MWCC has participated in the presentation of the report ‘Rethinking our cities. Towards a new model of sustainable urban development’ within the framework of the ‘Sustainable Cities 2030’ project, made up of a total of 25 companies and entities, led by ASPRIMA, CEMEX, ENGIE, GSK and Sanitas. The project, in alliance with leading international and national organizations, seeks to enhance the business contribution to the development of sustainable cities in Spain and value the importance of public-private collaboration to achieve a resilient, inclusive and sustainable city model. sustainable, in line with the Sustainable Development Goal SDG 11.
The report identifies six levers for success on the road to sustainable urban development, which mark the following actions that need to be implemented through collaboration between different stakeholders: sustainable mobility initiatives; integration of green areas; greater ambition in the fight against climate change; measures for energy efficiency; sustainable construction and building projects and solutions to promote the health of citizens.
The fundamental role of cities as the epicenter of challenges and opportunities in terms of sustainability is evident when their impact is reflected in figures. Cities consume approximately 75% of natural resources (such as water) and around 70% of energy globally. Furthermore, urban environments generate 70% of greenhouse gas emissions and 50% of global waste. To all this is added the situation caused by COVID-19, which has generated numerous economic, social and health problems at a global level and has clearly highlighted the existing inequalities in the structure and management of cities. In this context, sustainable urban planning, which puts the needs of citizens at the center and integrates the perspective of sustainability in the processes, can help develop urban solutions that are able to face these challenges in the medium term and help for these to be able to adapt to them in a more resilient way.
In a context in which, according to data published by the World Bank in 2020, the expansion of urban land exceeds that of population growth by 50% and it is expected that 1.2 million km² will be created in the next three decades of new urban surface, from UN-Habitat, the Head of the Office in Spain, Carmen Sánchez Miranda, highlights that those compact and well-planned cities, which combine residential, commercial, public spaces and affordable housing functions, can improve the local economy, public health and the environment.
Forética presents the report ‘Rethinking our cities. Towards a new model of sustainable urban development’ within the framework of the European Green Week (EU Green Week), also coinciding with the 2021 Cities Forum that is organized this week in Madrid, in which Forética participates as a collaborating entity.
Check here the report ‘Rethinking our cities. Towards a new model of sustainable urban development ’
