Connecting circles | 3 October

Join a circle, connect with peers

Circle 1: Global and local partnerships

Working together for the Sustainable Development Goals

11:00 - 13:00 | Room to be announced

In a world in which environmental degradation and inequality is intensifying, it is imperative that we acknowledge the interplay of social, environmental and economic development on the path towards sustainable development. Fostering mutual learning processes through partnerships is one way for local authorities to embrace the big picture, promote the Sustainable Development Goals and fight for climate justice.

  • Guadalupe Moreno, Barcelona Province (Spain)
  • Erik Fuhlbrugge, City of Zoersel (Belgium)
  • Hugues Tchaou, City of Bohicon (Benin)
  • Bence Cseke, IMRO-DDKK Nonprofit Ltd. / Nagykanizsa (Hungary) | LinkedIn
  • Dietmar Mirkes, Climate Alliance Luxembourg and ASTM
    Robinson López Descanse & Diego Escobar Guzman
    , COICA (Colombia)
  • Markus Hafner-Auinger, Climate Alliance Austria
  • Andreas Wolter, City of Cologne (Germany) | Bio (tbc)

The session focuses on the importance of global, local-level partnerships, cooperation and networking. Participants will learn about several successful examples and explore common goals, lessons learnt and challenges.


 

Circle 2: Connecting with citizens and local initiatives

11:00 - 13:00 | Room to be announced

Cities and towns represent the level of governance closest to the people. City governments thus assume an exemplary role and have the power to get their residents involved in (global) climate action. At the same time, many resident-run local (environmental) initiatives already abound, often working towards the same goals as city governments. By encouraging exchange and cooperation between city and resident initiatives, we can take advantage of previously unnoticed synergies.

  • Katharina Reinholz, City of Worms (Germany)
  • Lukas Reichel, Som Mobilitat and REScoop Mobility (Spain) | LinkedIn
  • Milena Ràfols and Josep Maria Vallès, Tarpuna, Cooperative for sustainability (Spain) | LinkedIn

This session focuses on how strategies to cooperate with citizens and local initiatives can be developed towards the implementation of the Agenda 2030. Special attention will be given to cooperation between the city and local grassroots initiatives. Participants will explore how common approaches can be identified, how synergies can be used and how long term cooperation can be established.


 

Circle 3: How food and resources connect the Sustainable Development Goals

11:00 - 13:00 | Room to be announced

To support our current urban lifestyles, cities and towns around the world are using billions of tonnes of raw materials. From fossil fuels to sand, gravel and iron ore and to biotic resources such as wood and food, we are using far more than what the planet can sustainably provide. The Sustainable Development Goals, building on the Millenium Development Goals, were introduced to tackle these problems. They include new priority areas such as climate change, economic inequality, innovation, sustainable consumption, peace and justice. Based in the spirit of partnership and pragmatism, these goals can help us make choices that will sustainably improve lives for future generations. | presentation (pdf)

This session explores how sustainable food systems can connect various Sustainable Development Goals. Participants will learn about good practice examples of local climate action not based on overexploitation while exploring the global impact of European food and resource use. 


 

Circle 4: The social component of the energy transition

Structural factors of energy poverty – a local authority view

11:00 - 13:00 | Room to be announced

Energy poverty, a situation in which households are not able to meet their basic domestic energy needs at an affordable cost, is a European-wide problem. Low incomes, rising energy costs and poor energy performance of homes and buildings are all main structural drivers of this phenomenon. In recent years, various local authorities have attempted to tackle energy poverty in a number of ways, but mainly through financial support. To truly tackle energy poverty, we will need to shift our focus from end-of-pipe solutions to include more holistic approaches.

  • Joana Mundó i Marta Garcia, Ecoserveis | Twitter
  • Maria Campuzano, Alianza Contra la Pobreza, Energética (Alliance against Energy poverty) (Spain)
  • Lucie Blondel, Covenant of Mayors / Climate Alliance | presentation (pdf)  | Twitter
  • Joan Canó Pol, ALEO (Energy Agency of Osona County. Barcelona Province) (Spain) | Twitter
  • Sylvie Mingant, Brest Metropole (France) | LinkedIn - Twitter
  • Dariusz Szwed, City of Słupsk (Poland) | presentation (pdf)  | LinkedIn - Twitter

In this session, participants will examine how local authorities can tackle some of the main structural causes of energy poverty by looking at the energy system as a whole as well as the energy performance of buildings.