33 



presented a diagnosis of the threats and weaknesses of 
European cities. In this chapter we point to the potential 
strengths and opportunities in European cities and we 
present scenarios for our Cities of tomorrow which are both 
desirable and possible. 

3.2. The diverse, cohesive 
and attractive city 
3.2.1. The potential of diversity 
Increasing immigration flows, an ageing population, 
a multiplication of real and virtual communities, and 
increasing economic, social and spatial segregation 
may lead to fragmentation of cities with isolated local 
communities, a loss of social cohesion and the formation 
of ghettos of all forms, both rich and poor. The challenge 
for the Cities of tomorrow lies in breaking the segregation 
and turning the diversity into a creative force for innovation, 
growth and well-being. 

Socio-economic, ethnic and cultural diversity may have 
positive effects on social cohesion, economic performance 
and social mobility. Much depends on the perspective on 
diversity, and whether we regard the city as a cluster of 
problems or as a place of freedom and creativity. The urban 

population – especially migrants – must not be looked on 
as a burden and source of deficit but as an opportunity. 
There is a positive correlation between the proportion of 
foreigners and urban economic wealth,84 which may be 
explained both by immigrants’ attraction to economically 
wealthy cities, and by the economic opportunities created 
by diversity. 

Although successful integration is very dependent on 
national policies and regulation, cities have a key role to 
play in countering the negative effects and stimulating 
the positive effects to fully exploit the potential creativity 
and innovation that may stem from diversity. There are 
strong links to be exploited between the diversity and 
social and territorial cohesion of a city and its economic 
competitiveness and attractiveness. Cooperation across 
ethnic, socio-professional and socio-cultural boundaries, 
as well as across territorial boundaries within cities, needs 
to be encouraged. Social initiatives are needed to improve 
social relations and improve access to the potential 
opportunities of a diverse city. 

Diversity is about culture, identity, history and heritage. 
People form the core of cities; cities need to be designed 
for all citizens and not just for the elite, for the tourists, or 
for the investors. People should be regarded as the key city 
asset and not as a demographic or social problem.85 

84 Second ‘State of European Cities Report’, pp.15–16. 
85 Boraine, Andrew, Presentation of Cities of tomorrow, March 2011. 
34 



Cities of tomorrow -Challenges, visions, ways forward 

A vision of the diverse city86 

The main principle on which the diverse city is based, is not 
only the Socratic ‘Gnothi seauton’ (‘know thyself’) which 
was inscribed in the pronaos of the Temple of Apollo at 
Delphi, but also ‘know each other’. We need to work on 
strategies for mutual knowledge between all cultures 
present in the city: European and non-European cultures, 
middle-class and working-class culture (and poverty 
cultures, which are not necessarily ‘poor cultures’), ‘high’ 
and ‘low’ culture, and especially specific youth cultures. 

In the diverse city, there are no ghettos or gated 
communities, and there is no strict delimitation of 
territories according to different cultural or ethnic 
origins. Diverse cities look like Montreal at the end of 
the twentieth century with its many ‘ethnic villages’ 

– neighbourhoods with symbols of cultural identity 
(restaurants, grocery shops). In some other cities, there 
is a cultural and ethnic mix and dwellings reflecting 
different cultures87, while cultural diversity is reflected 
by public places and by shops that are, if not owned, 
then operated by people from all over the globe. In any 
of those shops, you may find a range of products that 
reflect different habits (cooking, dressing) and lifestyles. 
In a diverse city, public spaces become meeting places 
in the broadest sense: from just observing each other 
to physical meetings, interaction and communication 

and further, to forums where questions affecting the 
way the city spends its budget can be discussed openly 
as people have their say in public budgeting exercises. 

In a diverse city, solidarity is organised not only top-
down – through imposing a middle-of-the-road cultural 
framework or through a generalised system of CCTV 

– but also, and even more, bottom-up, by facilitating 
and stimulating common projects for urban dwellers. 
This shift would also reduce the need for vertical social 
control, and old forms of horizontal social control could 
be restored. Information and communication technologies 
play an important role as people use them to express 
their creativity and to communicate about their culture; 
in some extreme cases, ‘to make sure that we’re talking 
with each other in a way that heals, not in a way that 
wounds’(speech by President Obama inTucson). 
In a diverse city, the different spatial and social 
perspectives that people have are respected. In the 
eyes of city dwellers, there is no such thing as one 
city: it resembles a kaleidoscope of views. The city is 
perceived differently by different people and they 
will use the ‘urban fabric’ accordingly. They will differ 
in their selection of places to avoid (because they are 
considered unsafe or ugly), places to prefer (cafés, 
shops, public spaces, museums), or trajectories to 
follow (to reach their destination and/or because of 
the presence of those preferred spots). 

