Brussels, 16/01/2006 (Agence Europe) - Poor air quality, high levels of traffic and congestion, urban sprawl, ambient noise, greenhouse gas emissions and generation and disposal of waste: - most European towns have to come to grips with a number of such environmental challenges. The Thematic Strategy for the Urban Environment presented by the European Commission (EUROPE 9109) aims to answer the growing concerns caused by these environmental problems in towns, given the harmful effect that they have on human health, the quality of life of citizens and the economic performance of the towns themselves.
Community legislation already tackles a number of such problems (mainly thanks to the fixing of targets and limit values applicable to the different atmospheric pollutants via the obligation imposed on Member States to implement action plans to reduce citizens' exposure to noise, and legislation on waste management and the processing of residual urban waste, etc.), and local authorities are the best placed to resolve such problems. Nonetheless, the Commission notes that the local authorities with the best results follow integrated approaches for managing the urban environment, with the adoption of long-term strategic action plans which give a detailed analysis of the links between different polices and obligations at different administrative levels (national, regional, local). On this basis, the thematic strategy proposed is not a substitute for action by Member States or local authorities and does not contain any new legislation. Its aim is to take advantage of EU policies, the most appropriate level for promoting and diffusing European good practice.
“Europe's cities should be sustainable and offer a high quality of life so that people want to live and work in them and businesses want to invest there. The Thematic Strategy on the Urban Environment works with Member States to help regional and local authorities learn from one another about measures that are particularly effective in improving the environmental performance of our cities”, Stavros Dimas, Environment Commissioner commented.
The thematic strategy, which is included in the sixth action programme for the environment (2002-2012), is based on the following measures:
Publication by the Commission of guidance on integrated environmental management and on sustainable urban transport plans for local authorities. These guidelines will be based on consultation with the Member States and will draw on the experience of performant cities, expert views and the results of demonstration research projects within the LIFE programme (financial instrument for the environment) and the CIVITAS initiative, and will facilitate the full implementation of Community legislation.
Training. A number of Community programmes will provide opportunities for training and capacity-building for local authorities to develop the skills needed for managing the urban environment.
Support for EU-wide exchange of best practices. Consideration will be given for the establishment of a new European programme to exchange knowledge and experience on urban issues under the new Cohesion Policy. The Commission will closely cooperate with Member States and local authorities. The work will be based on a pilot network of focal points on urban issues (European Knowledge Platform), which offers advice to local authorities across Europe.
Commission internet portal for local authorities. The feasibility of creating a new internet portal for local authorities on the Europa website will be explored to provide better access to the latest information.The Thematic Strategy for the Urban Environment is the fifth of seven strategies foreseen in the sixth action programme for the environment.
Thematic strategies on air pollution, the prevention and recycling of waste, and the sustainable use of resources have already been presented. The thematic strategy on soil and that on the sustainable use of pesticides are still awaited.