A commitment to sustainable development which can meet the needs of today's society without jeopardising the well-being of future generations forms part of the strategy of most institutions, organisations and businesses in the public and private spheres, internationally, nationally and also locally. This commitment involves adopting an integrated approach to economic, social and environmental aspects in order to confront such key challenges facing our modern society as climate change and the energy model, sustainable transport, conservation and the management of natural resources, and social cohesion.
Within this context the European Union in 2006 redrafted its Strategy for Sustainable Development, while the member states have also devised their own strategies, Spain approving its latest version in November 2007. Catalonia's Strategic Accord for Internationalisation, Quality Employment and Competitivity of the Catalan Economy, 2008-2011, meanwhile, includes among its basic principles a plan of measures for sustainable development integrating the environment and economic activity, in terms of both reducing environmental impacts and taking advantage of the challenge of sustainability as a factor for economic development.
The city of Barcelona has been working along these lines for some years now, beginning with the Agenda 21 process in the 1990s, through its support for the Citizens' Commitment to sustainability, signed by more than 400 companies and organisations, and setting out 10 targets for sustainable development over the period 2002-2012. Within this context the Action Plan for Organisations and Businesses implements specific measures in the field. In addition, the city's Energy Agency has for a number of years been operating its Barcelona Energy Improvement Plan, prioritising energy savings, energy efficiency, the use and knowledge of renewable energy sources and improvements in environmental quality. Moreover, the inclusion of sustainable criteria in plans for urban transformation, such as the HVAC systems of the 22@ district and the Free Zone Marina, along with the progress made in sustainable mobility, with initiatives such as the Bicing cycle rental scheme, all serve as examples of the city's commitment to sustainability.
The Barcelona Observatory has once again compiled indicators for the urban environment regarding sustainable transport, green areas and selective waste collection based on information drawn from the Urban Ecosystem Europe 2007 project. One new feature in this edition is the presentation of the indicator for water consumption per inhabitant, thereby highlighting the growing sensitivity to water savings and efficiency both in the city and across the nation.
Meanwhile, the commitment of the business world in Spain to environmental sustainability was underpinned in 2007 by the country's positioning as the number one in Europe, and the third worldwide, in obtaining ISO 14001 environmental quality accreditations. From the perspective of the energy model, however, positive aspects such as the increase in the relative weighting of renewable energies within the total mix of consumption are accompanied by high levels of energy dependency and the need to continue to make progress in the field of energy efficiency nationwide.
The environmental sensibilities of Barcelona, along with its proven organisational capacity, are behind its choice as the site for the 2009 Carbon Expo, the main trade fair event worldwide focusing on the control of carbon emissions, in its first edition to be held outside Germany. This should be viewed in a particularly positive light, as an example of Barcelona's active role in measures being taken within the urban context in order to help face up to the challenges raised by climate change.
Final mention should be made of the fact that in 2008 Barcelona was for the eleventh year running rated the city with the best quality of life in Europe by Cushman & Wakefield, an indicator which remains one of the city's greatest assets for both its residents and in attracting tourists, companies and professionals.
|
