QUEST project celebrated its results in the final project event

During the last 2 and a half years the QUEST project has developed a Quality Management Tool to help small and medium sized cities to further develop their sustainable mobility policies with the assistance of an external expert – the QUEST auditor.  Over the course of the project 46 cities have gone through the QUEST Audit and received tailor made Action Plans. These improvement programmes are directly linked to the current status of urban mobility policies in cities and point out the areas where improvements should be made. The aim of QUEST has been to support cities in making real progress towards a more sustainable urban transport system and help them to find solutions to achieve excellence in Sustainable mobility planning!

The QUEST Final Conference, organized on the 5th of September 2013 in Budapest, Hungary, celebrated the results of the project and gathered together, for the last time, the cities and other partners that have worked together during the past two years. 

From policies into practice

 

The main aim of the conference was to present the final results of the project and discuss about the future of QUEST.  The conference addressed themes such as how to turn the plans and policies into action and how to take the leap to the next level and become a more sustainable city. Michael Koucky, the Auditor for Swedish cities stated in his presentation that QUEST Audit can also provide support and a start in the sustainable urban mobility planning processes. QUEST tool was seen useful especially for smaller cities with fewer resources to achieve improvements in sustainable mobility.

The advantage of QUEST is that it recognizes that stepwise improvements are possible at all of development of sustainable mobility policy. Therefore it is suitable for both, cities with less experience in sustainable urban mobility planning and cities advanced in this field.

Five Swedish cities Borås, Gävle, Halmstad, Mölndal and Trollhättan received their QUEST certificates. 

QUEST Academy will continue the work in future

 

To safeguard the quality of the methodology and ensure training, a QUEST Academy has been established. The overall goal of the Academy is to continue to train auditors throughout Europe, so that the method can be expanded to further countries. It also provides a platform for discussion and exchange of experiences between QUEST auditors and cities. The Academy will therefore contribute to capacity building in the field of sustainable transport throughout Europe and provide support to new auditors.

Currently, the QUEST auditor team consists of 17 auditors making the QUEST methodology available in 20 countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

If you city is interested in the QUEST methodology, please contact us and we will find the right auditor for you! 

Cities that completed the QUEST process successfully, received Certificates which recognise their efforts in sustainable urban mobility planning.

More information about the project can be found at: www.quest-project.eu or you can follow us in Twitter. You can also download the QUEST brochure in English and Swedish!

Text  and photos: Maija Rusanen, Project Coordinator at UBC EnvCom

CH4LLENGE project tackles the key challenges of Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning

The challenges that cities and communities face in the search for sustainability and better quality of life are increasingly significant. Cities of different sizes have a crucial role in contributing to EU 2020 targets aiming to improve the efficiency of energy use and to cut down CO2 emissions.  Urban transport is a major source of energy consumption and green house gas emissions and can thus make a big contribution to meet these goals, but also to ensure the attractiveness of our cities. Cities, with a well-functioning and sustainable transport system, are not only environmentally friendly places, but are also attractive and good places to live and work. 

European Commission has underlined in many of its policy documents that strategic and integrated approach to transport infrastructure planning is needed but also to policy making in order to link transport better with environmental protection, healthy environments, land use planning, housing, social aspects of accessibility and mobility as well as industrial policy.  There is a wide consensus that Sustainable Urban Mobility planning contributes to a better quality of life in an urban area and is a good way of tackling transport-related problems in urban areas more efficiently. 

CH4LLENGE supports cities with Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning

Recently launched CH4LLENGE project, funded by the IEE-programme,  is one of the initiatives supporting cities in the preparation and implementation of SUMPs. 

By building on previous experiences and lessons learned from past and current national and European SUMP initiatives, CH4LLENGE has identified common challenges which pose significant barriers in the wider take-up of SUMPs in Europe. 

During the 3-years project CH4LLENGE will develop innovative and transferable solutions to:

1.    Overcome challenges related to the participation of stakeholders.
2.    Provide transferable strategies for institutional cooperation.
3.    Elaborate a solid approach to identify SUMP´s effective measures and measure packages.
4.    Present methodologies for the monitoring and evaluation of SUMP processes and measures.

The nine participating cities represent the diverse cultures in sustainable urban mobility planning in Europe. Those cities spearheading the new planning paradigm are; Amiens (FR), Dresden (DE), Gent (BE) and West Yorkshire (UK), followed by Brno (CZ), Budapest (HU), Krakow (PL), Timisoara (RO) and Zagreb (HR), who all have strong commitments towards the advancement of their own SUMP processes.

In addition the project will support 30 European cities at different stages of working with SUMP and offer them guidance and training possibilities to develop or further improve their SUMPs. From UBC network Turku and Kotka from Finland, Gdynia from Poland, Kaunas from Lithuania and Tartu from Estonia and Kalmar from Sweden will be closely involved with the CH4LLENGE project.

