Brussels, 02/10/2006 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament believes that the urban environmental strategy, presented by the European Commission in January 2006 in an effort to improve the quality of life of European citizens living in cities (80%), is a very good thing, but that it does not go far enough.
By adopting the own-initiative report of Gyula Hegyi (PES, Hungary) on 26 September, the Strasbourg assembly has voted by 448 votes (48 against with 110 abstentions) for taking action EU wide in an effort to improve the global environmental performance of Europe's cities, as well as to make implementation of environmental policies more effective and encourage environmental planning measures at a local level. MEPs consider that in the absence of measures and deadlines that are legally binding, the Commission's strategy will not be enough to reach the objectives as set out in the 6th Environmental Action Programme. Parliament hopes that the Commission and national authorities encourage all agglomerations of more than 100,000 inhabitants to implement a sustainable urban management programme (SUMP) and a sustainable urban transport programme (SUTP). MEPs highlight the need to encourage wider use of public transport in urban zones and are calling on Member States to make the funding of projects that implement “sustainable management and transport plans” a priority. Member States are being called on to make efforts, in cooperation with the local authorities, to re-orientate in city centres, at least 5% of passenger numbers/kilometre towards sustainable modes of transport, such as shared transport and bicycles.
According to the Parliament, it would be advisable to define an objective of “green surface area per inhabitant” and include it in the urban plans. MEPs affirm that planning urban changes, developing green zones and urban construction projects should integrate the need for vast natural areas that can help “bring citizens closer to nature”. In the same way, it would be useful for urban planning to contain a study on urban climate in answer to the problems involving the lack of natural ventilation during very hot periods and high levels of air pollution.
MEPs hope that the EU allocates funds to Member States to enable them to reconvert buildings and neighbourhoods and that Member States take into account, during town changes, the needs of the most vulnerable users, by reducing the maximum speed allowed on roads, with the goal of reducing the number of deaths on the roads by 50% by 2010.
Air pollution is one of the main causes of health problems in the EU. MEPs are therefore calling on the Commission to publish orientations on the application of the “Ambient Air Quality and Cleaner Air for Europe” Directive and by guaranteeing that it is scrupulously implemented.