La Comisión Europea ha invitado a todos los programas europeos de cooperación territorial a participar en la consulta INTERREG 2024 sobre la futura Política de Cohesión (después de 2027). URBACT iniciará este proceso de consulta con una encuesta de la UE. Esta se esta llevando a cabo entre el pasado 26 de marzo y el próximo 31 de julio de 2024 y está disponible aquí.

Aunque la encuesta URBACT está dirigida a ciudades de cualquier tamaño y a sus necesidades, también está abierta al público en general. Todo el mundo es bienvenido a rellenar el cuestionario. Paralelamente a la encuesta, se celebrarán una serie de actos de consulta y rondas de debate para dirigirse a los ciudadanos, especialmente a los jóvenes.

"Es importante que juntos demos forma al futuro URBACT", declaró Teofil Gherca, director del Programa URBACT. "Nuestra misión es apoyar el intercambio de conocimientos y buenas prácticas entre ciudades de toda Europa. La encuesta nos ayudará a mostrar los beneficios de esta cooperación y a mejorar nuestra oferta a las ciudades. Ellas saben mejor que nadie lo que necesitan para mejorar la calidad de vida y el bienestar de los ciudadanos".

En última instancia, los resultados de la encuesta se presentarán al público y se remitirán a la Comisión Europea para alimentar el debate sobre la futura Política de Cohesión y su apoyo a la cooperación entre ciudades.

No preguntes qué puede hacer usted por URBACT, sino qué puede hacer URBACT por ti

Desde 2002, URBACT ha impulsado el cambio en toda Europa haciendo posible la cooperación y el intercambio de conocimientos entre ciudades dentro de redes temáticas. Más de 1.000 ciudades han participado hasta ahora en URBACT, en más de 150 redes de ciudades, más de 20 Campus Nacionales, Universidades Europeas de Verano y Festivales de Ciudades, compartiendo un entendimiento común y una visión conjunta del desarrollo urbano sostenible e integrado. 

A lo largo de los años, y en todos los ámbitos, estas redes han respondido a las necesidades de las ciudades, desarrollando las capacidades de las partes interesadas locales en el diseño y la aplicación de políticas integradas y participativas y compartiendo buenas prácticas urbanas. Con URBACT III, por ejemplo, la red URGE diseñó nuevas políticas sobre circularidad en el sector de la construcción, uno de los principales consumidores de materias primas. Las ciudades asociadas consiguieron comprender en profundidad la circularidad y desarrollaron una metodología a medida para integrar el tema en los grandes proyectos de construcción. En el marco del actual programa URBACT IV, la red LET'S GO CIRCULAR! está llevando el enfoque de la economía circular al siguiente nivel, en consonancia con el Pacto Verde Europeo y el Plan de Acción de la UE sobre Economía Circular. Las 10 ciudades asociadas, están trabajando en soluciones innovadoras para todas las cuestiones relevantes para los ecosistemas de las ciudades circulares, como plásticos, textiles, residuos electrónicos, alimentos, agua, envases, baterías y vehículos, allanando así el camino para una verdadera transición circular de las ciudades.

De cara al futuro: resultados de la encuesta e implicaciones

Una vez transcurrido el plazo de la encuesta (31 de julio de 2024), URBACT se pondrá manos a la obra para resumir y analizar los resultados. Las primeras conclusiones se presentarán en otoño de 2024. Los resultados se publicarán en un informe, que estará terminado a finales de año, en el que se extraerán conclusiones y se elaborarán recomendaciones para la Política de Cohesión de la UE después de 2027. Posteriormente, el resultado se presentará al Comité de Seguimiento de URBACT y a la Comisión Europea.

Este calendario es importante, ya que la Comisión Europea preparará ya en 2025 sus propuestas para la normativa posterior a 2027. Los resultados de la encuesta también serán una aportación importante para evaluar el rendimiento del programa actual, con vistas al futuro del programa URBACT. 

"URBACT se enorgullece de ofrecer una oferta coherente y cercana a las necesidades de las ciudades, al tiempo que contribuye a las prioridades de la UE. Contar con la aportación del mayor número posible de ciudades y autoridades locales es clave para dar forma a la próxima generación de programas de cooperación territorial dentro de la Política de Cohesión de la UE", declaró Eric Briat, subdirector de la Autoridad de Gestión de URBACT IV.

¿Quieres opinar sobre el próximo programa URBACT y el marco más amplio de cooperación territorial europea? 

Completa aquí la encuesta sobre el futuro de URBACT antes del 31 de julio de 2024. Cuanto más amplio y rico sea el feedback, más podremos aprender y mejorar el apoyo de los programas INTERREG a las ciudades, las partes interesadas y el bienestar de las personas.

As part of our Good Practice campaign, we investigated in a previous article what makes an URBACT Good Practice ‘good’. Two distinguishing features are ‘local impact’ and ‘transferability’, which can take many forms and contexts – as evident in the 97 URBACT Good Practices awarded in 2017. 

This article focuses on one practice in particular and its transferability and local impact: the Playful Paradigm. Find out how one city in Ireland adapted an URBACT Good Practice, developed by an Italian city, and transferred it at a national level. Your city could experience similar benefits if you send us your good practice! 

Defining ‘transfer’ in the URBACT programme  

In the context of the URBACT programme, a ‘good practice’ can be transferred through a specific model of ‘understand-adapt-reuse' supported by transfer networks. In the Playful Paradigm Transfer Network, as Lead Partner, Udine found a way to make the city landscape playful, officially recognised as an URBACT Good Practice. Awarded by URBACT in 2017, Udine’s experience with modes of play provided a template for not only reanimating underused, car-dominated public spaces but also to improve social inclusion and initiate community-led placemaking.

Through the URBACT Playful Paradigm Transfer Network, Cork (IE) developed a host of play actions in line with Udine's Playful Paradigm practice. “We went for something that was very pioneering in terms of trying to create a ‘playful city’…what does this actually mean?”, explains Kieran McCarthy, Lord Mayor of Cork (2023-2024) and an independent member of Cork City Council. ‘It’s really about re-thinking how we use our public spaces: closing off streets and creating playful areas’. 

