CIVITAS Workshop at the Shanghai EXPO 2010
The World Exhibition EXPO 2010 will take place in Shanghai, China, from 01 May to 31 October 2010 and expects about 70 million visitors. The theme is 'Better City, better Life', showing the focus on urban sustainability. Urban policy making represents an important feature of this global event and, for the first time ever, a World Exhibition displays urban best practices in a dedicated area of the permanent exhibition.And also CIVITAS takes part!
An international expert panel under the lead of Anna Tibaijukka, Director of UN-Habitat, has selected three Best Practice examples in the field of sustainable urban transport, together with worldwide about 50 best practice examples in all fields of urban sustainability: Bremen (Germany) - Development and integration of car-sharing in the city's mobility policy (e.g. in public transport) and urban development.Odense (Denmark) - Cycling as an efficient, fashionable and sustainable means of transportation as well as a main catalyst for improving the liveability of Europe's cities.London (UK) - Congestion charging scheme as the first European access pricing scheme.The three selected cities are all in Europe - which underlines the leading role of Europe in tackling urban transport challenges through innovative mobility measures - for example through their direct involvement of cities in the CIVITAS initiative. An EU Sustainable Urban Mobility / CIVITAS workshop from 08-09 September will provide the unique opportunity to demonstrate Europe’s leading role in a new mobility culture which contributes to the reduction of green house gas emissions, energy efficiency in transport and equitable mobility options for all members of society. Disseminating Europe’s best practices among global stakeholders is fully in line with the Action Plan on Urban Mobility, Action 18, “contributing to international dialogue and information exchange”. The workshop will also help to maintain the successful exchange between Europe and China on sustainable mobility that was started under the EU PARAMOUNT project. For example, Chinese authorities and market players are showing a very high interest in Car-Sharing - an area in which Europe is leading in concepts and technologies and unique for solving the problem of extremely limited space in the densely populated Asian cities.Representation of the European Commission will raise the profile of the event and attract equally levelled decision makers. This European context will be enhanced through the involvement of CIVITAS CATALIST, which is in charge with the promotion of the CIVITAS principles in Europe and worldwide. The project, through three of its key partners (ISIS, the project coordinator, Bremen the coordinator of the CIVITAS CATALIST cities and the Less Car Intensive Lifestyles theme, and Rupprecht Consult, the leader of the long-term assessment of the CIVITAS impacts) will organise and facilitate the workshop by mobilising high-level persons and supporting the logistics.
Author: Mario Gualdi
