One hundred European cities, seven of which are Spanish, are being tested against the climate challenge on the mobility, energy, urban planning and innovation fronts. With community funding of 360 million on the table, they will have access to recommendations and pilot projects to move towards climate neutrality with the horizon set in 2030. This allows for the creation of contact networks, the exchange of best practices between different cities, and support for engaging citizens in the cause. This last decisive point, as emphasized by Vicente In glada, general secretary of the Consumers Union of the Community of Valencia. “Without citizen awareness, the task is nearly impossible,” he says.
Valencia, Zaragoza, Madrid, Barcelona, Valladolid, Seville and Vitoria-Gasteiz These are the cities chosen to enter this transition towards full sustainability. A shared path with metropolises that aim to be safer, more inclusive and more resilient, such as Munich, Rome, Athens, Helsinki, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Nantes, Paris, Riga or Lisbon. However, a less polluting and more comfortable city model is not followed only. The challenge includes improving the health of citizens with more innovation and technology to advance cancer treatment.
Going down to the practical realm, it means connecting cities through digitization to achieve more efficient ways, for example, of selective collection of glass and underground waste. Or to prevent the accumulation of garbage on the street by emptying the debris when it is full. The application of smart water meters is another example of efficiency in the management of a limited resource. Global Omnium and Telefónica Tech signed an agreement last year to purchase and install a total of 150,000 SIM cards with Narrow Band IoT (NB-IoT) technology to increase the data communication power of 450,000 domestic and industrial meters and install them throughout the facility. Spain, where the Valencia company operates and serves, benefits more than 3 million customers.
Cities like Barcelona, Valencia or Seville are already betting on measures that facilitate decarbonisation, but the 2030 climate mission will allow for the proliferation of projects such as sustainable mobility or housing rehabilitation. In addition, all selected must create Low Emission Zones that impose restrictions on the most polluting vehicles and have fines for non-compliance. This is mandated by the state-level Climate Change and Energy Transition Act. A measure that will affect 148 places across Spain.
The new regulations, supported by Minister Teresa Ribera, reveal that these boards should never take action until after 2023 to reduce greenhouse gases from road traffic in urban planning.
A greener and more efficient Valencia
In the case of Valencia, the climate mission 2030 seeks to energize homes with innovative formulas to promote these interventions by adapting them to income level, through public urban development company Aumsa, social services or the Climate and Energy Foundation. Regarding power generation on the roofs of public buildings, the ‘Requiem in Power’ initiative will transform the municipal cemetery into the highest power urban power plant in Spain with 2.8 MWats for municipal self-consumption, but also offer it to the neighbors.
Seville, more trees and trams
Seville, for example, has planned to move into larger wooded areas that reduce high temperatures and create more intimate environments. The extension of the tram and the promotion of the northern part of the city will be considered as redevelopment projects with healthier landscape parameters. The Smart Accessibility, Tourists and Events initiative will also enable the development of a geo-located and detailed system that will provide a real-time X-ray accessibility for the entire city and remove architectural barriers.
Zaragoza, trees and solar power
In the case of Zaragoza, the European Commission acknowledged the work the council is developing to achieve zero emissions in ten years. He has four projects he wants to implement: El Bosque de los Zaragozanos, residential rehabilitation plans to increase energy efficiency, 100% electric transport, as well as the implementation of photovoltaic power plants in neighborhoods and industrial estates.
Barcelona, more urban connectivity
Meanwhile, Barcelona is making progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The first annual monitoring report of the 2030 Agenda, corresponding to 2021, shows that 56% of actions are going in the right direction. Not surprisingly, Barcelona was ranked third among the world’s fifty most important smart cities, along with Seoul, New York, Beijing and Shanghai. A reduction achieved through transport and infrastructure, energy and lighting, management and technology, or urban connectivity. It is this last aspect that he hopes to develop in the EU Mission.
Vitoria-Gastez asks the neighbors
Vitoria-Gasteiz, for her part, will conduct a survey that will serve residents to find out how they see the city and how they want it to be in the future. Prior to this participatory process, the Sustainability, Climate and Energy service encouraged internal work with all departments where more than 40 municipal plans were compiled to integrate all these sectoral strategies into this new agenda.
Valladolid, positive energy zone
As for Valladolid, its commitment is through comprehensive interventions for sustainable rehabilitation and energy efficiency with the creation of at least one positive energy zone. These are urban areas with almost zero net CO2 emissions, aiming to generate an annual local surplus of renewable energy. That is, they produce more energy than they consume and share this surplus.
Madrid, 120 shares
Madrid, for example, structured its candidacy around a commitment to reduce time spent on public transport journeys by an average of 32.5%; traffic congestion up to 10%; 65% of CO2 emissions (determined in the COP25 agreement) and 50% of road deaths and serious victims compared to 1990. Despite an attempt by previous mayor Manuela Carmena to reverse Central Madrid’s commitment, it is a challenge to be accomplished with 120 actions and 32 measures.