3.2.2. Turningdiversityintoadynamic asset 
Immigration and diversity are sources of wealth creation. 

Immigration and immigrants or ethnic minorities such as Roma 
people are often used to fuel political divisions. In times of 
crisis they are blamed for causing a drain on local tax resources, 

stealing jobs from the locals, undercutting wages, bringing 
criminality and insecurity to neighbourhoods, etc. Their key 
role in stimulating growth is easily forgotten.88 It is important 
to realise the potential value of each and every group and 
how they contribute to urban growth, i.e. to build wealth on 
different communities’ cultural assets and differences. 

86 Builds on the presentation and inputs by Jan Vranken (Antwerp University). 
87 For example, the Roma houses with their very unique architectural style, cf. presentation by Berescu, Catalin, 
Workshop 1 Cities of tomorrow – Urban challenges, Brussels, June 2010. 

88 
‘In 2008, 36.4% of the [New York] city’s population and 42% of its work force were immigrants. According to a recent report by the state 
controller, New York City immigrants accounted for $ 215 billion in economic activity in 2008, 32% of the gross city product (GCP). 
Immigration’s contribution to the GCP increased by 61% from 2000 to 2008, indicating a high workforce participation rate 
and growth in wages. Immigrants are also starting a greater share of new businesses than native-born residents, 
revitalising commercial districts in every city neighbourhood.’ Article by E.R. Fuchs, Columbia University, 
in Crain’s New York Business, Feb. 8–14, 2010. 


Some cities are already turning growing diversity into a driver 
for growth and social progress. The Open Cities URBACT 
project87 aims to develop strategies to attract and integrate 
qualified migrants. However, cities hit by economic crisis 
may have difficulties in pursuing such strategies, especially 
if their population considers migration not as an asset but as 
a risk for local employment. The diverse city is an attractive city. 
Diversity is not just about ethnic or geographic origin; it is 
also about social diversity and different cultural expressions. 

3.2.3. Ensuringacityfor all – thecohesivecity 
The cohesive city is not necessarily a city with complete equality 
and a homogenous population, but a city where everybody 

is welcome and their integrity is respected. The question of 
poorer or more affordable neighbourhoods must be seen in 
the context of diversity and inclusion. Overly homogenous 
neighbourhoods may not welcome alternative lifestyles and 
may be detrimental to creativity. Diversity needs be stimulated 
in a context of interaction and respect and some cities apply 
social mix strategies, for example tenure interventions in the 
housing sector. 

To evolve from tolerance to respect – from cohesion within 
the group to cohesion within the larger city and society – is 
one of the major challenges that the Cities of tomorrow face. 

‘Perhaps the most important question for the future of 
European cities is the following: how are cohesion and 

A vision of the creative city 

Living art and culture are clearly visible in the creative 
city. There is a rich and diverse cultural supply offered by 
both established art institutions and grass-roots artistic 
groups and movements. 

Culture is the way inhabitants ‘live’ their city: their use 
of public spaces, street art, gastronomy, community 
events, festivals – these are all assets that contribute to 
a lively cultural life. It manifests itself in various forms, 
from creative use of public spaces to distinct urban furniture 
and street lighting. Cultural expression is encouraged. 

Within the creative city, culture is mainstreamed into the 
provision of public services. Distinct urban design and 
labelling systems help identify places. The dominance 
of messages from the private sector (advertisements) is 
counterbalanced and replaced by the increased visibility of 
public and community amenities and services. Such visibility 
may benefit from unified urban orientation systems. Urban 
legends and stories, which are all place-specific and help to 
‘make’a place, are also visualised by statuettes, messages or 
signs on the asphalt. 


In the creative city, entrepreneurship by newcomers will be 
encouraged not only as an economic resource but also as 
a cultural challenge, represented in social events, and in a 
constant political and cultural effort to weave links not only 
within communities, but also with the rest of the world. 

87 http://urbact.eu/en/projects/human-capital-entrepreneurship/open-cities/homepage/. 

36 



Cities of tomorrow -Challenges, visions, ways forward 

exclusion, polarisation and diversity related to tolerance and 
respect between the people and groups that are living in, 
working in, and visiting our cities? We define tolerance as 
the absence of conflicts between individuals and groups, 
and respect as a concept that relates to a more active attitude 
with a much more positive connotation than tolerance. 
Do, for example, more social contacts between individuals 
of different social groups also imply that these individuals 
will develop a different perspective on these groups (less 
stereotyped, more tolerance or perhaps even respect)?’90 

The fight against deprivation must not jeopardise diversity 
and social mobility. Cities have to achieve a fine balance 
between eradicating poverty and deprivation and 
providing affordable housing and neighbourhoods that 
can accommodate alternative lifestyles. There is a need to 
avoid stigmatising deprived neighbourhoods and also to 
understand their functional role as transitional spaces for 
newcomers, for young people and for other less affluent 
groups that cannot afford to live in cities’ more wealthy areas. 
A big challenge for urban policy is to ensure this function 

The importance of social and public housing 

Public support schemes for housing are prominent in 
many cities. ‘Integrated strategies to address housing 
exclusion and homelessness have an important role to play 
in post-crisis policies, with a view to build cohesive and 
environmentally sustainable societies […] Concentrations 
of housing exclusion and homelessness can only be 
addressed through housing and urban regeneration 
programmes to promote sustainable communities and 
social mix.’91 In most Member States, municipalities are 
responsible for implementing social housing programmes 
to ensure access to adequate housing for all. In some 
countries, such as Sweden and Austria, the size of the 
municipal housing stock is significant (21% and 14% of 
the national housing stock respectively). In France, a law 
obliges municipalities with more than 3500 inhabitants 
to provide at least 20% social housing.92 

of transitional space, without letting neighbourhoods 
turn into dead-end streets with no social mobility and no 
cohesion with the rest of the city. This question is important 
for the integration of newcomers, for the possibility of young 
people born in the city finding their own first dwellings 
and for the cultural and social diversity of the city. 

