C I T Y A W A R D S
The urban race is on!
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The Sustainable City Award and Award for EU Compliance The European Sustainable City Award, launched in 1996, is an integral part of the European Sustainable Cities and Towns Campaign.
Its main objective is to encourage local authorities that have made significant progress in developing long-term sustainability action plans. The project seeks to raise awareness in local communities about sustainable development actions and Local Agenda 21 processes, improve participation and modify behaviour and highlight the best practices in sustainable urban development.
Some 100 municipalities participated in the 1997 award competition. The winners were Calvia in Spain, Heidelberg in Germany and Stockholm in Sweden. The municipality of Veliko Tarnovo (population 100,000) in eastern Bulgaria received a 1997 award for Special Distinction for Central and Eastern Europe. |
Veliko Tarnovo used to be Bulgaria's capital for over two centuries, as well as the birthplace for the nation's first constitution. "The city has worked hard in preserving its historical, cultural and natural heritage," says Veliko Mayor Dragni Dragnev. One success was a sustainable development action program with support from over 36 local organisations. One project provided work for some 800 unemployed residents in revitalising 26 local sites, including the creation of an ecological park next to the local Jantra River. Over USD 83,850 have been invested into the plan, with 15 percent covered by the city and much of the remainder through EU assistance.
"The main thing to do is to look for partners," says Dragnev. "You don't have to wait until Bulgaria gets accepted into the EU to look for contracts."
The deadline for applications for the 1999 Award is April 30. Winners will be presented at the fourth regional campaign conference on sustainable development in The Hague this June. (Visit <www.sustainable-cities.org>).
A key goal of the Cities Towards EU Compliance Award is to draw the attention of municipalities in the 10 EU accession countries to the environmental standards they will have to meet before joining the EU.
The award was initiated in the spring of 1998 by the REC and is financed by the EU's environmental directorate, DGXI. The award focuses on four areas including access to environmental information, waste management, air quality and water quality.
Application forms were distributed to some 1,500 cities, from which 215 were returned. Following evaluations by an expert panel, 20 cities were selected. Before final winners are chosen (about 10), independent consultants will visit the 20 locations for on-site examinations.
Rather than cash awards, winners will receive certificates of distinction and capacity building training for EU harmonisation.
Application questionnaires showed that waste management was the biggest environmental problem while municipalities appeared to least understand concerns related to access to environmental information.
REC * PUBLICATIONS * THE BULLETIN * SPRING 1999