 

Based on the results and experiences of CH4LLENGE cities, the project will develop practical SUMP challenge kits consisting of ‘quick facts’ for decision-makers, a measure option generator, manuals and e-learning courses covering the four defined SUMP challenges. The kits are aimed at local practitioners working with mobility and transport in European cities and regions.

UCB EnvCom coordinates the dissemination and communication activities in the project. 

For more information, please contact:

The CH4LLENGE website www.sump-challenges.eu will be launched in autumn 2013. For the moment, more information can be found at UBC EnvCom website. 

Follow CH4LLENGE in Twitter


Text by: Maija Rusanen, Project Coordinator at UBC EnvCom

100 participants to discuss sustainable transport in UBC Joint Commission meeting in Tallinn 10-12 April 2013

Several topics were embraced and questioned at the Joint Commission meeting in Tallinn including, optimizing cycling, public transport and maritime under the overall theme of sustainable transport in the Baltic Sea Region.

The great variety of planning tradition from the region was on display in Tallinn, where it was made clear that there is not only on, but several, ways to succeed in planning for sustainable transport.
Tallinn opened the meeting with a presentation of the various positive aspects that has entailed their free public transport initiative for Tallinn citizens. Several presentations and discussion later, participants had received a thorough introduction to this bold political decision and its technical challenges and solutions. Tallinn si considered a frontrunner of free public transport in Europe and is therefore also one of the founding cities of European Network of Free Public Transport

The meeting participants are in front of Tallinns brand new bus which will be taken into use tomorrow.
They are going to visit the Sea Plane Harbour museum, Lennusadam

Deputy mayor Taavi Aas and Deputy Mayor Arvo Sarapuu presented the financial figures behind the initiative as well as the unforeseen benefits of letting the citizens of Tallinn use the public transport for free. Only three months after implementation, it is clear that this initiative will be followed closely in the future by the whole region and beyond. 

UBC member cities Gdynia, Ålborg and Halmstad also presented their sustainable transport measures in relation to EU funded projects including QUEST and CIVIT@S DYNAMO. The projects proved that there are several ways to go for more sustainable transport in our cities. As a last input the Baltic Sea Region Covenant Club hosted presentations and discussion on Sustainable Energy Action Plans and their potential synergies with Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans.

As the Baltic Sea is a common denominator for all UBC countries also maritime transport was on the agenda with the SNOOP Policy Forum. Experts from all over the region were discussing policies affecting the maritime industry and the sector’s contribution to CO₂ emissions.

The two intensive days provided the participants with various practical and theoretical aspects of sustainable transport and food for thoughts for their daily activities within their member cities.

QUEST project gathers together cities interested in sustainable urban mobility planning

 

 Many European cities are facing challenges when it comes to set up and implement truly sustainable mobility policies and measures.  QUEST project has developed a Quality Management tool to help small and medium sized cities to set-up and further develop their sustainable mobility policies with the assistance of an external expert - the QUEST auditor. The aim of QUEST is to support cities in making real progress towards a more sustainable urban transport system and help them to find solutions to achieve excellence in sustainable urban mobility planning!

During the QUEST project nearly 50 cities, with different levels of experience and contexts, from 14 European countries have gone through the QUEST process, demonstrating that there is a high level of demand for advice on sustainable urban mobility planning.

QUEST cities meet in 5 international workshops

QUEST does not aim only to help cities to improve their policies but wants to facilitate active exchange of experiences with other cities. During the spring 2013 QUEST organises 5 workshops, where cities involved with QUEST have a chance to discuss the most pressing challenges in relation to urban mobility with their European peers, but also share their good practices. During the workshops the cities also have an opportunity to compare their experiences about the QUEST tool.

The workshop participants admire the public bicycle hire scheme in Bath was  introduced  as part of the Civitas Renaissance project. 

 

6 QUEST cities met in Bath, England

5 QUEST cities Halmstad and Lidköping, Sweden; Opava, Czech Republic; Ptuj, Slovenia and Satu Mare, Romania  were invited to Bath, a World Heritage site, to familiarize themselves with the mobility solutions Bath has implemented and to discuss the results and outcomes of QUEST. UBC Commission on Environment  assisted the organisation of the workshop.

The workshop results showed that QUEST had helped cities to reflect upon their mobility policies in a critical way and  it really helped them to take a next step towards sustainable urban mobility policies. The external QUEST auditor facilitated the process and helped to view the work from different point of view and to find blank and weak spot in own planning and policy practices, but in a collaborative manner acting as a critical friend. One of the biggest benefits of QUEST is that it helps cities to identify which measures are effective in achieving energy savings in transport, and which are possible to achieve. In other words QUEST helps cities to make the right choices.