3.2.4. Eradicating energy poverty 
and spatialexclusion 
Ninety per cent of social housing consists of buildings in 
need of refurbishment. These buildings often have low 
energy efficiency with many tenants living in fuel poverty. 
Better energy efficiency is key to alleviating the poverty of 
the most vulnerable, while increasing the quality of life for 
all citizens. Cities are faced with the challenge of upgrading 
existing housing stock and finding the most adequate 
solutions, while knowing that systems will evolve. Solutions, 
therefore, need to be flexible, cost-effective and sustainable. 
Energy efficiency may play a particular role in cities of 


90 Vranken, Jan, issue paper, Brussels, 2010. 
91 European Commission, Joint Report on Social Protection and Social Inclusion, 2010. http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=757&langId=en. 
92 CECODHAS, contribution to Cities of tomorrow, June 2010, and CECODHAS Housing Europe, Review of Housing Systems 


in the EU, 2011, forthcoming. 


EU-12 Member States where there are still a number of 
large housing estates with very high energy consumption. 
In some countries, flats have been privatised, resulting in a 
lack of effective collective management and very few or no 
resources for renovation. 

The modernisation of physical space is a necessary but 
insufficient condition for guaranteeing quality of life and 
neighbourhoods and cities with long-term sustainability. 
Other physical investments are as important for fighting 
exclusion as those directed towards energy efficiency. 
Accessibility to public transport and services and the 
availability and quality of public spaces and shopping areas, 
are other very important factors for inclusion and quality 
of life. 

To avoid lock-in effects and social immobility, it is crucial 
to ensure that everyone, especially the very young, 
has access to good quality education. The main social 
problems in our cities are less related to income level than 
to unequal resources and capabilities. Education keeps 
citizens engaged in society and public life and also acts as 
a counterforce to a sort of populism. Cities often make a 
great effort to attract and retain talented people from other 
parts of the world, but it could be more inclusive and costeffective 
to develop the talents that already exist in these 
cities. In addition, strategies to attract investments by 
supplying cheap labour can only give a short-term 
advantage ; in the longer-term, advantages need to build 
on qualifications, skills and innovation. 

3.2.5. Developing social innovation 
Creativity and innovation are part of the standard toolbox 
of a city that is attractive and competitive. However, 
the concept of a ‘creative milieu’ is sometimes restricted 
to specific social groups: workers from the knowledge 

or leisure industries, artists, etc. But in the context of 
economic and financial crisis, social innovation offers 
an opportunity to widen the public space for creativity 
and innovation. 

‘The scope for social innovation is particularly large at the 
moment when many existing institutions are showing 
signs of strain and when many social problems such as 
social cohesion, job creation, inner-city decay and youth 
unemployment seem resistant to orthodox solutions.’93 

Social innovation can refer both to social processes of 
innovation and to innovation with a social goal. It is both 
a tool to empower and mobilise people’s creativity and 
an outcome of their action. Social innovation addresses 
social demands that are traditionally not taken care of by 
the market or existing institutions, and may be directed 
towards vulnerable groups in society. Social innovation is a 
wide concept that can take many different forms: grassroots 
projects such as new educational pathways for children 
or youth from disadvantaged groups; projects aimed at 
making life better for targeted groups; projects addressing 
societal changes; or systemic, enabling innovation, such as 
micro-credits.94 

To foster inclusion, cities will have to develop social 
schemes to mobilise marginalised groups. For example, 
with schemes such as the ‘Community Self Build Agency’95 
in the UK, cities may provide opportunities for long-term 
unemployed people to be empowered through collective 
work and activity-based networking. Such initiatives can be 
stepping stones for further educational pathways and for 
engagement in economic activities. 

Funding for social innovation projects may be difficult, as 
the social return on investment is difficult to account for 
in direct financial terms by comparison with pure business 
projects or hard investments. Projects are generally 

93 
Mulgan, Geoff, and Landry, Charles, The other invisible hand : Remaking charity for the 21st century, 1995, quoted by Jan Vranken, 
issue paper, Brussels, 2010. 

94 
Cf. Bureau of European Policy Advisers, Empowering people, driving change : Social innovation in the European Union, Brussels, May 2010. 

