the United Nations system in this field – the Habitat Scroll of Honour Special Citation – goes not to an outstanding individual, but to a Chinese city, Nanjing. At the next level, the cities of Shaoxing and Zhangjiagang were given the Habitat Scroll of Honour Award, along with the Rwandan capital, Kigali, the Tatarstan city of Bugulma, in the Russian Federation, and Ciudad Juarez a major Mexican city on the United States border.
“The Awards this year show us that we can learn from the great strides made by all of these Chinese cities, especially at this time of global financial crisis,” said Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka, Executive Director of UN-HABITAT and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations. “Indeed, all of our winners this year have some answers when it comes to the financial crisis. All show that Government has to take the lead and show commitement when it comes to affordable housing.”
She also commended Angola for its national reconstruction programme and the delivery of new roads, bridges, railways and other infrastructure either damaged or destroyed during the war. In holding the global celebration of World Habitat Day in Luanda, Mrs. Tibaijuka cited the importance that the Government of Angola attaches, among other priorities, to the delivery of social housing and basic services, like water and energy for Angolan families.
The World Habitat Day prizes are conferred upon cities, governmental and non- governmental organizations, local authorities, public, private and research bodies, or individuals for outstanding achievements in the cause of sustainable human settlements. The awards, granted in person each year by Mrs. Tibaijuka, constitute global recognition of a city’s achievements.
Lessons, good and bad shared on World Habitat Day
Angolan President José Eduardo dos Santos and senior officials of his government on Monday for the global celebration of World Habitat Day 2008.
Mrs. Tibaijuka called on the Angolan authorities to allocate 10 percent of their oil income to upgrade their towns, cities and villages for the benefit all, especially the poorest of the poor and with respect for the human rights of all. She said she was pleased that the Angolan authorities were using the occason of World Habitat Day to announce a series of important social housing initiatives.
“We commend you Mr. President and Honourable Ministers, for the importance that the Government of Angola attaches, among other urgent priorities, to the delivery of social housing and basic services, like water and energy for Angolan families,” she said in her keynote address( http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp?cid=5949&catid=564&typeid=8&subMenuId=0 )
In her address, Mrs. Tibaijuka pledged UN-HABITAT’s support for the new Angola Slum Upgrading Programme and the new National Social Housing Programme.
“We are here to help you as you requested, especially with some of the technical and institutional aspects of this process. And in taking up your request, UN-HABITAT is confident that the Government of Angola will ensure with us that this excellent rehabilitation programme will forge ahead on the basis of equity, fairness and in full respect for human rights – especially for the poorest of the poor and people living in urban slums,” she said. “I believe it will also take into account the special challenges and needs of women, and the children they support.”
http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp?cid=5950&catid=5&typeid=6&subMenuId=0
Global Risk Forum's Platform for Networks
In line with today’s International Day for Disaster Reduction 2008 the Global Risk Forum GRF Davos would like to present the “Platform for Networks”, a new networking tool for the disaster and risk community.
Meet colleagues on a virtual platform, exchange ideas and information and share experiences in disaster and risk management across disciplines, institutions, organizations and companies and stay up-to-date with recent developments in the field.
You are from an international organization, the public or private sector, an NGO, a governmental organization or just interested in the disaster and risk topic as an individual? The GRF Davos “Platform for Networks” is open for all. Register under >>> www.grforum.org
Green Paper on territorial cohesion: "Still no definition of territorial cohesion!"
The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) regrets that the European Commission's Green Paper on territorial cohesion adopted on 6 October 2008 does not include a definition of the concept of territorial cohesion.
A clear and unique definition of territorial cohesion in the Green Paper would have avoided letting Member States lead their own national cohesion policy as opposed to a true pan-European cohesion policy, says CEMR policy officer on cohesion Policy, Boris Tonhauser. http://www.ccre.org/communiques_de_presse_en.htm
The "EGTC" project is approved by the URBACT Programme (2007/2013)
The URBACT Monitoring Committee meeting, that took place in Ljubljana on September 26th 2008, approved six European Working Groups to continue into the implementation phase of the URBACT II programme 2007/2013. MOT is lead partner of the “EGTC” project “Expertising Governance for Transfrontier Conurbations”, one of these working groups.
The launch conference of the “EGTC” URBACT project is organising in Strasbourg, European Parliament, 19th of November 2008.
http://urbact.eu/thematic-poles/sustainable-urban-development/workinggroups/egtc/presentation.html
What local and regional structures for tomorrow: Findings of CEMR seminar
One of the conclusions of the seminar organised by CEMR on the reforms of local and regional structures (Copenhagen, 1 October 2008) is that general trends are visible: in every European country, local governments are under increasing pressure for efficiency, with as a corollary increasing control measures from central governments. Most countries feel that the quest for ever greater efficiency has been at the expense of local democracy. This trend is also perceptible when it comes to the relations between our towns and the EU: http://www.ccre.org/communiques_de_presse_detail_en.htm?ID=241
New European project: creation of a European Master Urban Safety
The official acknowledgement of the safety coordinator job is on its way ! The European Commission has just selected a project on the creation of a European master in urban Safety under its Lifelong Learning Programme – Erasmus.
The project proposal saw the light thanks to the valuable contribution of the Toulouse Institute of Political Sciences (France), who is also the applicant organization, the European Forum for Urban Safety, coordinator of the project, and The Open University of Catalonia (Spain), the University of Maribor (Slovenia), the Faculty of Criminology from Liege (Belgium) and the Technical University from Berlin (Germany), each responsible of specific work packages.
The project is due to start in November 2008 and will last 24 months.
