Networks and cities' news

Focus on Circular Economies and Governance

The 4th meeting of the international partners within "Green Place, Let's Do It Together" network, took place in Bucharest, on June 18th and 19th. It was focused on integrated sustainable urban development strategies and emphasizing the pivotal role of circular economies in contemporary urban planning and development. This Core Network Meeting was also aimed at gathering feedback and drawing on the visiting partners’ relevant experience. The meeting was also followed by an insightful study visit on June 20th, focused on exploring the most relevant urban regeneration projects of formal industrial infrastructures in Bucharest.

Overall, these activity packed days have provided a much needed and robust platform for knowledge exchange and debate among the international project partners and local stakeholders. 

From a comprehensive blue and green infrastructure strategy to action plans supporting urban biodiversity specifically

BiodiverCity case study inspired by Limerick (Ireland)

Limerick, the Green Leaf City 

Preparing for the 2020 Green Leaf Award (the city’s commitment to better environmental outcomes was awarded by the competition aimed at cities and towns across Europe, with populations between 20,000 and 100,000 inhabitants) inspired Limerick City and County Council (LCCC) to make a Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy (GBI, 2023). It includes a range of actions to work with communities to contribute towards opportunities to conserve and enhance biodiversity and inform policy. This comprehensive GBI strategy was analysed in detail by the BiodiverCity partnership in June 2024, and they have found that a comprehensive strategy on green and blue infrastructure is key, simply because it sets the scene for several new policies targeting green infrastructure (e.g. on trees) and biodiversity. Let’s see how Limerick works in this field!  

First intergenerational BiodiverCity festival

The first intergenerational BiodiverCity festival in Poljcane was organised on 6 th June 2024 together with the local elderly association, kindergarten and primary school. The location of the festival was carefully selected; thus, it was carried out under the hayrack near the Dravinja River.

Mapping mobility: GIS for designing smarter mobility plans

Can Urban Sports Hubs Transform Youths Communities and Regenerate Urban Public Spaces?

Contemporary cities face challenges in providing adequate spaces for youth socialization and recreational healthy activities. The Re-Gen Project tackles these issues by leveraging abandoned public spaces for planning and testing innovative models for urban regeneration. Engaging youngsters, schools, cultural and sport associations in co-creating new Urban Sport Hubs redefines urban participative process, fosters sense of a shared responsibility for common goods and promotes multifunctional spaces. These hubs, centered on street sports, symbolize a progressive shift in policy towards inclusive community development and vibrant urban spaces reconnecting also aesthetics with ethics.

The vision of the city of Kuopio – to become a capital of good life where one health approach is adapted in all policies and among all citizens

Kuopio is the 8th largest city in Finland, and in Eastern Finland, it is a central city with the population of 124 000. According to the international survey, Finland has been rated as the happiest country of the world. According to the national Finnish survey, the citizens of Kuopio rate themselves as happy more often than in other cities. More needs to be explored for the determinants of happiness in Kuopio, but there is no doubt the closeness of nature - lakes, forests and parks - and an easy access to nature is one of the answers to our happiness rates, as several surveys have indicated.  Of Kuopio’s area (4 326 km2) half is covered by forest and one forth consists of lakes. The Puijo forest, a large Natura 2000 protected recreational area is located right next to the city centre and the city is surrounded by the lake Kallavesi. It is no wonder several nature based wellbeing promotion services has been developed and implemented in Kuopio with good results. Kuopio is proud to be a forerunner in implementing nature-based solutions. Nevertheless, there is more to be done to enhance human, nature and animal health in Kuopio.