Cork was inspired by the Udine example to develop a variety of play actions, including:

- The re-pedestrianisation of the Marina walkway, a historic walkway dating back to the 19th century.

- Getting permission to temporarily open streets for play (for example every Sunday for a month).

- Promoting the concept of Play Streets which at its core is the repurposing of the street for free play (setting up tug-of-war stations and big Connect 4 stations).

- Playful Cultural Trail of cultural institutions (including museums, art galleries, community centres, etc.).

According to Lord Mayor McCarthy, “These spaces were playful areas in the past, so it’s great to see families engage and discover these streets, their origins, and even their own neighbours.” As a transfer partner city, Cork also embraced the power of the practice (of play) to address other urban challenges (e.g. public health, environment, place-making, etc.). For instance, play packs and place-making training helped to reduce social isolation of Cork’s elderly population during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Cork’s application of the URBACT Good Practice proved its transferability, not only to other European cities but cascaded at national level. 

Continuing the transfer from European to national scale

Starting in 2021, the Cork URBACT Local Group spearheaded URBACT’s National Practice Transfer Initiative (NPTI) in Ireland – one of five intra-country transfer pilots reinforcing best practice exchange and URBACT’s added value in different European countries. With the support of the Irish National URBACT Point and a national URBACT expert, Cork helped to transfer the Playful Paradigm practice in 5 Irish towns:  Donegal, Portlaoise, Rush, Rathdrum and Sligo. “The different groups and town representatives came to Cork”, remembers Lord Mayor McCarthy. “I had the chance to speak to them about the impact of URBACT, and why they should engage with the URBACT programme.”  

Inspired by the Cork example, the five Irish partners got to work imagining how they could make it work in their own municipalities. The partner towns developed and implemented transfer plans, involving a variety of actions based on Cork’s experience with the Playful Paradigm Project. These plans were different, depending on the local context, but all focused on liberating streets and public places to the public – not just children, but all generations and groups.  

In Donegal Town, for instance, the Diamond town square was turned into play areas, and residents young and old were invited to have fun and connect with each other. Just north of Dublin, in Rush, the URBACT Local Group (ULG) created a Play Street. An area typically occupied by cars, this space became ‘open for play’. The Rush ULG members also created a storytelling trail involving the local library and community centre. Local community organisations in Portlaoise prioritised involving disadvantaged or vulnerable communities; in particular, the town got the Ukrainian refugee community involved. Sligo reanimated its town centre with new pedestrian sidewalks and cycle lanes as well as improvements to benches and street furniture. Play events, where busy retail streets in the centre were temporarily closed for car traffic, were well received by residents and businesses alike. Some of the successful elements that Sligo decided to implement following the Cork visit included installing the first parklet in the town (taking out two parking spaces and creating a seating area where residents and visitors can meet and linger) as well as a space for colouring chalk on the street. They are now partner in a new European network called Cities@Heart, to create a healthy and harmonious heart of the city. 

In a quirky turn of events, different communities decided to use recycled materials to play. Deep in the woods of Rathdrum in County Wicklow, locals took part in ‘snowball fights’. Instead of waiting for snow, old (washed) socks were used to kick off play activities. The town’s new library provided a perfect location to adapt a variety of play actions, including a community play bag loaning system. This system has been expanded to all libraries in County Wicklow. 

Exceeding expectations:  making play a priority in Irish towns 

Throughout the URBACT National Practice Transfer Initiative, Cork was able to delve deeper into its own recognised playful practice based on engagement with Udine and other European partner cities. Cork also took a hands-on role in offering material support and guidance to the partner municipalities (e.g. a manual for incorporating playfulness, Let’s Play Cork brand guidelines, etc.) 

Looking closer at the impact of the national transfer, it is clear that the learning exchange went both ways between the Lead Partner and partner cities.  

Irish partners answer Cork’s call to action 

Feedback has been positive across the local partners, according to Wessel Badenhorst, the URBACT Lead Expert who accompanied the transfer process. Partners in the five transfer towns and cities brought fresh perspectives to the conversation with Cork on the Playful Paradigm, pushing the boundaries of what playful spaces, events and engagements could look like in a specifically local, Irish setting.  

“It is worth noting that all partners in the Ireland transfer initiative reported that the impacts of their play activities and interventions exceeded their expectations,” stated Wessel. The most telling endorsements were that residents are requesting more play activities and that funding for play activities are being secured from national and municipal sources. All partners implemented their transfer plans, hence proving the value of the adapted and re-used actions first observed in Cork (the transfer city). And, although most people instinctively know that play makes everyone feel better, the national initiative helped the partner towns to observe and understand how, over time, the opportunities for free play in public spaces in Irish towns have been reduced for example by allocating too much space for the exclusive use of cars. With practical low-cost play activities, the partner towns demonstrated to their residents that a more liveable alternative is possible.  

Cork finds its playful calling 

According to Martha Halbert, Social Inclusion Specialist in Cork City Council: “Showcasing the work to our colleagues across cities and towns in Ireland represented not only a unique network building exercise for local government colleagues, but it encouraged us to look at the local factors which made the work unique and transferable.” Lord Mayor McCarthy can attest to this: “I’ve seen the joy my team gets from telling the story of Cork and the Playful Paradigm.” 

In addition to the types of connections and exchanges, the national transfer component has also helped to boost staff training: not just keeping staff skill sets up to par but also informing them of developments in the playful paradigm in the EU context.

Stepping back even further, the URBACT Playful Paradigm kick-started Cork’s investment in restoring public spaces as ‘playful places’. They secured Healthy Ireland funding to employ a Play Coordinator for Cork City, who is dedicated to increasing the profile and value of play in communities as well as at strategic policy level. Martha adds, “Play learnings are firmly embedded in the policy and structural landscape in Cork City now”. It also provided a stepping-stone for the city to get involved in other EU-level initiatives such as Horizon projects, and the EU Mission for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities, of which Cork is one of the 112 selected laureates.

