Cities | Ecologic Institute: Science and Policy for a Sustainable World

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Presentation

Chairing

Cities

Water

Municipal Water Services – How Can They Remain a Successful Model?

TimeLoc

29 November 2006

Berlin

Germany

R. Andreas Kraemer

In March 2006, the German government cabinet adopted the "Modernisation Report for the German Water Sector". The report does not yet contain a specific modernisation strategy but formed the basis for discussions at the 7th Congress of Municipal Utilities of the German Association of Municipal Utilities on 29 November 2006. R. Andreas Kraemer of Ecologic moderated the debate about the question, how the traditional form of urban utility management can remain a successful model for the provision of good conditions for environmental, social and economic development in towns and cities.Read more

Publication

Urban Sprawl in Europe - The Ignored Challenge

Between 1990 and 2000 alone, more than 800,000 hectares were built on in Europe. This phenomenon is due to changing lifestyles more than increased population. The amount of space consumed per person has more than doubled over the past 50 years. Today, more than a quarter of the EU's territory has been directly affected by urban sprawl, according to a study by the European Environment Agency, which also suggests potential policies to combat the trend. R. Andreas Kraemer, Director Ecologic, was consulted as an external expert throughout the develoment of the report. Read more

Publication

Einsame Landschaften – Blühende Städte

Since 1950 about the same amount of land was taken into usage for settlement and transport as in the entire history in Germany before. Although the population is decreasing, increases in demand for improved living conditions and growing rates of single households will continue land development. While ecological disadvantages of urban sprawl were recognised long ago, there could also appear – under conditions of population decrease – devastating economic and social consequences.
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Publication

Unterm Strich. Erbschaften und Erblasten für das Deutschland von morgen.

Eine Generationenbilanz

Germany is facing great societal changes. In many regions, Germany’s population is shrinking and work forces are decreasing. Demographic change is challenging Germany, leading to economic and social shifts and creating new social divisions in many regions and cities. While a growing population has long been understood as a threat to the environment, it is now clear that a shrinking population does not automatically improve the environmental situation. "The Bottom Line", edited by Volker Hauff and Günther Bachmann, with contributions from Ecologic and the Berlin-Institute, examines the assets and debts of Germany‘s future inheritance. Read more

Presentation

Speech

Cities

Water

Urban Water Management: Case Studies Berlin and Emscher region

TimeLoc

4 May 2006

Milan

Italy

Nadine Herbke

The Università Luigi Bocconi organised a conference on behalf of the Milan municipality to analyse Milan's wastewater treatment system as regards sustainability issues, organisational models and future challenges. The conference took place on 4 May 2006. Researchers from around Europe presented five case studies on European experience with wastewater management in urban areas. Ecologic Fellow Nadine Herbke presented the results of the Berlin and Emscher case studies.

Further case studies analysed the answers of Paris, Birmingham and Porto to the challenges of urban wastewaterRead more

Presentation

Transatlantic Program

RhineNet - Linking-up the public for sustainable water management in the Rhine basin

TimeLoc

18 March 2006

Mexico City

Mexico

Nicole Kranz

The RhineNet project, a multi-stakeholder initiative to foster sustainable water management through strengthening public participation in the Rhine basin, was featured as a local action at the World Water Forum held in Mexico City in March 2006. Nicole Kranz, Fellow with Ecologic, presented the key aspects and lessons learned of RhineNet on behalf of the entire project team in a session organized by the International Network of Basin Organization (INBO) on “Users’ and public participation and common cause in basin management“.Read more

Event

Life at a Tipping Point – Legislative climate policies at the state level

TimeLoc

16 March 2006

Berlin

Germany

Speaker

Jim Marzilli

The US energy and climate policy – particularly political dynamics at the sub-national level – was the topic of the Transatlantic Climate Dinner in honour of Jim Marzilli. Since 1990, Marzilli has been campaigning for environmental- and energy-sector reforms in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Against the backdrop of increasingly dynamic climate and energy policy debates, the participants discussed the potential for reforms as well as possible hurdles at the city and state levels. The Transatlantic Climate Dinner took place on March 16, 2006 in Berlin. Read more

Project

Cities

Water

Evaluation of Sustainability of Sewerage Systems in Metropolitan Areas: Emscher and Berlin Case Studies

February 2006 to May 2006

This project aimed at realising a comparative evaluation of the development of urban wastewater systems against the background of the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD). This evaluation was based on five case studies undertaken as part of the project and discussed at an international conference in Milan on 4 May 2006. An expected result was to gain knowledge on the technological, economic, management and institutional consequences arising from a shift from an approach dominated by point-source emission standards to one focusing on the good ecological standards of water bodies. Ecologic undertook two of the case studies, one being on the Emscher Region and one on Berlin. Read more

Presentation

Review of the Benchmarking Practice in the Water Sector – Selected Country Cases

TimeLoc

28 January 2005

Kiev

Ukraine

Nicole Kranz

On occasion of a dissemination seminar held in the context of the Waterbench-Project on ‚Water Utility Performance Benchmarking in Ukraine‘ Nicole Kranz spoke about selected benchmarking and performance indicator systems, best practice and experience from an international perspective. More than 20 participants representing utilities, municipalities, research institutions, government, administration and NGOs from all regions of Ukraine attended the seminar jointly organised with the Municipal Development Institute, Kiev and the State Committee on Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine.Read more

Project

Evaluation of the Commission's urban Cooperation Framework

August 2004 to February 2005

Together with the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) London and the Institute for European Policy Prague, Ecologic is evaluating the European Co-operation Framework to promote Urban Sustainable Development. A midterm review of the co-operation framework is being undertaken. On this basis the Commission will decide on its future design.

The co-operation framework to promote Urban Sustainable Development aims to provide financial and technical support to networks of local authorities for the exchange of good practice in relation to urban sustainable development.
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