Transcript Accidents and habitat and Urban Environment Strategy Antoaneta Yoveva,

Accidents and habitat
and Urban
Environment Strategy
Antoaneta Yoveva,
SWF, Bulgaria
EU Policy documents
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THEMATIC STRATEGY ON THE URBAN
ENVIRONMENT
http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/urban/thematic_strategy.h
tm#language_versions
http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/urban/home_en.htm

Road Safety Action Plan
www.etsc.be
 CEHAPE
2002 - 2010
THEMATIC STRATEGY ON THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT –
Stages
The European Commission has developed the strategy according to the
following steps:
1. June 2003 - The organisation of a multi-stakeholder platform bringing
together actors with an interest in urban policy (local authorities, NGOs,
business sector and academics) to debate how the Thematic Strategy may
contribute to the improvement of the environmental efficiency of urban areas
and to secure a healthy living environment for citizens.
2. Jan 2004 - Commission Communication "Towards a Thematic Strategy on
the Urban Environment" issued for comments.
3. Throughout 2004 – Meetings of stakeholders at EU Expert Group on the
Urban Environment. Also meetings of three special working groups on
environmental management plans, sustainable urban transport plans and
urban environment research and training needs.
4. End 2004 - Working group reports with recommendations for the Thematic
Strategy.
5. July 2005 - A proposal for a Council and European Parliament Decision on
a Thematic Strategy on the Urban Environment will be presented to the
Council and the European Parliament.
Content