Children playing in activities of the Playful Paradigm initiative.

URBACT’s call for Good Practices: Cork’s advice

URBACT has a legacy of recognising specific methods, approaches and tools for making cities green, just and productive. These URBACT Good Practices are part of a legacy of positive change, not just at European but also at national and local levels.

"My call to any local government is to submit your good practice!” encourages Lord Mayor McCarthy. “Some of the world’s largest challenges exist in urban areas, and every municipality across the European Union is working on some important nugget that can help other cities and towns. Don’t leave it to others to write up the good practices!”

We hope that Cork’s experience inspires you to share your good practice. 

Interested in applying to the new URBACT Call for Good Practices (open until 30 July 2024)? 

All you need to know can be found on urbact.eu/get-involved.  

Thanks to Wessel Badenhorst, URBACT expert and the six URBACT local group coordinators for the materials provided: Joy Herron (Donegal Town), Aoife Sheridan (Rush), Martha Halbert (Cork City), Leonora McConville (Sligo), Ann-Marie Maher (Portlaoise) and Deirdre Whitfield (Rathdrum).
 

Kyselyn lisäksi kuulemismenettelyyn kuuluu eri yhteyksissä järjestettäviä keskustelutilaisuuksia. Kuulemisen tulokset kootaan yhteen ja julkaistaan vuoden 2024 lopussa Euroopan komissiolle toimitettavassa raportissa. Raportti sisältää suosituksia vuoden 2027 jälkeistä EU:n koheesiopolitiikan ja kaupunkien välisen yhteistyön kehittämistä varten. Euroopan komissio valmistelee ehdotuksensa vuoden 2027 jälkeisestä koheesiopolitiikasta vuoden 2025 aikana.

Taustaa ja lisätietoja tästä kyselystä ja meneillään olevasta koheesiopolitiikan ja URBACT-ohjelman tulevaisuuta koskevasta kuulemismenettelystä voit lukea tästä.

Impactful urban regeneration: European cities learn how to centre their urban regeneration around measurable social impact
 

The URBACT network U.R. Impact puts social impact at the core of urban regeneration. By prioritising social impact with a focus on community involvement, urban regeneration actions are rethought by placing citizens and their social, economic, and environmental well-being at the centre of the processes. It also allows for an increased sense of belonging and civic participation.

Before we can talk about social impact, how can we ensure that the challenge we are aiming to solve through urban regeneration actually reflects the real needs of citizens and other urban stakeholders? More importantly, how can we make sure we are aiming for the 'right' social impact, unless the dreams and desires of our citizens and other urban stakeholders are fully expressed by our impact goals?

These are the questions the members of the U.R. Impact network bringing together ten European cities—Murcia (Spain), Kamza (Albania), Cinisello Balsamo (Italy), Hannut (Belgium), Targu-Frumos (Romania), Brumov (Czech Republic), Mertola (Portugal), Bovec (Slovenia), Ballymahon in Longford (Ireland), and Bielsko-Biała (Poland)—sparred with during their second transnational meeting that took place in Murcia, Spain, 19–23 March 2024.

Warmly welcomed by the Murcia city mayor and the municipal team, the participants had a chance to see first-hand how the story of division in Murcia, brought on by two major urban obstacles cutting through the city—a seemingly uninviting river and a barely crossable railway—is being gradually but relentlessly transformed into a story of connecting neighbourhoods and bringing people together. While the construction of new bridges and passes makes visual progress, improved social cohesion, mobility, and economic cohesion are simultaneously being reinforced in less visible but palpable ways. In other words, it seems like urban regeneration of physical space is bringing on positive social impacts. But how can we know for sure that this is actually the case? Enter social impact measurement.

Social impact measurement is a process of making often implicit, intangible impacts visible, measurable and therefore better manageable. The approach has already been rushing through the world of impact investing, making waves in the private- and non-profit sectors alike. The cities around the world are realising that (social) impact measurement has been a missing ingredient to trying to evaluate the effects of more holistic urban interventions, urban regeneration being a prime example. 

As the name of the network suggests, U.R. Impact understands the importance and urgency of social impact measurement. That is why both the recent monthly online meeting and the transnational meeting have been to a large degree dedicated to this topic. 

Indeed, Lidia Gryszkiewicz from The Impact Lab has been invited as an ad hoc expert to run a masterclass introducing the theoretical foundations of impact and a practical workshop on impact measurement. 

The masterclass covered topics such as what is impact and what it is not, its main types, dimensions, elements, and the basics of the impact management process and the impact chain.

The workshop in Murcia 30 representatives of 10 European cities making up the network. 

First, participants have reviewed their self-assessments of their current organisational impact capabilities. While doing so, their shared their good practices in terms of making impact a core focus of their respective urban strategic framework, process, culture & leadership, structure & system, resources, innovation, and external environment.

Furthermore, they have learned how to have a critical look at their draft Theory of Change, i.e. initial impact pathway they had developed for their respective urban regeneration project. While doing so, they have tested several tools helping them sharpen up their challenge formulation: "Causes & Symptoms Mapping", "Problem Definition Tool", "Starbursting" and "How Might We" questioning. This was done so that each participating city could have a critical look whether the challenge they initially set out to solve is indeed the core issue they should be focusing on. 

On the other hand, participants were invited to have a second look at their initially foreseen target impacts. Here, tools such as "Stakeholder Mapping" and "Stakeholder Impact Vision" were helpful at integrating the stakeholder perspective in impact objective setting. Participants also had a chance to play with the "Impact Amplifier" tool to find ways to potentially exceed and boost their interventions' possible positive impacts, while restricting and replacing potential negative effects. 

Finally, a round of peer reviews involved pairs of cities critically but constructively reviewing each other's theories of change, putting their clarity, coherence, logic, and several other key criteria to the test in an honest but friendly environment.