95 
Assisted by an architect, a group of people (around 15) builds a community house together. Most of these projects are directed towards 
long-term unemployed or other marginalised groups, such as drug addicts or alcoholics, with whom a type of social contract is set up. 
It links community needs (e.g. housing needs) with a reinsertion scheme (e.g. learning a trade). Through such projects, participants 
are empowered and may (re)-build confidence in their capacities and link up with the professional world. 


Cities of tomorrow -Challenges, visions, ways forward 

small-scale in budget terms, but people-intensive. To 
properly exploit social innovation, cities face the challenge 
of rescaling governance and articulating social innovation 
projects and strategies with their overall investment 
strategies. One way of doing this is to focus attention on 
public opinion about urban amenities and on adjusting 
priorities according to recommended changes – even if 
they’re not spectacular96 – or to use wider participatory 
processes, such as participatory budgeting, foresights 
involving citizens, etc. The provision of some public funding 
(or the attraction of private funding) can serve as a catalyst 
to mobilise other resources (volunteering and participation) 
which have many positive spillovers into social, political and 
economic activities in cities. 

3.2.6. Adapting the city’seconomic and social 
lifetoan ageing population 
Most cities will face the challenge of adapting to the needs, 
demands and requirements of an ageing population. Even 
cities with a high share of young inhabitants will have 
elderly residents that live longer and are accustomed to 
high-quality social and cultural lives. A large share of the 
elderly population will need some form of daily care. 

Ageing will affect cities in different ways according to the 
purchasing power, vitality and engagement of the elderly 
population in society. As with ethnic and cultural diversity, 
an ageing but socially, culturally and economically active 
population should not be seen as a disadvantage. While 
the combination of the purchasing power and consumption 
of the 50–65-year-olds is one of the strongest drivers of 
the economy, the over 65s demand more public resources. 
But cities with a high quality of life, especially in terms 
of climate, leisure and cultural and social services, have 
the potential to attract affluent retired people, who will 
contribute to a viable residential economy. 

Less fortunate cities may face a combination of decreasing 
birth rates and an out-migration of the more active part of 
the population, resulting in a growing elderly population 
with limited economic resources. The challenge for cities 

with an increasingly large non-active population lies in 
their reduced tax-base, which must deal with an increased 
service demand. In the case of a shrinking population, 
local authorities will be confronted not only with a decline 
in their tax revenues, but also with the closure of shops 
and private services and increasingly vacant building 
stock. Neighbourhoods may risk turning into no man’s 
lands, speeding up the withdrawal of private interests 
in a vicious circle. 

In both cases, cities will have to meet a growing demand 
for social services, notably health. They will have to adapt 
public transport and improve accessibility to public places 
and housing. The very old will demand particular care, 
especially as the number of people affected by age-related 
neurological diseases has risen steeply. These demographic 
developments are not entirely negative for cities. The need 
for new and different forms of services and advanced 
health care will create business and job opportunities 
and scope for both social and more market-oriented 
innovation. 

Beyond the direct development of services for an ageing 
population, there is also a need to look at the mix of the 
whole population. The Cities of tomorrow will have to 
not only ensure that the elderly are well integrated in 
society, but also be attractive in terms of quality of life 
and opportunities for young people, not least young 
families. The creation of conditions for inter-generational 
integration and exchange is crucial. The elderly could 
play important roles in benevolent sectors, for instance 
in supporting the inclusion of marginalised groups by 
helping out with extra schooling needs, dealing with 
administrations, helping newcomers to discover the city’s 
cultural heritage, etc. 

The role of the elderly in integrating migrants and 
marginalised groups could to some extent balance 
reduced public resources and be an effective tool in 
community building. It would also increase tolerance for 
immigration and respect for immigrants, paving the way 
for increasing immigration to supplement our ageing 
population. 

96 Querrien, Anne, Workshop 3 Cities of tomorrow – How to make it happen ?, Brussels, December 2010. 

39 



A vision of a multi-generational metropolis 97 

‘The new metropolis will be multi-generational. 
There will still be some clustering and differentiation 
of living by different age groups – students living in 
more affordable neighbourhoods but easily accessing 
the hot spots, the elderly organising collective life in 
more peripheral neighbourhoods, except for the most 
affluent. Multi-generational housing units will be 
found in city centres, in buildings with good technical 

and social services, where seniors do benevolent work 
teaching or looking after the young. 

Public cultural centres develop experiences of the local 
and of the whole world with the participation of the 
community. They are places for learning, imagining and 
experimenting with new technologies. These centres 
will be public spaces in their openness, like a theatre 
or a cinema or a café, but private/public partnership 
in ownership, like cultural institutions.’ 

3.2.7. Attracting theyoung and making 
roomfor children 
A too narrow a focus on elderly people and their particular 
needs may have adverse effects on the attraction of 
younger people, discourage young people living in cities 
from having children or make families with children move 
to peri-urban areas. Even cities capable of attracting 
affluent retired people will have to attract younger people 
to ensure well-functioning services and more long-term 
sustainable prosperity. 

