Sustainable Cities™ at the centre of democracy.

“Ladies and gentlemen, climate change is the most formidable problem which we as collected humanity face in the 21th century,” Giddens said telling we are creating a “dangerous world” if we do not take action. Both small and big nations must take action to create a political framework and bilateral deals. “Only those who are environmentally progressive will be competitive,” Giddens said a couple of months ago at the World Climate Solution conference in the Bella Centre, Copenhagen (29. September, 2010). During the last 50 years the main goal in city planning has been concerned with creating efficient and easy accessible cities. The focus has been put on community infrastructure like sewers, roads, electrical, gas and water utilities and other aspects of the physical ‘build’ structures. These planning strategies have had a large number of unintended consequences and negative impact on the social and natural life of cities and people living in these cities.

For at least the past two decades scientists have provided an enormous wealth of facts that all point to the urgent need of changing the way our world functions so that we won’t wreck our environment and society. If we are not prepared for these changes and challenges that we will be facing, this could have significant implications for both nature and humanity at all levels of society. The question is: How do we create livable and sustainable cities? What are the barriers and what challenges are we facing in the 21.Century? 2. November 2010, a conference on Sustainable cities hosted by the Danish Board of Technology, the Environment – and Planning Committee and Sustainable Cities™ was held at Christiansborg Palace, the centre of Danish democracy. By the conference the Board of Technology aims to create a framework for an important dialog between central politicians, stakeholders and other experts on the field of planning and municipal official in Denmark.

The target is a common understanding of obstacles and challenges towards a sustainable future, and sharing knowledge and best-practice experiences about the possible solutions and limitations in mobilizing of sustainable (green) initiatives, strategies and planning approaches that apply for cities and municipalities in Denmark. The Danish Board of Technology finds it necessary to set up a large-scale project about how a sustainable city or municipality can look like and what it will take to create it. The social, economic and environmental challenges in Denmark are growing. The question is how we can unite the powers nationally and regionally and the interests from related fields in formulating both short- and long-term strategies to encourage the development of sustainable cities. The idea and goal of the conference is to discuss and evaluate what it will take – in terms of technology, organization and planning – for the cities and municipalities to adapt to a 100% renewable energy system, and what the consequences are for the citizens’ daily life, the environment, the health, the welfare and the society as a hole.

Central to the conference was to frame a platform from where sustainable initiatives can begin based on the best available technology and more importantly peoples, planners and politicians will to think interdisciplinary and act according to these new changes and demands. Ida Auken (SF), Member of Folketinget and Chairman of Folketingets Environment – and Planning Committee, was the first speaker of the day outlining the framework of the conference and the Committees aims for a future ‘sustainable cities act’. The moderator Anna Esbjørn Hess, project leader from Sustainable Cities™ introduced the conferences key guest speakers beginning with the experienced Danish architect Jan Gehl. Gehl presented a holistic perspective on cities and planning as such based on his unique methodology, which is derived from on the principle that people’s priorities and actions are the most important driver in the planning process for cities. The study of people’s well-being, interventions and actions lays the foundation for the formation of strategic planning and design work in every work by Jan Gehl Architects.

This perspective stands in opposition to the second speaker, the radical ‘starchitect’ Bjarke Ingels formally known as BIG, who often describes himself as a “midwife of the continuous rebirth of the city” rather than being an actual creator of the build environment. Thus, one could argue that Jan Gehl is a “low-tech urbanist” and Bjarke, more closely related to a “high-tech alchemist”, who aims to combine rather absurd technological ideas in order to create more value. Both Gehl and BIG were invited to the conference on Sustainable Cities to provide an introduction to their different perspectives and experiences in the field of (sustainable) urban development. However, given the fact that they represents to rather contradictive approaches to architecture and urban planning, Gehl and BIG surprised everyone at the conference acting like old companions. Generally this friendly and open-minded notion applied for the entire conference. One could say that we have already come a long way in developing sustainable cities, especially here in Denmark, yet one could argue that the work has barely begun.

From the western part of Jutland to the metropolitan area of Copenhagen, from the northern area of Frederikshavn to the southern Sønderborg City there is a will to take action. Sadly the main barrier in order to implement new technologies and work bilateral with private businesses is centralized legislation, outdated regulations, and an overall lack of governmental support. The country, the municipalities and the cities of Denmark are changing simultaneously – the local politicians, planners, and enterprises are all ready taking action. And still the Danish government does not enact a comprehensive policy that applies for the (sustainable) city at large and the development of it. The national policymakers ought to step it up in order for Denmark to remain its position as a global green pioneer for developing sustainable cities and generating green growth. The conference on sustainable cities is major a step in the right direction and hopefully it will lead to a concrete sustainable cities act. We are crossing our fingers and looking forward to see the outcome of the conference.