The second part of the workshop built on the theoretical foundations laid out in the masterclass, and introduced key impact measurement terms such as parameter, variable, indicator, indicator set or index. Other core concepts have been equally explained, such as drop-off, attribution, displacement, or dead-weight. What followed was an explanation of typical impact measurement challenges and most prevalent biases one should be aware of when embarking on impact measurement, as well as ideas how to avoid them.

Furthermore, U.R. Impact partners have learned about the current state-of-the-art in terms of the ongoing global effort of trying to standardise certain impact indicators. From SDGs to IRIS+, and from urban indexes to case studies, participants have been provided with various sources of inspiration where to look for their own indicators. And indeed, this is the next step: each city will take their improved theory of change and propose a first set of impact indicators to reflect their target impacts. These will then be reviewed in one-on-one coaching sessions the ad hoc expert will hold with each city team.

The impact measurement as one of the key focuses of the network seamlessly feeds into the preparations for developing the Integrated Action Plans that will preoccupy the participating cities for the coming months under the careful guidance of the lead expert of the network, Liat Rogel. The first steps towards this have already been taken in Murcia, with cities learning about the core elements of such plans and the first activities they could already plan in this respect. Again, peer reviews have proven an invaluable exercise to improve the understandability and focus of the first writings of the cities in a friendly but constructive manner.

Belgia arhitekt Luc Schuitenil on visioon, et aastaks 2100 on „jätkusuutlik areng muutunud pleonasmiks“, ning kõiksugune linnaareng on paratamatult jätkusuutlik. Tuleviku linnad toovad uusi elu- ja tööharjumusi, liikuvust ja liideseid, mis ristuvad ja eksisteerivad koos looduskeskkonnaga. Kohalikud omavalitsused mängivad selles ümberkujundavas muutuses tähtsat rolli, eelkõige infrastruktuuris - luues mahajäetud hoonetest ja ruumidest haljasalasid, ühendades linnavõrku, võimaldades jalakäijate ühendusi ja infrastruktuuri ühest linnaosast teise. Lisaks selliste meetmete keskkonnakasule muutuvad avalikud ruumid ka loovuse, õppimise ja mõttevahetuste keskkondadeks.

Laeken 1800-2200, La Cité végétale, Luc Schuiten. Allikas: Vegetalcity.

Käesolevas artiklis vaadeldakse lähemalt vajadust rohelise taaselustamise järele URBACTi GreenPlace'i tegevusplaneerimise võrgustiku kontekstis, mis on üks 30-st URBACTi tegevusplaneerimise võrgustikust (juuni 2023 kuni detsember 2025). GreenPlace, mida juhib Wroclaw (Poola), tegeleb kasutamata, mahajäetud ja unustatud kohtade rohelise taaselustamisega, kaasates samaaegselt kohalikku kogukonda.

Unustatud ja kasutamata linnaruumide küsimus

Euroopa linnamaastik on viimastel aastakümnetel muutunud. Endised tööstus- või raudteeinfrastruktuurid, tehased, ehitusplatsid, tapamajad, suured tervishoiu- ja sotsiaalhoolekandeasutused, kaubanduskeskused, bürood või lõpetamata hooned ja linnakeskused, endised sõjaväe kasarmud, pargid ja haljasalad - mitmesugused hooned ja ruumid on kaotanud oma esialgse funktsiooni, jäänud kasutamata, maha jäetud ja/või unustatud.

Bukaresti delta. Allikas: Marcelline Bonneau.

Need hooned ja alad võivad olla maha jäetud või kasutamata erinevatel põhjustel:

- kohtadega seotud negatiivsed juhtumised ja seosed;

- sotsiaalsed, ajaloolised ja majanduslikud muutused linnas;

- rahvastiku suundumine maapiirkondadest linnadesse ja muutused elamisviisides (nt suuremad majad, vähem inimesi ühe pereüksuse kohta);

- arendamata maa madal hind võrreldes maa-alade ümberkujundamise kõrgete kuludega (nt mahajäetud tööstusalade taastamine).

Nende alakasutatud maa-alade, ruumide ja hoonete haldamine on Euroopa regionaalarengu poliitika ja rahastamise raamistike üks peamisi eesmärke. Kui midagi ette ei võeta, avaldavad need ruumid negatiivset mõju keskkonnale ja elurikkusele. Näiteks võivad endised laohooned moodustada nn soojussaared ning ladustatud reostus võib põhjustada täiendavaid probleeme, mis on muuhulgas seotud vihmavee juhtimisega. Kasutamata avalikud ruumid võivad avaldada negatiivset mõju ka maakasutusele, rääkimata maasurvest ja kontrollimatust linnaarengust (valglinnastumine) ning sotsiaal-majanduslikust ebavõrdsusest ja ebakindlusest.

Kui me aga midagi ette võtame, siis näeme positiivset mõju keskkonnale. Looduspõhised lahendused, mahajäetud tööstusalade alade taastamine, roheline infrastruktuur ja muud tehnilised rohelahendused - sealhulgas moderniseerimine või energiavõrgud - võivad suurendada elurikkust, kaitsta elupaiku, meelitada ligi uut loomastikku ja taimestikku ning integreerida kliimaga kohanemise lahendusi, mis on seotud näiteks vihmavee juhtimise ja veehoidmisega.

URBACTi võrgustikes osalevad linnad, näiteks nagu Lille (Prantsusmaa) ja Heerlen (Holland), on oma kogukonnas taastatud avalike ruumide positiivse mõju näidisjuhtumiteks. Poliitilised soovitused ruumide ja hoonete taaskasutamiseks hõlmavad muu hulgas järgmist: arhitektide ja planeerijate kaasamine maakasutuskavade väljatöötamisse; realistlike maa- ja finantseelarvete kindlaksmääramine; avaliku ja erasektori partnerlusmudelite kaalumine.

Miks on vaja arendada rohelist taaselustamist?

