Resilient Athens | Preliminary Resilience Assessment by Resilient Athens

Athens: Emergent Metropolis Preliminary Resilience Assessment

Table of Contents

Athens: an Emerging Metropolis What is a PRA?

City Context

Stakeholder Engagement

Resilient Athens Office

Phase I Analysis & Tools Outputs

Discovery Areas

Appendix

• Actions Inventory Tool • City Resilience Perceptions Tool • Risk and Assets Tool • • • • •

Discovery Area 1: Return to the neighborhood Discovery Area 2: From citizens’ need to impact Discovery Area 3: Best possible Use of [Natural] Assets Discovery Area 4: Breaking through crisis Discovery Area 5: Enhance social cohesion (cross-cutting)

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a PRA?

Phase I Preliminary Resilience Assessment a snapshot of the current state of Athens’ resilience strengths and weaknesses, gaps and opportunities.

Inputs to the Preliminary Resilience Assessment include: • Updated unique city context • Insights from Stakeholder engagement • Outputs of City Resilience Actions & Perceptions Tools • Outputs of the risk analysis and assets • Analysis of Discovery Areas

ATHENS Unique City Context 5

Unique City Context OPPORTUNITIES

STRENGTHS • • • • • • • • • •

High levels of education High quality of life standards Innovative creative industry Strong touristic assets A variety of solidarity organizations City of Athens social services with expertise & experience Sites of natural beauty associated with historical landmarks Diversity of land use Diverse population mix (non-gentrification) Bottom-up initiatives with a focus on local issues

• Development of local SMEs value-chains/clusters, use of new technologies and innovation, emergence of new sectors • Coordination maximization among stakeholders and the municipality [for both social cohesion and better policy making plans and results] • Development of urban “green” and “blue” projects • Use of empty buildings • Upgrade public space • Development of the multi-functional and multi-cultural city’s assets (e.g. creative industries) • Open data and new technologies development facilitating both working through and preventing crisis

THREATS

WEAKNESSES • • • • • • • • • • • •

Population decrease / Brain drain High aging index Negative income rate Reduced business turnover Reduce of commercial and processing activities High unemployment rate, increased poverty and extreme poverty index Increase of homeless people Lack of proper monitoring of policy impacts Immigrants / Refugees flows (instability of population) Low quality, quantity and dispersal of green areas Aging infrastructure, abandoned building stock High population density

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Low productivity because of aging population Increased rates of population decrease, continual brain drain Depressed macroeconomic conditions, decrease of economic activity High prediction of unemployment rates Deterioration of social fabric, phenomena of social exclusion, lack of social cohesion Increase of riots, civil unrest and violence Migrants and refugee flows trapped in the city Insufficient maintenance of natural resources Further downgrading of building stock and public spaces Increase of air and smog pollution Heat waves Earthquakes 6

Unique City Context

Athens Highlights

New people in the city

The 7 City districts

Polykatoikia

Great flux of immigrants and refugees The identity of different neighborhoods is changing rapidly A new city is emerging

A mutlicultural city Identification with Neighborhoods and less with the City Demand for decentralization of authorities.

Polykatoikia / Multiple-story residential buildings A unique type of building that has helped to avoid segregation and ghettos in the city of Athens, while promoting mixed usage.

Unique City Context

Unique City Context Unemployment Rate in Attica Region

Number of Residential Buildings per year of manufacture in the city of Athens 40000 30000

20000 10000 0 <1960

Extreme Poverty index for Greece (blue line) and City of Athens (orange line)

1961-1985

1986-2000

>2001

Total income from tourism sector in Athens (â&#x201A;Ź)

Unique City Context Green and open areas in the city of Athens

Fixed rail transportation means

Unique City Context

Cultural Resources

ATHENS Stakeholder Engagement

Stakeholder Engagement

PURPOSE Inform stakeholders about 100RC and the development City’s Resilience Strategy and build consensus with regards to their involvement in planning and implementation Gather information on the perceptions of the different stakeholders with regards to the City’s main issues related to resilience, (potential) shocks, and stresses faced by the City and actions to be taken to build the City’s resilience Ensure that historically underrepresented parts of the community have the opportunity to engage in Athens resilience efforts

10# Workshops

29#

8# Focus Groups

METHODS • • • • • •

Focus groups (homeless vendors, immigrant women, alternative tours guides, architects/urban-planners, start-uppers) Personal interviews (29) and targeted interviews (36) conducted via online surveys Online survey (distributed to targeted stakeholder networks) Workshops (municipal officers, advisors to the Mayor) Presentation to conferences / participation to community engagement projects Meetings with various stakeholders

Personal Interviews

36# Targeted interviews via internet surveys

365

Stakeholders Engaged 14

Stakeholder Engagement

RESILIENCE STEERING COMMITTEE 18 Members [interdisciplinary and socially cross-cutting, high level city leader] GOALS 1. 2. 3. 4.