A common pattern in many European cities is that young, 
often single, people move to cities but then move out to 

peri-urban areas if they form a family and have children. 
A challenge for cities is to make it attractive for families 
with children to live in core cities. Good quality, easily 
accessible childcare and schools are obvious elements 
in a child-friendly city. Affordable and attractive housing 
suitable for family needs is also important, as are green 
areas and playgrounds and child-friendly streets. It must 
be easy for families to reconcile professional and private 
life, easy to bring children to childcare on the way to work, 
easy to buy and bring home food for a family, easy to take 
children to parks or cycle in the neighbourhood, etc. Such a 
child-oriented focus would be beneficial for elderly people 
and the overall attractiveness of cities. It could also be 
beneficial for overall fertility rates. 

97 Anne Querrien, input to the third Cities of tomorrow workshop, December 2010. 

40 



Cities of tomorrow -Challenges, visions, ways forward 

VÄXJÖ – Sustainable energy policies - part of a model for managing 


complex urban change 


Växjö municipality in Southern Sweden has a dense and 
cohesive urban area (15 km2, 63000 people) as well as a large 
rural area (1900 km2, 20000 people), with population growth 
of 1-2% annually and an immigrant population of 18%. 

Those responsible for addressing local challenges are 
the municipality of Växjö, the County of Kronoberg, the 
University of Växjö, businesses (some 8 000, mostly SMEs) 
and NGOs. They have notably responded to the challenge 
of sustainable energy policy through a long-term 
environmental strategy. This includes strategic documents 
written together with residents and public, private and 
academic partners, incorporating interrelated policies, 
aims, measures and success indicators. The key document, 

from 2006, has been the extensive environmental 
programme. It contains an energy policy addressing local 
and global environmental challenges, and is structured 
into three sections: Living Life, Our Nature and Fossil-Free 
Fuel Växjö. 

So far, carbon dioxide emissions per inhabitant have fallen 
by 35% in 10 years, alongside economic growth of 69% 
(2008). Measures have also included cleaning up Lake 
Trummen, building a fossil-free fuel district heating and 
cooling system, constructing multi-storey houses of wood, 
making buildings more energy efficient and planning 
eco-friendly traffic. Växjö believes its strategy could be 
used in similar or smaller size towns. 



3.3. The green and healthy city 
3.3.1. Aholisticapproachtoenvironmental 
issues and energy efficiency 
Cities are not just economic engines, they are unrivalled as 
providers of the basic ingredients for quality of life in all its 
senses: environmental, cultural and social. Cities have to 
manage a range of environmental issues, such as quality 

of air and water, energy, waste and natural resources. 
In the future, cities may also have to secure food provision, 
especially in a context of shorter, more local, production– 
consumption chains. 

A city is a place where the many components of the natural 
ecosystem are interwoven with those of the social, economic, 
cultural and political urban system in a unique manner. 
A major challenge for all cities is to reconcile economic 

A vision of the compact and green city 

‘An important basis for efficient and sustainable use 
of resources is a compact settlement structure. This 
can be achieved by spatial and urban planning, which 
prevents urban sprawl by strong control of land supply 
and of speculative development. The strategy of 
mixing housing, employment, education, supply and 
recreational use in urban neighbourhoods has proved 
to be especially sustainable.’ [The Leipzig Charter on 
Sustainable European Cities]98 

The compact and green city offers an interesting urban 
landscape, a healthy functional mix, and a good quality 
of architecture and design in its built environment 

(public spaces, buildings and housing). It offers easy 
access to green areas and open space for everyone. 
It takes care of and makes use of its historical sites 
and monuments. 

Since people no longer need to search for green areas 
outside the city, they have moved back to the centres 
and no longer need to go to work or to leisure facilities 
by car. As an alternative, they can easily hop on clean 
and convenient public transport, which works efficiently 
due to the higher concentration of potential clients. 
These savings in transport free up more public space, 
and make cities cleaner and quieter. Furthermore, it has 
prevented the countryside from suffering from urban 
sprawl, preserving it for agriculture, forestry and nature. 



Cities of tomorrow -Challenges, visions, ways forward 

activities and growth with cultural, social and environmental 
considerations, as well as reconciling urban lifestyles with 
green constraints and opportunities. As focal points for 
consumption and innovation, cities can play a key role in 
shaping greener behaviour and consumption. 

Cities’ resilience also means a gradual retrofitting of the 
existing housing stock, taking into account environmental 
constraints such as mitigation of, and adaptation to, 
the impact of climate change. The affordability of housing 
costs in order to avoid migration flows towards suburban 
areas is also at stake. 

‘Green and healthy’ go far beyond the reduction of CO2 
emissions. Climate change is an important factor motivating 
cities to become more resource efficient. Like all economic 
actors, cities will have to take responsibility for reducing 
CO2 emissions. Cities are also in many ways best placed to 
act on the use and misuse of natural resources, and are set 
to play a key role in the implementation of the Europe 2020 
strategy. The collective realisation of global climate targets 
will reduce the risks of severe flooding and droughts, 

uncontrolled migration of climate refugees and other 
adverse effects of extreme weather conditions. However, 
the simple reduction of CO2 emissions brings few direct 
benefits for cities. 