Roheline taaselustamine on silmapaistev viis, kuidas käsitleda kasutamata, unustatud ja mahajäetud kohti nii säästva linnaarengu vahendina kui ka eesmärgina iseenesest. Nende kontseptsioonide aluseks olevaid kõige levinumaid põhimõtteid käsitletakse järgmistes lähenemisviisides:

GreenPlace: 10 linna, mis taaselustavad koos kohalike kogukondadega unustatud linnaruume

Eespool kirjeldatud lähenemisviisid rohelise taaselustamise ja taaselustamise kohta moodustavad GreenPlace tegevusplaneerimise võrgustiku tuumiku. Wroclawi (Poola) linna juhtimisel kuuluvad sinna partnerlinnad Boulogne-sur-mer Développement Côte d'Opale (Prantsusmaa), Bukarest-Ilfovi metropolipiirkonna kogukondadevaheline arendusühendus (Rumeenia), Cehegin (Hispaania), Limerick (Iirimaa), Löbau (Saksamaa), Nitra (Slovakkia), Onda (Hispaania), Quarto d'Altino (Itaalia) ja Vila Nova De Poiares (Portugal).

Partnerprofiilide mitmekesisus rõhutab sellise partnerluse rikkust ja lisaväärtust. Mõned neist linnadest on väikesed (nt Vila Nova de Poiares-es, 7 281 elanikuga), teised väga suured (nt Bukarest-Ilfov, 2 298 000 elanikuga). Mõned on maapiirkonnad (nt Quarto d'Altino), mõned on väga linnalised (nt Wroclaw), teisi peetakse arenenud (nt Limerick) või vähem arenenud (nt Nitra) kohtadeks.

Partnerlinnad võivad olla rohelise taaselustamise ja kogukonna kaasamise eri etappides. Neil võivad olla erinevad kontekstid ja probleemid, nagu on märgitud GreenPlace'i alusuuringus, milles kirjeldatakse üksikasjalikult tegevusplaneerimise võrgustike konteksti, metoodikat ja tegevuskava. Hoolimata nendest erinevustest õpivad nad juba praegu üksteiselt väga palju!

Linnapartnerid keskenduvad eelkõige järgmistele unustatud ja kasutamata linnaruumide põhikategooriatele:

- Hüljatud hooned: nuudlitehas Löbau linnas, linnakeskus Quarto d'Altinos;

- Unustatud (kuid osaliselt kasutuses olevad) hooned: Popowice trammidepoo Wroclawis, Victorei trammidepoo Bukarest-Ilfovis; 

- Kasutamata haljasalad: keskaegne müür Limerickis, roheline tsoon Vila Nova de Poiaresis, Ejidos Ceheginis;

- Kasutamata hoonestatud alad: tulevane roheline kops Ondas, Station-Bréquerecque'i ala Boulogne-Sur-Meris, Martin's Hill - endine sõjaväe kasarmuala Nitras.

Löbau partnerid andsid hiljuti aru kohaliku kogukonna kaasamisest mahajäetud tehase territooriumi taaselustamise kavasse.

URBACTi tegevusplaneerimise võrgustikud: rohelisemad horisondid

GreenPlace'i tegevusplaneerimise võrgustiku töö edenedes on peagi oodata veel rohkem uudiseid.

URBACT IV programmi laiemas plaanis ei ole GreenPlace ainus URBACTi tegevusplaneerimise võrgustik, mis muudab linnu rohelisemaks. Veel mõned märkimisväärsed võrgustikud on COPE, Let's Go Circular, BiodiverCity, Eco-Core ja In4Green on!

A city made of diversity 

Benissa, located on the Costa Blanca of the Valencian Community in Spain, effectively combines history, culture, biodiversity and environmental sustainability. With a population of 11,462 inhabitants, the town benefits from a geographical position that provides a diverse landscape ranging from clean beaches to verdant mountains, which is essential for a sustainable development and a healthy lifestyle.

The service sector dominates the local economy, accounting for 76.7%, complemented by construction, industry, and agriculture which, although limited in scale, is crucial to maintaining the area's biodiversity and landscape. The well-preserved old town, together with Benissa's historic architecture, not only attracts cultural and beach tourism, but has also made the town an attractive place for international residents, enriching the cultural diversity of the community. Currently, 40.12% of Benissa's population is of foreign origin, which contributes to a rich cultural mix and shows the relevance of its attractions for developing a healthy lifestyle.

Benissa faces the challenge of conserving and valorising its environmental heritage while improving quality of life and promoting inclusive and sustainable development, adapting to the dynamics of a changing world without compromising the health and well-being of its citizens or the integrity of its environment.

 

The One health approach to foster the process of making the city a model of sustainability

Benissa is committed to a future where wellbeing, environmental health and sustainability form an inseparable whole. In fact, the town was nominated as a "sustainable municipality" in a regional award. The city wants to adopt the "One Health" approach in its core urban planning, recognising the interdependence between human, animal and environmental health. This holistic approach responds to local challenges such as climate change, which degrades its large natural mass, and also promotes healthy lifestyles, positioning it as a role model town in sustainability.

From learning from other green models to understanding how town councils coordinate to implement cross-cutting actions, Benissa seeks to consolidate its status as a sustainable municipality by participating in the One Health 4 Cities project. Currently, the town offers a natural environment accessible in less than 15 minutes from the town centre, which promotes and enhances it as a high quality of life. Taking advantage of its natural, sporting and urban resources, Benissa aims to strengthen its commitment and action to protect its assets and provide positive social, economic and environmental impact.

The commitment to "One Health" aims to improve the quality of life of local inhabitants but also to offer high quality services to visitors for now and for the future. Benissa seeks to create a resilient and prosperous society, capable of facing future challenges with innovation and sustainability. The town hopes to be a benchmark in the integration of human, animal and ecosystem health in a unified strategy, transforming Benissa into a model of holistic wellbeing: consolidating the care economy as an engine to generate income, employment and prosperity.

Towards a strategy that enhances biodiversity and cultural heritage while promoting the health and wellbeing of its inhabitants and visitors  

Benissa plans to develop a comprehensive strategy that respects and enhances its biodiversity and cultural heritage, while promoting the health and wellbeing of all its inhabitants and visitors inclusively. The strategy will include improvements in the health and social services sector, focusing on raising the quality of life for all citizens, particularly the most vulnerable groups such as the growing elderly population and young people with mental health challenges. 