5. 6. 7.

Provide advice to Athens Resilience Team on the content of Athens Resilience Strategy. Act as a resource for data, expertise and best practices for the Athens Resilience Strategy. Provide social networking opportunities and assist with the representation and communication of the program to the City. Provide guidance and advice in tackling obstacles and problems and in taking advantage of challenges and opportunities. Monitor performance of Athens Resilience planning and implementation. Support buy in, enthusiasm, and impact of City Resilience work among other City stakeholders. Assist the CRO to develop a robust, actionable funding strategy focused on achieving Athens resilience priorities.

RSC will be consulted on key updates regarding the strategy and every member will speak freely of his opinion regarding: • • •

Phase I discovery areas – information and feedback Phase II analysis of discovery areas – review and confirm direction and identify specific changes required to draft Phase II priority programs and initiatives championed in the final strategy – review and agree on final list 15

Resilient Athens Office

Our Progress so far

Initiatives in the technology sector • An MoU between the Municipality of Athens and the National Observatory of Athens (NOA) which gives Athens access to operational and real-time information about it’s thermal urban environment through the use of satellite data and advanced modelling and IT technologies. • An innovative mobile application for personalized heat wave risk will be introduced in the city of Athens for piloting during the summer of 2016 among selected stakeholders. The app will be fully operational in summer 2017. Initiatives in governance • Cross-departmental Workshop (6 departments) output summary working group meetings for theWorkshop developmentOutput of a HeatSummary Wave and Urban Heat Island (UHI) adaptation action plan • Cross-sectoral working group (Athens Municipality, Region of Attica, Ministry of Environment and Energy and the Private Sector) regarding the “Green” & “Blue” as critical infrastructure. • Cross-sectoral working group (Athens Municipality and 3 Municipalities, Region of Attica, Ministry of Environment and Energy, Center for Renewable Energy Sources and Saving (CRES), the Greek Ombudsman, Universities and Civil Society) aiming at policy making to combat energy poverty. • Resilience Office (elected official, city administrators and external experts – within the Mayors office) Initiatives in funding mechanisms • Horizon 2020 RIA “Integrated Climate forcing and Air pollution Reduction in Urban Systems – ICARUS” – 250.000€ (Resilient Office & ADDMA) Initiatives in innovative policy • Public Policy Making using the methodology of “design thinking” to approach issues of “job creation” and” place making” in 2 Athenian neighborhoods (Trans Atlantic Policy Lab – by our Platform Partner Bertelsmann Foundation) • Innovative Data Driven Policy Making Proposals 17

ATHENS Phase I Analysis & Tool Outputs

Phase I Analysis & Tool Outputs

Overview  10 Workshops (177 perceptions)

Perceptions Tool

 8 Focus Areas (103 perceptions)  65 Interviews (85 perceptions)

 365 perceptions

 167 Initiatives  14 Policies

Actions Tool

 45 Strategies/Planning  225 other action  451 total actions (121 implemented +318 scheduled +12 with unknown status)

Assets & Risks Tool

 Top Shocks are: Earthquake | Heat waves | Terrorism attacks  Top Stresses are: Migration/Refugee flows | Depressed Macroeconomic Conditions & Unemployment | Lack of Social Cohesion

 Vulnerable assets: Power grid transmissions | Landlines and cellphone lines (internet) | Roads and fixed rail transportation

Phase I Analysis & Tool Outputs

Perceptions Tool Assessment “We need more green and open spaces” “Creative, bottom-up networks are the strongest assets for our city resilience” “Athens is resilient only because its temperate climate”

SUMMARY OF OUTPUT The basic factors that affect the city’s resilience are focused in the following drivers: • • •

Driver 4: “Promotes cohesive and engaged communities.” Bottom up, informal community networks are the strongest asset of the city. Driver 8:”Ensures continuity of critical services.” The city is emptying out and there is a great lack of public services Driver 12: “Fosters long-term and integrated planning.” The Municipality cannot implement long-term plans, there is no coherent actions even though there are several strategic plans.