During the workshop the participants discussed the measures the cities had implement in different fields of urban mobility.

QUEST also facilitated the establishment of a dialogue among different groups like the city departments, service providers, end users, private companies etc. and the creation of a common problem understanding among local stakeholders.The participants agreed that transport and mobility planning is a cross-sectoral issue that concerns many different fields such as education, urban planning and health sector.

If your city is interested to join the QUEST family, please contact the project team and it will find the right auditor for you! QUEST is also looking for new auditors to join the QUEST team of experts.

More information about the QUEST tool can be found at: www.quest-project.eu.
Download the QUEST Brochure!

For more information, please contact:
Maija Rusanen
Project Coordinator
Union of the Baltic Cities Commission on Environment
e-mail: firstname.lastname@ubc.net

European Sustainable Energy Week - Time to display how UBC member cities lead in sustainable energy initiatives

 

The European Sustainable Energy Week 2013 (EUSEW)  is an event organised by the European Commission that promotes renewable energy and energy efficiency. Every year, hundreds of European municipalities take part by organising their local Energy Day. By doing so, they become part of EUSEW and a European movement, gain visibility for their projects and attract the attention from media. All organisers will receive support in communication from the EUSEW secretariat.

As a city, you can sign up with an event at the Energy Days during EUSEW, which provides citizens of the city a opportunity to learn and discuss sustainable energy solutions in their city as well as putting the city on the European map. By signing up with an event the city:

• Raise the profile and improve the image of your organisation, town, city or region
• Become a part of a European movement
• Spread your sustainable energy technologies and practices 
• Attract media attention and make headlines
• Receive additional visibility and support for your event from the EUSEW Secretariat.

To submit your Energy Day, please create an account on the EUSEW website and fill in the application form under ‘Organise an event’.

For more information visit the EUSEW website
Or watch the short introduction video below

 

Campaign Launch: A world you like. With a Climate you like

A world you like. With a climate you like.

A new campaign to promote climate action and a low carbon economy was launched in the beginning of October 2012 in London City Hall. Private and public sector representatives were invited to launch the campaign and discuss visions for a World you like. With a climate you like. The purpose of the campaign is to highlight, not only the urgent need, but also existing good ideas and practices in lowering our use of Carbon dioxides and other Green-house Gases.

The campaign includes five themes related to climate actions: Travel and transport, Producing & Innovating, Building and Living, Shopping and Eating, Re-use & Recycling. Through the campaign website and the campaign's Facebook page you can discuss Europe's low-carbon future with other Europeans including Connie Hedegaard, European Commissioner for Climate Action.  

© European Union, 1995-2012

On the campaign website 27 short videos inspire with practical examples to tackle climate change locally and make a change towards a low carbon Europe. Just like the UBC best practice database, it is intended to inspire and present front-runners and innovative solutions. Later on it will be possible to submit projects and show your action towards climate change and work towards a world you like with a climate you like. From the UBC Environmental Commission we in encourage all our member cities to prepare inputs for this campaign and, as our growing database shows, the Baltic Sea Region had plenty of good examples to show to the rest of Europe.

Picture: Creative illustrations were made on the spot inspired by the panel discussions. © European Union, 1995-2012

Author: Jeppe Mikel Jensen

Working from home to save climate?

Last week, the first National Distance Work Day took place in Finland, resulting in 50 000 kg save in CO2 emissions. Furthermore, over 10 000 participants saved 8 200 hours of travelling time. More time to spend with their families and doing whatever they enjoy and keeps them energetic at work! Besides being seen as giving more freedom to the employees and thus increasing motivation to work, distance work also saves time, money and is helping to achieve climate goals.

From the point of view of slowing down climate change, the biggest benefit of working from home is the reduced need to travel. For most people, travelling to work is the main source of their transport-related greenhouse gas emissions.

Some 15 % of Finnish labour force is weekly working from home with the help of information technology, but the amount could well be bigger. For many workplaces, more flexibility in where and when the work is done would not affect the results. In Finland, some 1.6 million commutes are made by car every day, resulting in congestion peaks in the morning and afternoon.

This week we're celebrating the annual European Mobility Week. The campaign aims at familiarizing citizens with the use of public transport, cycling, walking and encouraging cities to promote these sustainable modes of transport. Besides fighting atmospheric pollution and noise, it's also a question of improving the quality of urban life.

Many cities in most of the Baltic Sea Region countries are campaigning for sustainable urban mobility. See on the European Mobility Week website what is happening in your home town!

Picture: Valonia. Campaigning in Turku on the national distance work day - No need to worry about the dress code when you're working from home!

Kirsi-Marja Lonkila
This post was also published in the CHAMP project blog.