If there is anything to be learned from the ‘Gilets Jaunes’ protest in France, is that social innovation should accompany environmental policymaking. Policies will have little effect without the acceptance and understanding of the people directly affected by the changes. Much of the climate change discourse centers on wide-scale economic, social and cultural change –
Now, as we seem to have moved beyond the peak of the first large coronavirus/COVID-19 wave in Europe and the dramatic death toll is decreasing, people and economic stakeholders are beginning to push for a fast reduction of restrictions as a way back to a new normal. This new normal will have to account for
Dear ICLEI friends and colleagues, Cities are taking the lead when it comes to pushing the sustainable agenda. This was emphasized last April in Bilbao, Spain, where the Basque Declaration was approved at the 8th European Sustainable Cities & Towns Conference. The declaration focuses on accelerating the socio-cultural, socio-economic and technological transformation of our cities