In March, the town formed a Citizens' Health Council, which will ensure clear and precise monitoring of such measures. From the Urbact Network, sustainable mobility initiatives, the development of accessible green spaces, and the adoption of environmentally friendly agricultural and waste management practices will be promoted.

In addition, efforts will be intensified to educate and raise awareness about healthy lifestyles and the importance of biodiversity and environmental conservation. With a focus on inclusion and citizen participation, Benissa aims to be an example of how local and international residents can be active partners in defining their future. This collaborative and integrated model will ensure that policies and projects not only address current challenges but are also prepared to adapt and respond to future community needs.

 

To know more about Benissa : 

• Maite Escriva, Local project coordinator maiteescriva@ajbenissa.es

• Jorge Ivars, Vice-Mayor of Benissa jorgeivars@ajbenissa.es 
  

On 15 April, URBACT launched a call for Good Practices (running until 30 July 2024). The call aims to reward impactful local practices in sustainable urban development, which can be a source of inspiration and transfer to other European cities.  

If you are working on sustainable urban development, you might be asking yourself: What, exactly, makes a practice ‘good’? This article looks at a handful of the 97 URBACT Good Practices awarded to cities from 25 EU countries in 2017. While these practices cover environmental, social, governance or economic themes, what got them their URBACT label?  

Four fundamental dimensions enable a local good practice to be awarded as an URBACT Good Practice. These represent the principles and values underpinning URBACT since 2002:

- Relevance at European level

- A participatory and integrated approach

- Positive local impact

- Transferability 

Relevance at European Level

As a European Territorial Cooperation programme, URBACT has to respond to the needs and priorities of European cities on urban development in accordance with the EU Cohesion Policy and its objectives. An URBACT Good Practice, therefore, serves or contributes to this framework, or the Sustainable Development Goals, or topics of the partnerships of the Urban Agenda for the EU. This is evident in the topics covered by the 97 URBACT Good Practices awarded in 2017: 

The examples featured in this article touch on these different themes. They also exemplify other characteristics that are considered when selecting an URBACT Good Practice. 

A participatory and integrated approach  

Cities face a spectrum of environmental, economic and social challenges, which are becoming more interconnected. Even if a challenge might fall under one theme (for example, motorised mobility), an integrated approach considers other important dimensions, like gender equality, digital, green transition, related to mobility and the different groups of the local population. The participatory element of a Good Practice refers to the involvement of different local actors, not only from different departments of the city administration, but with the civil society itself.  

Riga (LV) has found a way to use social urban spaces (i.e. community centres) to boost social integration and awareness of local affairs. Established in 2013, the Riga NGO House was created in response to requests from the inhabitants of Riga, themselves. As a community-inspired initiative, the NGO House serves the educational, technical and information support needs of the immediate community. It has gone on to host thousands of visits and events, organised by different NGOs and sometimes coordinated with other municipalities (e.g. twinning and networking events).  

This practice has been officially recognised by URBACT for empowering the non-governmental sector. The lessons learnt and exchange visits are documented in the final outcome of the Active NGOs Transfer Network, ‘The Power of Civic Ecosystems’. 

Located in a designated ‘buffer zone’, the small town of Athienou (CY) faces a unique set of historical, geographical, intergenerational, urban-rural challenges. The town’s Municipal Council of Volunteers (MCV) has been recognised by URBACT for its intergenerational approach to volunteerism. Volunteers work to address local social challenges and provide support services to residents, particularly from vulnerable communities. The volunteering activities take place at the Kleanthios Elderly Home, the Konstanileneion Center for Adults, the Municipal Nursery Center and the Social Welfare Committee. The MCV’s membership is seeing an increase, particularly of younger volunteers, a general awareness and commitment to rebuilding social ties. 

Athienou’s breakthrough active civic participation solution has been adapted by other European cities through the Volunteering Cities Transfer Network.  

In 2014 Turin (IT) launched a competition for all municipal employees (counting around 10.000) to push innovative projects and ideas for the city, developing and improving new services, environment-friendly projects, using information and communication technologies. This served as a model for creating a culture for innovation within the city administration  (e.g. improving performance, reducing waste, maximising resources). In 2017, 71 projects have been submitted, 111 employees involved, and 10 proposals rewarded.  

The practice was designated as an URBACT Good Practice because it helps to increase data and digital tools management to address urban challenges. The application can be seen in the partner cities of Innovato-R Transfer Network. 

Positive impact at local level

All URBACT Good Practices need to have a concrete solution to a host of thematic urban challenges. These, inevitably, have to respond to local needs. For a practice to be an URBACT Good Practice, ‘positive impact’ really means the positive change in a community. In other words, there should be a clear ‘before’ and ‘after’ effect, and a specific explanation of how and why it was effective. 

Mouans-Sartoux (FR) has been serving 100% organic daily meals in its schools since 2012. The city’s collective school catering scheme is officially recognised as an URBACT Good Practice, not simply because of its holistic approach, which brings together municipal farmers, schools, NGOs and local organisations. The decision to procure organic meals in school canteens has welcomed a behavioural shift in the local population. More residents are becoming aware and adopting healthier and sustainable food diets. In fact, in the last five years, Mouans-Sartoux has reduced its carbon impact by more than 20%!

Mouans-Sartoux’s practice offers critical insights into how other cities can bring about shifts in food systems for the betterment of the local community. The practice has since been adapted by other European cities through two URBACT Transfer Networks, BioCanteens and BioCanteens #2 Transfer Network. 

Chemnitz (DE) has developed a real estate management solution to deal with the problem of decaying historic buildings in the city centre. The city’s real estate authority, Agentur StadtWohnen Chemnitz, conducted a survey on vacant/derelict buildings and apartments, identified potential buyers and investors and activated support from public and private stakeholders. The results were compelling, which is why URBACT recognises the practice for its positive local impact: Chemnitz has seen an increasing interest from local investors in rehabilitating historic housing and repurposing abandoned buildings (with housing cohabitations, shelters, social institutions).  

