The first Polish city to join the Green City Accord is Gdynia, pledging, among other things, to raise air and water quality standards and reduce noise. More than 20 cities from across Europe are already among the associated cities.
What is the Green City Accord?
Green City Acc ord is an initiative of the European Commission, which was created to make caring about ecology simpler and more accessible. Oslo, Helsinki, Zaragoza and other cities from all over Europe, including Gdynia, have pledged, among other things, to improve air and water quality, adopting the same very high standards.
how to lead the city's efforts?
Last week, city councilors and aldermen approved a draft resolution to join the agreement. Such a city-to-city agreement covers five key areas around which member cities will focus: air, water, nature and biodiversity, closed-loop waste management and noise.
The Green City Accord is a movement that aims to make cities cleaner and healthier, improve the quality of life for residents and accelerate the implementation of relevant EU environmental legislation.
Today, urban development must mean being open to innovation, implementing solutions that protect nature and the climate. Caring for the environment, especially in urban areas, is one of the biggest challenges facing ours and future generations. That development must go hand in hand with ecology, we noticed years ago. In Gdynia, we pay attention to how to conduct urban activities and investments and design new spaces with the local environment in mind. We manage rainwater, modernize buildings, support and promote renewable energy sources, and educate the youngest. We are not afraid of an innovative approach that has a positive impact on our environment," said Michal Guć, deputy mayor of Gdynia, according to Gazeta Wyborcza.
shared vision and support
Green City Accord member cities support a common vision for the urban future.
By 2030, cities will become attractive places to live, work and invest, and will support the health and well-being of Europeans. All Europeans will breathe clean air, enjoy clean water, have access to parks and green spaces, and experience less environmental noise. A closed-loop economy will become a reality, and waste will be minimized through greater reuse, repair and recycling. - we can read on the Green City Accord website.
Gdynia, like other cities, has pledged to address its most pressing and important challenges. By joining the Accord, the city government agreed to do its part to make a difference in five key areas by 2030:
- air: significantly improving air quality by moving closer to compliance with WHO air quality guidelines and stopping exceedances of EU air quality standards as soon as possible
- water: significant progress in improving the quality of water bodies and water use efficiency
- nature and biodiversity: significant progress in preserving and enhancing urban biodiversity, including by increasing the extent and quality of green spaces in cities and halting the loss and restoration of urban ecosystems
- Closed-loop economy and waste: progress toward a closed-loop economy by ensuring significant improvements in the management of household waste, a significant reduction in waste generation and landfill, and a significant increase in reuse, repair and recycling
- Noise: significantly reducing noise pollution in cities and approaching the levels recommended by the WHO
In addition, city authorities are required to share progress and implementation reports on the project and plans for future years.
Any city could join the program. Or rather, any for which ecology really matters. The Green City Accord provides additional funding for implementation, but in addition to the financial issue, the time and commitment of politicians and the awareness of residents also come into play.