For cities, the amelioration of the air quality, the reduction 
of traffic congestion, and the health of their inhabitants 
are much more direct benefits of greener practices. 
Fine-particle air pollution is associated with more than 
455 000 premature deaths every year in the EU’s 27 Member 
States.99 A recent study of air quality in 25 major EU 
cities indicates that if the WHO’s guidelines on this air 
pollution were carried out, life expectancy for those over 
30 would increase by an average of 22 months, and over 
EUR 30 billion in health benefits could be realised each 
year.100 Asthma and other respiratory problems could also 
be reduced, not least among the young. 

Obesity is another major health problem in the Western 
world, as a range of obesity-related diseases cause 
premature deaths and rising health care costs. More nonmotorised 
mobility would not only reduce air pollution 

A vision of sustainable consumption modes101 

The city of the future is run by the ‘energy subsidiary’ 
principle. In 2050, cities are highly energy efficient. The 
low energy demand (heating, cooling and electricity) 
will mainly be supplied by diverse local and regional 
renewable energy sources as well as co-generation. 
Smart grids will ensure decentralised solutions. 

New buildings do not consume fossil fuels; most of 
them produce electricity. They include facilities to park 
soft mobility vehicles like bikes. They come with a ‘user 
guide’, which is obligatory when letting any kind of 
building. Older buildings are refurbished and do not 

exceed a consumption of 50 kWh/m2/year. Fuel poverty 
has dramatically decreased. 

New consumption patterns have been adopted in 2050. 
Convenience stores have relocated throughout the cities 
and malls have vanished from city outskirts. Weekly fruit and 
vegetable markets have experienced a boost. Specialised 
stores can be found in city centres, and much of the market 
for household equipment is found online. Logistics have 
been improved: mail delivery is purely electronic, but goods 
delivery has expanded while car use diminishes. Agricultural 
land is used to produce not only food, but also materials and 
energy. Meat production has decreased while vegetarian 
and low meat diets have increased. 

98 
The Leipzig Charter on Sustainable European Cities is a key policy document in the field of urban development 
which has been proposed by the German Presidency and adopted by the Ministers in charge of urban planning 
[http://www.eu2007.de/en/News/download_docs/Mai/0524-N/075DokumentLeipzig Charta.pdf ]. 

99 
Study by the European Topic Centre on Air and Climate Change (ETC/ACC), European Environment Agency (EEA). 

100 
Aphekom research project funded jointly by the European Commission’s Community Action in the Field of Public Health. 

101 
Energy Cities, Workshop 2 Cities of tomorrow – Visions and models, Brussels, October 2010. 


but also reduce obesity and increase the general health 
and fitness of the population. Reduced congestion would 
also bring economic benefits by enabling a more efficient 
and productive use of time. Energy efficiency in buildings 
is directly related to social inclusion and the alleviation 
of energy poverty. 

Environmental quality is part of an integrated approach to 
attractiveness and well-being. Increased energy efficiency 
reduces the economic and energy vulnerability of cities. 
The related innovations, technologies and services are 
important drivers for a greener local economy. A pedestrian 
and cycle-friendly city with clean air and water, plenty 

of green spaces and high-quality built space is also an 
attractive city for people and for businesses. 

Urban green growth requires both technological and 
social innovation strategies, which have to be designed 
in relation to the overall development of the urban 
space. Environmental issues cannot be dissociated from 
demographic, economic, social, cultural and aesthetic 
issues. Green and clean mobility needs to take into account 
the requirements of the elderly or families with young 
children, as well as the conditions for shops and small 
businesses. The use of renewable energy technologies, such 
as solar panels or wind power must respect the architectural 

A vision of the green city102 

While our cities have maintained high urban densities, 
a dream is coming true: greenery is invading the cities 
and boosting life and urban ecology. Entire urban areas 
have become extensive networks of blue and green 
areas and corridors; green creeps over millions of square 
metres of roof area and climbs walls, exploiting every 
possible niche. 

People love their ‘urban biotope’ and enjoy the variety 
of green and water areas, ranging from bigger parks 
and natural areas, to allotment gardens, pocket parks or 
potted plants on roof terraces. This environment offers 
a multitude of different uses and helps to keep people 
healthy – literally something for everybody. Parents play 
with their children on the many playgrounds, small and 
larger families meet for a barbeque in community gardens, 
the elderly watch the birds from a bench in a park close 
by and meet their friends, youngsters gather after school 
on grass plains or dip into the cool waters of the harbour 
to bathe, others exercise or go for a cycling tour along 
the green routes or take a boat trip along the stream. The 
pleasant and safe green areas have encouraged people 
to spend more time outside and boosted social life in the 
city. Most of these places are public ones, thus everybody 

benefits easily. Green life makes the city a pleasant and 
attractive place to live; people are proud of this and 
strongly identify with their city. 