Strong interrelations: • Driver 4-11, citizens bottom up organizations are crucial for city resilience, but the municipality is absent. It should do more to support the citizens with communication, information and education.

Phase I Analysis & Tool Outputs

Actions Tool Assessment #ResilientAthens team collected 451 actions, strategies and initiatives (implemented or planned)

This methodology has provided a unified and comprehensive database for all plans regarding the city of Athens

SUMMARY OF OUTPUT • •

• • • •

Axis 12 reveals a large variety of strategic, technical and budget plans. Several strategies are already in effect most of these plans manifest through small fragmented dispersed actions. Many such actions are reflected in driver 7 “maintenance and enhancement of natural assets and technical infrastructure” Long-term strategy and actions have a 5-year ceiling. Only a small number of actions related to drivers 7 and 8 has been implemented Drivers 1 and 2 show few actions, however these are comprehensive and wide on social impact. Driver 5, regarding security, stability and justice, incorporates very few actions. 21

Phase I Analysis & Tool Outputs

Assets and Risks Tool Assessment Electricity transmission, energy generation, and telephone network lines demonstrate the most vulnerability to shocks events Areas for Improvement in Management of Key Asset Types

Physical asset types considered most vulnerable to shock events

Vulnerability (relative)

Δυνατότητα Βελτίωσης

(vulnerability considered relatively - higher bar indicates greater vulnerability)

Management of assets

Level of service

Condition/state of repair

Criticality and business risk

Phase I Analysis & Tool Outputs

Assets and Risks Tool Assessment Based on consultations, earthquakes and heatwaves are the biggest shocks facing the city, while the immigrant and refugee crisis, unemployment and macroeconomic conditions are major stresses NUMBER OF ANSWERS

TOP SHOCKS: Earthquake Heatwaves Terrorism Attacks

TOP STRESSES:

NUMBER OF ANSWERS

Immigrants and Refugees Crisis Unemployment / Depressed Macroeconomic Conditions Lack of Social Cohesion

Acute Shocks 57 29

Chronic Stresses 29 14 Immigrants and Refugee Crisis

Unemployment / Depressed Macroeconomic Conditions

Lack of social Cohesion

Drought

Lack of Basic Needs

Desertification

Aging Population

Aging Infrastructure

ATHENS Discovery Areas

Athens Discovery Areas What are Discovery Areas?

Discovery Areas are key questions about the resilience of the cities – targeted areas where the city needs to better understand: • What are the critical risks and interdependencies? • What additional data is needed to understand the potential for resiliencebuilding initiatives? Discovery Areas set the framework and priorities for the work in Phase II

#ResilientAthens team

in order to contextualize the Resilience Discovery Areas it has connected the100 RC tools results with the Mayor Priorities and the 35 projects that are being highlighted as most important for the next 3 years.

Perceptions Tool Actions Tool Risks & Assets Tool

Mayor’s Priorities

35 municipal projects and programs that are on the spotlight 25

Discovery • Area 1

Return to the neighborhood: Job creation – Upgrade Public Spaces in the Neighborhoods – Fill empty Buildings and Stores – Reverse Desertification, aging and downgrade of the City

Discovery • Area 2

From Citizen’s Needs to Impact: Effective Governance - Enhance the link between Strategy/Planning and Implementation inside the Municipality – Management | Governance | Communication

Discovery • Area 3

Best possible use of Natural Assets: Climate Change – Heatwaves – Urban heat Island – Efficient Energy Use – Energy Poverty – Nature Based Solutions – Flooding phenomena

Discovery • Area 4

Breaking through Crisis: Open Data and new Information Technologies in order to turn City’s Weaknesses into Strengths– Procedure Optimization Prevention and Crisis management through Innovative Solutions

Discovery • Area 5

Enhance social cohesion [Cross-Cutting]: Support Civil Society - Strengthen the Communication among the Municipality and Citizens 26

Discovery Area 1: Return to the neighborhoods

VISION •

Return to the neighborhood: Job creation – Upgrade Public Spaces in the Neighborhoods – Fill Empty Buildings and Stores – Reverse Desertification, Aging and Downgrade of the City

