Let's go for a pilot - Portugal Mobi Summit 2021

MOTA, José Carlos (jcmota@ua.pt)

Let’s go for a pilot!

Experimenting urban sustainable futures

Huge challenges ahead! 

According to a recent report by the IPCC to the United Nations, the worrying scenario for the planet's climate is confirmed - the 1.5 degree increase in the global average temperature could reach 2040.

If confirmed, we are expected to have “increased periods of drought and heat waves, less frequent but more intense periods of rain, and a coastline threatened by rising mean sea levels”.



The Mediterranean region, where Portugal is located, is referred to as “a hot spot for climate change” there is already an increase in average temperature above the global average, “in the order of 1.5 degrees Celsius, when globally it will be around the 1.09, 1.1 degrees “



The European Green Deal sets important goals for a transition for a decarbonising mobility, economy and urban settlements. The key question is how can these goals be achieved? How can we plan cities differently? What’s the role of citizens? How New Bauhaus can help?

European Commission is making several important efforts - new European Bauhaus and 100 climate-neutral cities – to answer digital and climate transition Goals are very important

• creative and interdisciplinary initiative, convening a space of encounter to design future ways of living, situated at the crossroads between art, culture, social inclusion, science and technology.

• It brings the Green Deal to our living places and calls for a collective effort to imagine and build a future that is sustainable, inclusive and beautiful for our minds and for our souls.

• Reaching 100 climate-neutral cities by 2030, make into experimentation and innovation hubs But, how do citizens perceive it? How can they be involved and have a relevant role?

Local Authorities are also making their share the Proximity City (Paris and Milan), Superblocks (Barcelona), Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (London) are recent good examples, but the actions needed take time and they need a lot of resources (that are scarce).

Can they be a role model for other European Cities?

Proximity city, Paris

Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, London

Superblocks, Barcelona

In some cases, the changes face fierce resistance, and fear.

But, some there are risks: - Too fast - Too alone - Too top-down

So, it's necessarily an effort to involve citizens and stakeholders in this process so that they can be part of the solution to help decision-makers identify the most adequate actions

Berlin

Milan

During pandemic, tactical actions in cities have been developed worldwide and especially in Europe.

It was a way of experimenting desired futures (in mobility, the use of public space, reusing vacant buildings, etc.), making fast, cheap, and visible interventions that were evaluated after implementation, to become permanent and replicated elsewhere.

They were an open and powerful laboratory for cities and communities.

Did we organize this knowledge? Is it available to be used by others?

Paris

Porto

Aveiro

Madrid

Universities, civic groups, and local authorities in several European countries have produced knowledge based on field projects with strong social involvement that could be useful and eventually inspire others.

Joint Research Centre, EC

What could we do?

We should understand the urgency of the challenges and the role that cities can play (where 70% of European citizens live)

Create an institutional and civic platform to inspire communities of urban experimentations to make changes in small steps

Let’s go for a pilot

• share inspiring examples and knowledge about these experiments; • help committees and local authorities to identify possible tactical actions (flexible and adaptative) and to implement them; • offer new urban imaginaries (contra-narratives and stories) and produce a framework for the evaluation of actions and learnings.

Let’s go for a pilot?

Thank you!

José Carlos Mota, University of Aveiro https://laboratorio3p.web.ua.pt jcmota@ua.pt