But there is more to enjoy and to benefit from; letting 
nature invade our cities has provided cities with many 
additional free services. This has often reduced the need 
for expensive technological solutions and has allowed 
cities to function in smarter ways. Green walls and 
roofs are not only attractive but insulate the buildings 
against cold and heat, which helps energy saving and 
thus reduces the ecological footprint of cities. Outside, 
trees provide shadow and fresh air, important when 
the future is likely to bring more heat waves to many 
European regions. Urban greenery lets people breathe. 
Trees and shrubs filter particles out of the air; dense 
vegetation lessens noise and hides visual nuisance. 
Green is ubiquitous in the Cities of tomorrow and 
asphalt and concrete are held back to the minimum. 
Plant roots penetrate the soil, and the surface water of 
heavy rainfall can readily penetrate the ground, thus 
preventing urban floods. Ponds and urban wetlands 
store further rainwater and make a costly upgrade of the 
sewage system needless. Some green areas and walls 
recycle even our grey water while looking attractive and 
offering habitats for wildlife. 

102 Georgi, Birgit, European Environment Agency, contribution to Cities of tomorrow, January 2011. 


Cities of tomorrow -Challenges, visions, ways forward 

and cultural heritage and the touristic potential of the city. 
Green neighbourhoods need to be affordable and allow a 
mix of functions and socio-economic groups so as to avoid 
spatial segregation. A necessary gradual retrofitting of 
the existing housing stock to reduce energy consumption 
and adapt it to new environmental conditions must not 
jeopardise the affordability of housing costs so as to avoid 
migration flows towards suburban areas. 

3.3.2. Making mobilitysustainable, 
inclusiveand healthy 
The development of sustainable mobility is a key challenge 
for the Cities of tomorrow. Sustainable mobility includes 
several dimensions and components: sustainable, 
energy-efficient and affordable public transport systems; 
a friendly environment for soft transport modes such as 
cycling and walking; easy access to all neighbourhoods, 
by foot, by bike, by public transport; local transport 
networks that need to be well connected to regional 
networks; peri-urban networks that need to be planned 
within the context of overall land-use and spatial 
development; and transport nodes that need to be 
well integrated with social, cultural and economic 
activities, including leisure. Mobility infrastructure must 

be developed with a long-term perspective in which 
future needs and future urban, spatial and technological 
developments are considered. 

Sustainable mobility must be part of an integrated approach. 

The reduction of congestion is important from a health 
point of view, but it is not only about reducing CO2 
emissions, pollution and noise – it is also about giving 
the citizens the possibility of re-conquering the city. 
Congestion is resource-inefficient; it consumes energy 
and creates unnecessary pollution, it is time consuming 
and it consumes space. It decreases the attractiveness and 
quality of the life103 of a place. Roads with heavy traffic 
are effectively barriers that cut through cities, isolating 
neighbourhoods and making them unattractive. 

Greener technology alone is not the solution: as vehicles 
slowly become more fuel-efficient and electric cars more 
affordable and adapted to consumer demands, there is a 
danger that car traffic will increase rather than decrease, 
so that at the local level, CO2 emissions, pollution and noise 
may be reduced, but congestion will be a growing problem. 
On a global scale, high levels of CO2 emissions will continue 
to be generated as long as electricity production is not 
entirely green. 

A vision of the transformation of out-dated traffic 
infrastructure to public spaces104 

“What will mobility look like after peak oil in a post-oil 
society? 

There will be a tremendous reduction of the individual 
car traffic inherited from the past. The younger 
generation does not see the car as the most wanted 
form of mobility any longer, and, maybe more 
importantly, no longer sees the car as a symbol of social 
status. 

Spaces devoted to traffic in our car-dependent cities 
offer huge potential for re-densification or reclaiming 
traffic areas as public spaces. Will oversized and outdated 
traffic systems provide the structure for new 
green parks and public spaces, as happened in the 
nineteenth century when fortification walls were 
transformed into a catwalk for civic society? 

The Highline in New York, an old elevated train track, has 
been permanently transformed into a linear park and has 
been recognised as a role model for future public space. 
In the Ruhr area, the A40 motorway was closed for one 
weekend as part of Cultural Capital City RUHR 2010.” 

103 Perception Surveys on Quality of Life in European cities, 2004, 2007 and 2010. 
104 Rettich, Stefan, Workshop 3 Cities of tomorrow – How to make it happen ?, Brussels, December 2010. 


45 



Non-car mobility has to become more attractive. Cities 
are facing the challenge of changing the mobility habits 
and values of those living within the city as well as those 
commuting. This is not an easy task. Non-car mobility has 
to be made more attractive, while individual car traffic 
has to be made socially and economically less attractive. 

Making non-car mobility more attractive requires accessible 
public transport – accessible within the city and within its 
labour market basin, but also accessible to the elderly, the 
disabled and parents with small children. It requires easily 
accessible services, whether public or private, whether social, 
economic or cultural. It requires attractive public transport 
that can provide a positive experience of mobility, and 
transport nodes which become places for leisure, shopping, 
meetings, culture and other forms of social exchange. It 
requires pedestrian and bicycle-friendly roads and paths.105 

Green or blue corridors may contribute to the renewal of 
urban space and increase the pleasure in going by foot, bike 
or boat, whether for leisure or commuting. 

