A new step on our UBC Sustainability stairway!
Dear reader,
our new UBC Sustainable Cities Commission is formed out of the former Commissions on Environment, Energy and Transport, and we have approximately 65 contact persons in the UBC member cities. The UBC Commission has re-organized itself and appointed co-chairs and an advisory board with members from almost every UBC country. This means that we have many new colleagues to work with in our member cities. You are all welcomed into the work and cooperation!
The concrete work has started already and currently the Sustainable Cities Commission is involved in more than 15 project concepts that engange 24 UBC cities, some of the cities taking part in several project concepts. With the new start for the Sustainable Cities Commission we have been elaborating new types of project ideas and applications focusing on integrated waste water and energy production, storm water and city planning, sustainable urban mobility, development of brownfields into smart city districts and energy efficiency in public buildings just to mention some of the topics.
As we have new city contacts and new project concepts to work on with we also have some new recruitments in our secretariat: Ms Laura Sarlin will assist us with graphical design, Mr Ralph de Jong, an urban planner is joining our urban mobility projects and Mr Janne Rinne will support our smart city districts and smart electromobility projects.
In case our other project applications will be successful we will continue to recruit more experts to our secretariat´s team.
The EU Urban Agenda is taking some more steps forward this and next year with a strong focus on “Smart, Sustainable and Inclusive City development”. It is most important for our UBC member cities to follow and be involved in the development steps of the EU Urban Agenda. This is a call for stronger Urban development and a good way to proceed is to strengthen the communication on the EU Urban Agenda issues between our cities.
Stay in touch!
Björn Grönholm and the Secretariat