Local Governments and United Nations stand up for the Millennium Development Goals
At the Special Meeting held by Local and Regional Authorities on 24 September at UN Headquarters in New York, local authorities made clear their crucial role in the delivery of the Millennium Development Goals in the presence of the Deputy UN Secretary-General, Asha Rose Migiro, the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Franco Frattini and the UK Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, Mark Malloch Brown.
"Local governments are critical because of their proximity to the very people who are the beneficiaries of the MDGs," stated Asha Rose Migiro. "Indeed, local authorities have a major role to play (...) in the running of primary health and educational facilities, and the provision of basic services such as water and sanitation" she added, calling for the necessary financial and technical support to be made available. Under Secretary General Migiro further confirmed the support of the United Nations family to local governments and acknowledged the world organization UCLG as a partner.
The UCLG Secretary General, Elisabeth Gateau, expressed the commitment of the world organization to continuing to build an ever stronger partnership which includes the participation of local authorities in the formal policy debates.
Mark Malloch Brown emphasized the importance of cities as agents of development: "For the people that live in cities they are crucial providers of infrastructure," he insisted, "for their countries, cities are engines of national growth."
Robert Winter, Lord Mayor of Glasgow, underlined the efficiency of local governments who collaborated with each other in city to city programs to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
EISCO 2008 conference: Call for a master initiative to bring electronic services closer to the citizens
Local, regional, national and European elected representatives need to act together to turn information and communication technologies into a tool focusing on the need of the citizens and facilitating the organisation.of services. This was the main message from the EISCO conference, the annual meeting point for local and regional decision-makers and experts on information and communication technologies.
The use of the Internet has become a very common habit of most people, but the full potential of this tool has not yet been exploited by municipalities, cities and regions. E-government is too much associated with the rather limited use of ICT in the pure administrative sense. However, a broad range of locally provided services can have additional value by using modern telecommunication technology: health and care services, public transport, tourism, to mention only a few. http://www.ccre.org/news_detail_en.htm?ID=1429
5th Urban Research Symposium
The Urban Research Symposium is a unique global forum to discuss specific policy issues related to urban growth and development. Academicians, practitioners, and decision makers from all countries and cities are urged to attend.
The Urban Research Symposium is a three-day event, launched in 2002, and is sponsored by the World Bank and a broad spectrum of partners, including ICLEI.
Call for paper
A call for papers is downloadable from www.urs2009.net It has a deadline of September 30th, to submit a one page summary, in English or French.
Discussions on the role of cities in confronting climate change
At a time when climate change is a major priority for the international community, this Symposium focuses on the challenges and opportunities posed by climate change on cities. The role of cities and peri-urban areas in confronting climate change is being increasingly recognized.
A new youth initiative of the Secretary-General in Kenya backed by Norway and Finland
A UN-HABITAT training school sponsored by the United Nations Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki-moon with generous financial support of Norway and Finland is now teaching young people from the most deprived neighbourhoods of the Kenyan capital how to build better homes.
Known as the Moonbeam Youth Training Centre, it was born after Mr. Ban paid his first official visit to the giant slum of Kibera in January 2007. The Secretary-General said he was appalled at life in Kibera and promised that something had to be done. But he urged young people to be patient.
Last September, the Pony Chung Scholarship Foundation of South Korea awarded Mr. Ban USD 100,000 which the Secretary General in turn donated towards uplifting the living conditions of youth in the informal settlements of Nairobi. This is seed capital for the training centre. UN-HABITAT has since received an additional USD 1 million from the Government of Norway and USD 135,000 from Finland in support of the youth training activities and empowerment at the Centre which will cater for Kenya and the entire Eastern African region.
Launching the programme, the Executive Director of UN-HABITAT Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka pointed out to about 300 youths from the slums of Nairobi in attendance that housing is a sector for the future and the young, because it takes time and needs a long-term engagement. She urged young people to take advantage of the opportunity offered by the Secretary General and the sponsoring donors to learn income-earning construction skills that will transform their lives.
Discussion Forum: Safer Cities - What Steps can the Government Take to Prevent Urban Crime?
Overcrowded cities and greater pressure on urban resources together with lack of jobs, living space and adequate housing can often create flash-points of crime and violence which are not necessarily restricted to slums. Social inclusion of those who feel marginalized is one way of reducing crime in cities.
What steps is your government taking to prevent and reduce urban crime? Please share your views with the community.
http://urban.developmentgateway.org/typo3conf/ext/tcdirectmail/click.php?l=4&t=html&c=6fa55d9e&s=4653043
Hate Crime and the City - Paul Iganski (The Policy Press)
The impression often conveyed by the media about hate crime offenders is that they are hate-fuelled individuals who, in acting out their extremely bigoted views, target their victims in premeditated violent attacks. Scholarly research on the perpetrators of hate crime has begun to provide a more nuanced picture. But the preoccupation of researchers with convicted offenders neglects the vast majority of hate crime offenders that do not come into contact with the criminal justice system.
This book, from a leading author in the field, widens understanding of hate crime by demonstrating that many offenders are ordinary people who offend in the context of their everyday lives. Written in a lively and accessible style, the book takes a victim-centred approach to explore and analyse hate crime as a social problem, providing an empirically informed and scholarly perspective. Aimed at academics and students of criminology, sociology and socio-legal studies, the book draws out the connections between the individual agency of offenders and the background structural context for their actions. It adds a new dimension to the debate about criminalising hate in light of concerns about the rise of punitive and expressive justice, scrutinizing the balance struck by hate crime laws between the rights of offenders and the rights of victims. Paul Iganski is a Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Lancaster and specialises in research and writing on hate crime.
Urban Climate Solutions event in Toronto.
We regret to inform you that due to scheduling conflicts of key speakers, the event has been postponed until Spring 2009 (specific dates will be announced in the coming weeks). We will continue to send information to you regarding this important event as it becomes available, and hope that you will attend Urban Climate Solutions in the new year.
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