To make non-car mobility more attractive, cities have 
to effectively combine and integrate different mobility 
modes and facilitate the switch between walking, cycling, 
using trams, buses, trains, etc. Multimodality must be 
favoured and public transport be made more attractive; 
it should also be easy to switch from car to public transport. 
The increasing reliance on private actors to develop and 
run specific sections or modes of transport makes multimodality 
a challenging task for cities, especially in a wider 
territorial context. Harmonised tariff systems with single fares 
independent of transport modes need to be developed, and 
timetables need to be integrated and planned for multimodal 
use. Public transport can be made more attractive. 


105 
In the 2007–13 programming period of cohesion policy, nearly EUR 700 million has been allocated to cycle lanes. Though this figure concerns 
not only urban cycle lanes but also rural ones, it is a good indicator of the importance devoted to cycling in some cities. Cycling lanes are part 
of both integrated transport and urban development plans. In a city like Helsinki, cyclists can enjoy 1 120 km of cycle paths, over 700 km 
of which are paved. 


Cities of tomorrow -Challenges, visions, ways forward 

BARCELONA – Linking territorial cohesion, sustainable urban transportation 
and the fight against spatial segregation 

The Barcelona City Council and local metropolitan administrations 
recognise sustainable mobility as a fundamental 
and social right of all citizens, believing it 
necessary for social interaction and human relations. 
Over the last two decades, transport has been part of 
their social cohesion policies. 

Barcelona’s 101 km2 are home to 1 638 000 residents 
(4992000 in its greater metropolitan region). With 
16 217 inhabitants/km2, Barcelona is one of the most 
densely populated cities in Europe, thus mobility is a 
big challenge.106 

Efforts have looked to ‘democratise’ streets and public 
spaces, integrate mobility projects for clean and 

sustainable urban transport, and share good practices 
for sustainable mobility. Barcelona illustrates what a 
European sustainable city can be like, with action taken 
to improve accessibility, affordability and efficiency of 
the public transport network, promote cycling, walking 
and other alternative forms of transport, and support 
the participation processes, the latter resulting in social 
demands and greater cooperation. 

Barcelona’s public bicycle service, Bicing, is an example 
of a successful and sustainable mobility programme 
which has been rapidly adopted by the targeted 
population. Its introduction shows a determined 
commitment to promote bicycle use as an affordable, 
efficient, sustainable and healthier mode of transport. 


106 
Some key figures illustrate the complexity of its transportation implications: the city has a road density of 6 000 cars per km2 
(whereas, for example, Madrid has 2 300 cars per km2 and London 1 600 cars per km2). Barcelona is also the European city 
with most lanes of private traffic per km2. 


3.3.3. Asustainablecitywithattractive 
open public spaces 
The quality and aesthetics of the built environment 
and of public spaces are important factors for a city’s 
attractiveness. Well functioning and attractive public spaces 
and a generally aesthetic environment can act as symbols 
of a city and of living together, and may create a sense 
of ownership of the city by its population. In Germany, 
the ‘Baukultur’ political initiative has brought about an 
involvement of all stakeholders and economic actors, civil 
society and planners, in a debate about a better, more 
solid and sustainable culture of building our environment. 
This means a shift in planning, from a traditional top-down 
planning culture to a more bottom-up process based on 
the involvement of stakeholders and residents.107 

Ideally, public spaces should be multi-functional and 
multi-generational, be elderly-friendly and accommodate 
children, and be meeting places as well as serve specific 
functions, like libraries, playgrounds, education, etc.108 
A mixture of functions within buildings or public spaces 
may also facilitate communication, business opportunities 
and innovation. For instance, some universities offer space 
for ex-students to locate their start-up companies at 
their premises after graduation. Such enterprise-friendly 
environments not only facilitate students’ transition to 
active life but also provide opportunities for cooperation 
between young entrepreneurs. 

A vision of a no-growth city109 

“We used to say ‘God created the countryside, man 
created the city’. We have been very successful in 
designing cities and modelling, managing and 
controlling our environments. The trouble is that there 
have been unpredicted consequences. The current 
visionary point of view relies on tools which are not 
meeting our objectives. For example, when we think 
about the future, we are fascinated by maps which are 
provided by satellite and by geographic information 
systems. In many aspects this is completely useless 
from the point of view of creating a good city, a good 
society. Some of the tools we have for constructing 
cities will potentially have bad consequences. The 
idea of managing the city to the extreme may make us 
completely unhappy. 

Europe has an extraordinary advantage in many ways 
in the fact that our cities are not growing any more. The 

greatest challenge is to achieve simplicity – de-engineer, 
de-commercialise, de-hierarchise, de-grow – while 
maintaining spirit, emotion and hope in the future.