Questions for further study

1. How does the city empty out? Where from and why? How can we “re-fill” the city? How can we make neighborhoods safer and more attractive for residents? 2. How can we confront the depressed demographic conditions? 3. How can we use the immigration / refugee challenge for revitalizing the neighborhoods? How can we facilitate social inclusion of refugees/immigrants? 4. Where and how can we create new jobs combining the needs and available skills? Can we develop capacity building for refugees/immigrants as well as locals who are unemployed? 5. How can we develop jobs regarding green and public spaces and new types of entrepreneurship and create new business opportunities re nature based solutions? 6. How can we revitalize the city? How can we strengthen local economy? 7. What tools do we have to create new entrepreneurship in neighborhoods? What services can the Municipality offer? 8. How can we deal with alienation and the lack of identification with the city?

Discovery Area 2: From Citizens’ Needs to Impact

VISION •

From Citizen’s Needs to Impact: Effective Governance - Enhance the link between Strategy/Planning and Implementation inside the Municipality – Management | Governance | Communication

Questions for further study 1. How can we enhance the link between Strategy/Programming and Implementation 2. How can we establish a mid-level of governance which lies between strategic planning and implementation of specific actions? 3. How can we enhance coordination in order to facilitate procedures? 4. How can we enhance management of programming, action implementation and available resources (human, tools and existing methodologies)? 5. How do we achieve better communication and governance with other stakeholders inside and outside the municipality? 6. How can we raise awareness on citizens? 7. How can we monitor planning and implementation impact to citizens? 8. How can we upscale the Municipality’s capacity and capability to policy making and implementation? (Metropolitan Authorities)

Discovery Area 3: Best possible Use of [Natural] Assets

VISION •

Best possible Use of Natural Assets: Climate Change – Heatwaves – Urban heat Island – Efficient Energy Use – Energy Poverty – Nature Based Solutions – Flooding phenomena

Questions for further study 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

How can we create “green” and “blue” corridors inside the city in order to change its bioclimatic conditions? How can we politically bring forward Environmental Policy and the Climate change action plan? How we reduce GHG emissions and implement energy efficient measures (e.g. LED public lighting)? How can we measure the results of the financial consequences and the co-benefits of the environmental actions? How can we use nature based solutions in order to confront city problems? How can we achieve sustainable interventions using innovative technologies and funding tools. 6. How can we use the water with more sustainable ways?

Discovery Area 4: Breaking through crisis

VISION 1. Breaking through Crisis: Open Data and new Information Technologies in order to turn Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Weaknesses into Strengthsâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; Procedure Optimization - Prevention and Crisis management through Innovative Solutions

Questions for further study 1. How can Athens harness the potential of new/emerging technologies and open data to anticipate and survive existing crises, shocks and stresses? 2. How do you use data to plan? How do you use data to communicate and to solve problems? 3. How can new technologies help with data mining problem solving in emerging fields or challenges (e.g. migrants/refugee flows and settlement)? 4. How can Athens mine and control data while in a state of constant flux? 5. How can the City create a dynamic mapping system with enhanced data visualization? How can it be reliable? Engage more stakeholders? Develop policies and actions around it? How can it help minimize the impacts of different shocks (e.g. earthquake, heat wave, cybercrime)? 6. How can we make the constant condition of flux of our city an asset ? How can we systematize and create a procedural structure to enhance the city

Discovery Area 5 (Cross-cutting): Enhance Social Cohesion

VISION â&#x20AC;˘

Enhance social cohesion [Cross-Cutting]: Support Civil Society - Strengthen the Communication among the Municipality and Citizens

Questions for further study 1. How can we deal with alienation and the lack of identification with the city? 2. How can we bring citizens closer to the Municipality? How can we confront alienation from Municipal Authorities? How can we reverse current status of mistrust? 3. How can we enhance the communication among citizens and the Municipal Authorities? 4. How can we communicate the municipal rules and procedures to the citizens and give them active participation? 5. How can we exploit the social dynamics in order to further develop the municipality? 6. How can we exploit the actions that are already under implementation in the Municipality? What is the next level? (scaling-up) How can we make citizens more active? 7. How can we capitalize and use the wealth of the neighborhoods in this sector?