The Chemnitz practice also holds promise for how cities can combat negative trends and urban processes that are not sustainable (e.g. suburban sprawl, car use, expensive housing, etc.).  

Learn more about this practice and how it was transferred through the ALT/BAU Transfer Network. 

Santiago De Compastela (ES) developed a game-based web platform to encourage recycling and other environmentally responsible behaviour. Green points (waste disposal points) were set up in the city centre. In exchange for disposing of waste at these points, citizens have the chance to win recycling vouchers, which can be used at local shops or exchanged at the City Council. In the first 2 years, tens-of-thousands of recycling actions have been registered at civic centres and green points and more than 115 local sponsors had delivered 800 rewards via the Tropa Verde platform.  

The gamification of urban waste reduction developed by Santiago De Compastela shows how to involve local communities in the green transition. The practice has been adapted by partner cities (including Zugló (HU) involved in the Tropa Verde Transfer Network.  

Transferability 

From the 2018 to 2022, 23 of the above-mentioned 97 URBACT Good Practices have been transferred and adapted in other 188 European cities, thanks to URBACT Transfer Networks. These 23 URBACT Good Practice Cities have also benefitted from the exchanges with the other cities, and with URBACT experts, to further improve their practice. URBACT Good Practice Cities set an example through and beyond the URBACT Networks. This potential for transferability is a key award criterion: the practice should be applicable to different contexts and regions.

For instance, Ljubljana (SI) set up ‘the Bee Path’ programme in 2015 to raise awareness of the city’s bee-keeping heritage: its over 300 beekeepers, 4.500 beehives housing, more than180 million bees. The path is designed in such a way that visitors realise the importance of bees for our survival, in addition to discovering the city's beekeeping and honey-making culture.  

This practice is centred around raising awareness of and preserving urban biodiversity and contributing to a more sustainable and sufficient community in Ljubljana. However, its legacy lives on through the BeePathNet Transfer Network and a European-wide network of bee-friendly cities (‘Bee Path Cities’).  

Learn more about Bee Path Cities and check examples of how the practice has been transferred in Bydgoszcz (PL) and the other European cities. 

In 2014, Piraeus (EL) established Blue Growth Piraeus: an urban sustainable development initiative focused on the Blue Economy. Still rocking in the waves of the 2008 global financial crisis, this initiative set out to boost the local maritime economy. Still in practice, Blue Growth Piraeus aims to mentor and encourage start-ups to develop services and solutions for the  maritime economy, adapted to the digital transition.  

Piraeus was able to transfer its URBACT Good Practice as leader of the BluAct URBACT Transfer Network (2018-2021) and another pilot URBACT Transfer Network, BluAct second wave (2021-2022). What was observed in Piraeus can easily be replicated and adapted in other European cities that have coastal or maritime economies.

This transferability has been proven in Mataro (ES), which adapted the five stages of the Blue Growth Piraeus Competition and other partner cities through BluAct Transfer Networks. 

Preston (UK) developed a procurement spending practice that simultaneously jumpstarts the local economy, helps businesses reduce their carbon footprint and combats social exclusion. It is also based on a participatory approach, whereby public (universities, hospitals) in the city and social-sector institutions work together to ensure that their procurement spending is used to bring additional economic, social and environmental benefits to local economies. 

It came up with a toolkit and video series, which were useful tools for transmitting the knowledge and insights acquired by the city through the practice.

The practice has been effectively transferred to Koszalin (PL) and other European cities involved in the Making Spend Matter Transfer Network.  

Find out more: URBACT Call for Good Practices open until 30 June 2024

Evidently, URBACT Good Practices come in all shapes and sizes; the value of a practice extends beyond a specific city or example. Nevertheless, they point to a common throughline for successful and enduring approaches to developing and transferring a practice. First, urban municipalities need to work within the EU and regional policy contexts and objectives to implement good practices. Second, a participatory and integrated approach to sustainable urban development is needed to solve the multi-faceted challenges facing today’s cities. Third, local communities need to be inspired and engaged at all levels of sustainable urban policy making. Fourth, the transferability of a practice, to different cities and contexts, means a wider  impact in Europe thanks to URBACT Transfer Networks. Ultimately, by leading Transfer Networks, URBACT Good Practice Cities can improve the implementation of their practices, following the insights of their partner cities and URBACT experts. 

Interested in applying? All you need to know about the URBACT call for Good Practices (open until 30 July 2024) can be found on urbact.eu/get-involved. 

Az Építési és Közlekedési Minisztérium, az URBACT és az EUI - Európai települési kezdeményezések - magyarországi kontakt pontja továbbá a BURST Non-profit Kft. 2024. április 17-én nagyszabású konferenciát rendezett az európai NEB fesztivál szatellit eseményeként. A mintegy 200 döntéshozót, szakembert és civilt összehozó rendezvényre a résztvevők 72 különböző hazai településről érkeztek. A színes és sokrétű előadások 32 hazai jó gyakorlatot mutattak be, amelyek az Új Európai Bauhaus értékeit közvetítik.

A konferenciát házigazdaként Dr. Gyuricza Csaba rektor nyitotta meg, aki kiemelte a Magyar Agrár- és Élettudományi Egyetem egyedülálló szerepét a fenntartható településfejlesztéshez értő szakemberek, a tájépítészmérnökök és településmérnökök képzésében. Dr. Dukai Miklós önkormányzati államtitkár (Közigazgatási és Területfejlesztési Minisztérium) a települési önkormányzatok partnerségét és az alulról jövő kezdeményezések fontosságát emelte ki, melynek egyik fontos települési programjaként említette az éves Virágos Magyarország versenyt. Nyitó előadásában Gombos Márk (Építési és Közlekedési Minisztérium) helyettes államtitkár az új építészeti törvény és az Új Európai Bauhaus program eszmeisége közötti azonosságokat mutatta be. Rávilágított az új törvény értékőrzést, partnerséget és a fenntarthatóságot erősítő elemeire. Legfőbb cél a településen élők igényeinek és szándékainak megértése, a települések békés és biztonságos fejlődése, a közös gondolkodás és együtt cselekvés, a települések ösztönzése tapasztalat szerzésre és szemlélődésre.