Sustainable construction
methods & techniques
 Urban
design
 Sustainable
Urban Management
 Sustainable
Urban Transport
1. Sustainable construction
methods & techniques
Some of the most relevant recommendations included in this report
are:
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Compliance and responsibility to the Kyoto
Protocol commitments.
Public money to be spent on projects that
respect the requirements of sustainable
construction
Development of Horizontal Standardised
Methods for the Assessment of the Integrated
Environmental Performance of Buildings
Taxes and all other regulatory mechanisms used
to help motivate the stakeholders to achieve
more sustainable construction
1.Sustainable construction methods &
techniques
 The
use of resources to become more
sustainable - decentralised utility systems
(recycling of grey water, energy
production, for waste collection)
 Education and awareness raising
campaigns must prepare all relevant
actors to achieve a more sustainable built
environment and a more efficient use of
the built environment
1.Sustainable construction methods & techniques
Objectives due to be defined at the European institutions level
and adapted to each member state’s reality in terms of
climate:
 Improve indoor and outdoor air quality;
 Improve indoor and outdoor comfort conditions (thermal,
acoustic and visual);
 Improve the energy efficiency of buildings by implementing
appropriate construction methods and techniques (passive
solar design) internalising the best of the local climate
conditions;
 Reduce CO2 emissions per capita and per sector;
 Integrate renewable energy systems (active solar and wind)
and energy management systems for permanent
monitoring;
 Specify systems to maximise efficiency in operation, making
room for flexible performance
 Reduce waste and facilitate waste separation;
 Reduce water demand and implement grey water recycling
systems at the local level;
 Reduce running and maintenance costs;
 Minimise impact on bio-diversity.
ICLEI's Guide to Environmental Management for Local Authorities in Central and
Eastern Europe
Volume 16
Building Construction
and Maintenance
Antoaneta Yoveva, SWF, architect
1996
2. Urban design
The three main thematic objectives that this
report addresses are:
 Re-designing and retro-fitting existing
urban areas to support sustainable
development
 Sustainable design for greenfield sites
 Knitting the urban fabric together to
achieve an integrated city wide vision,
including viewing urban areas in relation
to their hinterlands
2. Urban design
Key urban design themes as the focus of policy objectives, legislation,
targets, guidance and research
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the re-use and regeneration of urban land
density of new development
location of new development – relation to public
transport and other accessibility factors
design of green structures and city landscape
streets and movement structure (pedestrian and
cycle environment, public spaces, public transport)
promoting mixed uses
designing for affordable housing
accessible public amenities and services for all
social groups;
appropriate conservation, renovation and use/reuse of cultural heritage
sustainable, high quality architecture and building
technologies
2.
Urban
design
An appropriate urban density must allow for:
Efficient public transport systems
 Affordable urban infrastructures and services
 Easy access to collective facilities.
 Creating community identity.
In order to achieve the former objectives, the following
actions should be taken:
- Increase density in urban sprawl areas so as to
avoid excessive land consumption;
- Consider the use of ‘maximum standards’ to
discourage low-density developments.
- Adjust density in central areas to maintain
acceptable quality of life levels.
- Preserve green areas among existing and new urban
areas.
- Develop decentralised nodes in large urban areas.
- Use available technologies to adjust densities to
quality of life.
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3. Sustainable Urban Management
Most of the recommendations for the EC concern funding
initiatives, due to be accomplished either in framework of
existing programmes.
 Dissemination and Promotion of Good Practice and
Methods (Integrated Urban Local Plans by means of
Local Agenda 21 Sustainable Cities Campaign)
 Promoting the key role of active national policies as
political and financial measures supporting Local Agenda
21 approaches and methods.
 Good practice demonstration networks/handbooks to
spread information on available tools.
 Dissemination of information on LA21 and EMAS as
urban management tools by strengthening the support
given to networks of local and regional authorities,
 Facilitating the exchange of information and through
awards, eco-labelling and benchmarking. Training actions
of both local authorities and representatives of NGOs
should be part of this dissemination
3. Sustainable Urban Management
– Building Institutional Capacity – Increase
institutional capacity of local institutions
through Structural Funds and other forms of
financial support, environmental policies and
regulatory activities
– A Sustainable Cities Civic Leadership
Programme for local government officials and
politicians should be sponsored
– Adoption of urban environment management
systems (EMAS)
– MS to introduce Cumulative Impact Assessment
and Territorial Impact Assessment as part of
the impact assessment practices through the
provision of guidance
– Proposed An Urban Environment Framework
Directive
4. Sustainable Urban Transport
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Air and Noise Pollution
Air pollution levels, especially sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulates, and
hydrocarbons, have been falling, and continue to fall, in many western European cities,
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Safety
In the accession countries, traffic accidents are rising, and a decoupling between traffic growth and
accidents still needs to be realised. Urban areas play a critical role in traffic accidents
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Health
Vehicle emissions, such as carbon monoxide, fine particulates, hydrocarbons,nitrogen
oxides, and sulphur oxides have severe effects on health. The whole range of effects
includes premature death, illnesses, medical care, and reduced physical activity
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Administration
inefficient integration between locally managed urban public transport
and urban road systems and often nationally managed railway and highway systems,
or the interactions between private and public sector involvement
4. Sustainable Urban Transport
Flexibility is a key condition given the
uncertainty of the future. Overall, the EC
should take action by:
 establishing a clear EU vision on
sustainable urban transport, and this
vision should be consistent throughout all
EU institutions and EU funding;
 creating a framework for action, and
offering guidance to promote sustainable
urban transport at the local level.
4. Sustainable Urban Transport
Specific recommendations to the EC for the
following target areas:
 Policy Coherence at the EU level;
 Sustainable Urban Transport Plans;
 Financial Policies;
 Monitoring of Progress Towards Policy
Objectivesby
 Using Indicators and Conducting Impact
Assessment;
 EC Policy Initiatives;
 Improved Governance;
 Dissemination of Good Practices and Knowledge;
 Promoting Awareness about Sustainable Urban
Transport.
Sofia map with biking lanes
With a bike to school
project of SWF - 2002
Road Safety Action Plan
2002 - 2010
31st May 2001 the EC launched its Consultation paper on a
3rd Road Safety Action Plan covering the period 20022010 and sent its document to large sample of stakeholders
responsible for road safety policy :
man, vehicle, infrastructure.
RSAP ‘s content include sections on:
 key road safety problems facing the EU
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ways to develop a global and shared road safety vision
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setting of casualty reduction targets
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strategy to achieve them
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EU long-term action programme
The basic priorities RSAP refer to:
setting of targets to reduce casualties,
 elaboration of EU best practice guidelines,
 safety investments,
 secure better compliance with road
safety rules,
 user training and testing standards,
 use of safety equipment,
 safer vehicles and roads,
 safer professional goods transport,
 post-accident care and the accident and
injury data gathering and analysis
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The success of these actions depends
on their way of implementation
 integrated approach,
 systematic and continuous effort with
adequate budget,
 active participation of road users
and authorities
 quantitative monitoring of safety
level and measures implementation
and performance
CEHAPE
 Regional
Priority Goal I –
to prevent and significantly reduce
the morbidity and mortality arising
from gastrointestinal disorders and
other health effects, by ensuring that
adequate measures are taken to
improve access to safe and
affordable water and adequate
sanitation for all children.
CEHAPE
Regional Priority Goal II
–to prevent and substantially
reduce health consequences
from accidents and injuries and
pursue a decrease in morbidity
from lack of adequate physical
activity, by promoting safe,
secure and supportive human
settlements for all children.
CEHAPE
Regional Priority Goal III
– to prevent and reduce respiratory
disease due to outdoor and indoor air
pollution, thereby contributing to a
reduction in the frequency of
asthmatic attacks, in order to ensure
that children can live in an
environment with clean air.
CEHAPE
Regional Priority Goal IV
- to reduce the risk of disease and
disability arising from exposure
to hazardous chemicals (such as
heavy metals), physical agents
(e.g. excessive noise) and
biological agents and to
hazardous working environments
during pregnancy, childhood and
adolescence
Further Opportunities at European Level
European Car Free Day – 22nd September
http://www.22september.org/info/en/camp.html
European Mobility Week - 16-22nd September
http://www.22september.org/
Cities and Towns Campaign (which implements
the Aalbourg Charter - Local Agenda 21)
http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/urban/aalborg.htm
Urban Green Days
http://www.urbangreendays.org/