A pódiumbeszélgetésen Gombos Márk területi tervezésért és építésügyi igazgatásért felelős helyettes államtitkár (ÉKM), Perényi Lóránt építészeti stratégiáért felelős helyettes államtitkár (ÉKM NEB NCP), Vincze Attila tájépítész, elnök (Magyar Tájépítészek Szövetség), Szemery Samu (Kortárs Építészeti Központ), Kovács Csaba egyetemi tanár, intézetigazgató (MOME Építészeti Intézet), Dr. Alföldi György DLA, egyetemi tanár, dékán (BME Építészmérnöki Kar), Szövényi Anna DLA, tanszékvezető egyetemi docens (MATE TTDI Településépítészeti és Települési Zöldinfrastruktúra Tanszék) és Madaras-Horogh Petra, urbanista, NEB Partnerségi Koordinátor (BURST Nonprofit Kft) vitatták meg, hogy az egyes szakterületek és a hozzájuk kapcsolódó tevékenységek hogyan integrálják a NEB értékeit. Abban egyet értettek, hogy az Új Európai Bauhaus, csak úgy, mint a régi Bauhaus, értékőrző és értékteremtő, multidiszciplináris és egyaránt támogatja a társadalmi és az ökológiai fenntarthatóságot. Az építészet, a városépítészet és a tájépítészet terén számos olyan látható és kevésbé ismert folyamat zajlik már ma is Magyarországon, ami a NEB értékeivel harmonizál.

A jó gyakorlat szekcióban 11 megvalósult vagy már ötlet szinten is elismerést kiváltó települési projektet vagy programot ismertünk meg az építészeti-városépítészeti rehabilitáció, a természet alapú megoldások és a társadalmi bevonás témaköréből.

Azt követően Báthoryné dr. Nagy Ildikó Réka, Magyar Agrár- és Élettudományi Egyetem, Településépítészeti és Települési Zöldinfrastruktúra Tanszékének egyetemi docense, az URBACT és az Európai Városfejlesztési Kezdeményezések (EUI) programok nemzeti koordinátora bemutatta az új URBACT és az EUI aktualitásait, az URBACT Good Practices Call, az EUI Peer Review Call, City-to-city Call és a hamarosan elérhetővé váló EUI Inovative Actions Call sajátosságait. 

Az URBACT és az EUI - Európai települési kezdeményezések - magyarországi kontakt pontja kiemelte a konferencián ismertetett jó gyakorlatok alkalmasságát a hazai és nemzetközi továbbadásra. A fenntartható városfejlesztést segítő, közvetlenül lehívható támogatások a széles partnerségen alapuló, a helyi közösség bevonásával fejlesztett, multidiszciplináris programokat támogatja, ezzel illeszkedik az Új Európai Bauhaus elveihez.

Délután három különböző témában folyt a műhelymunka, további jó gyakorlatok megismerésével és álláspontok ütköztetésével. A megfizethető lakhatás és társadalmi inklúzió, a fenntartható helyi élelmezés és a természet alapú megoldások beszélgetés a rövid idő ellenére is számos megvitatandó kérdést hozott felszínre.

A konferencián elhangzott előadások prezentációi ezen a linken érhetőek el. Továbbá a szakmai beszámolókat is a későbbiekben itt tesszük közzé.

A következő tájékoztató napunkat 2024. május 29-én tartjuk az  URBACT Good Practices felhívás és az EUI Innovative Actions felhívás ismertetésére.

Szerző: B. Nagy Ildikó Réka

This document is divided into three sections. The first presents the major challenges that contemporary urban centres are facing. First in a more general way, locating 15 common challenges. In this section, we will observe that the challenges are complex, overlapped and in need of an integrated approach. The next step has been to understand the policy dimensions of urban centres. This involves first identifying the frameworks that will help the partnership to work holistically and then establishing an own framework that will allocate six main functions that explain the different balances present in urban centres: housing, work, public facilities, commerce, leisure and public space. The combination of these various dimensions will allow us to describe the different dynamics and challenges presented concerning their influence on residents and the external population. Finally, in this initial section, in order to address the complexity of the issues and the different challenges, a proposal is put forth to work on five interrelated fundamental pillars: integrated public policies, governance, decision-making tools, sustainability and inclusion; which are further explained.

In the second chapter, in order to understand the different profiles of the partners that form the network, an overview is presented. First, we provided a general overview of the city and its city centre boundaries, explaining the current situation of the city centre regarding the main functions presented in the previous chapter. We also include a section in which we present the current approach of the partners on to the five fundamental pillars. The composition of the Urban Local Group is then presented, in order to understand the typologies of stakeholders that are embedded in the process. Finally, a general overview is provided on the learning needs and contribution of each partner to the network, along with some best practices that will enhance the knowledge exchange.

Finally, the third chapter synthesises the network methodology and details the proposed activities during the two years and a half of the URBACT programme. Based on the analysis of the major drivers of the revitalisation of city centres, it includes the capacity-building activities and work plan and the potential dissemination and capitalisation of learnings.

This methodology addresses the main challenges presented by the partners. It is first extended to match the network framework and then summarised and synthesised into seven common challenges: managing complexity, gentrification, adaptation to climate change, new supply models, building a city centre identity, public space and managing mixed uses. The methodological framework is then explained, where the seven challenges are overlapped with the five pillars and used as the base to propose the capacity-building and exchange activities. These are divided into transnational meetings, city-to-city exchanges and ULG meetings, along with a work plan. 

This chapter ends with a learning capitalisation and dissemination strategy, which is based on the added value of the network, a toolbox based on five pillars, a policy advocacy and the search for funding opportunities.