Commissioner Roswalls speech in the session Building resilient and green cities through international collaboration at the event ‘Green cities and better ways of living thorough sustainability and aesthetics - the New European Bauhaus

Distinguished delegates, dear friends, colleagues, 

Its a great pleasure to be here with you to discuss an issue that impacts us all.  

Today, more than half of the worlds population lives in cities – and this number is expected to double by 2050. 

Nearly 7 out of every 10 people will live in cities by then.  

They are the centre of so much culture, creativity and innovation.   

But we also we see the cause and the consequence of climate change in our cities: 

Estimates suggest that urban areas account for 70 percent of global CO2 emissions.  

And they are where threats like heat waves and air pollution are felt so strongly.  

From my hometown Enköping to Osaka, from Tokyo to Brussels, cities are on the front lines of a rapidly changing world, dealing with changing demographics, environmental challenges, climate stress, housing pressures, and the need for inclusive public space. 

Gatherings like this one, in beautiful Osaka – bringing together a wide range of experience and expertise – are exactly what we need to tackle these challenges.  

According to a recent study, a ten-day period of extreme heat this summer killed 2 300 people in 12 European cities.  I know that cities everywhere, including in Japan, face the same issues.  

In fact, new research even suggests that extreme heat waves can make us age faster.  

In our warming world, green cities – which prioritise clean, natural and healthy living for all – have become an urgent necessity, not just a luxury. 

We already have a lot of solutions.  

Like urban green and blue spaces, such as parks, green roofs, rain gardens, and ponds, which help to cool cities. 

Like Miyawaki pocket forests, which Im sure you know very well. They allow the rapid creation of biodiverse, dense forests in small areas, such as urban spaces. 

Or like the sponge city concept, which helps cities to better handling rainwater. Instead of flooding the streets, water is absorbed, retained and reused.  

Integrating nature-based solutions like these in urban planning and practice is more important than ever.  

We are taking concrete steps in Europe to do exactly this.  

Under our Nature Restoration legislation – the first of its kind anywhere – we aim to recover and enhance green spaces and increase tree cover in cities. 

Our new Water Resilience Strategy seeks to restore and protect the water cycle and ensure access to clean and affordable water for all. 

We also need to change our relationship with natural resources.  

Right now, we extract, produce, consume, dump, and waste – and then we start from scratch and do it all over again.  

We need to break this destructive spiral – and circularity is the answer.  

We will soon propose a Circular Economy Act so that, instead of constantly creating more, we reuse, recycle and refurbish.  

We are also exploring the potential of nature credits, to reward those who actively contribute to ecosystem restoration and conservation. 

Cities are crucial partners in all of this. And the EU has several tools to support their efforts. 

The Climate-neutral and Smart Cities Mission is helping over one hundred European cities to become climate-neutral by 2030. 

The Green City Accord is helping cities to address challenges related to water, air quality, noise, waste and biodiversity. 

And we have European champions that can guide and inspire us. Every year, cities big and small are recognised for their environmental performance.  

I invite you to explore some of their achievements in a virtual tour here at the Pavilion.  

I am delighted that today we are joined by Margot Roose, Deputy Mayor of Tallinn, in Estonia, the European Green Capital in 2023. 

Tallinn and other frontrunners lead by example.  

They are the proof in the pudding -- showing that green cities are the cities with the highest quality of life.  

They are also the best adapted to climate-related risks.  

We must learn from them so that citizens everywhere can benefit.  

Dear friends,  

Cities are the very heart of humanitys future. They must also be at the core of our response to humanitys challenges.  

They are not just places. They are filled with possibility: the possibility of a healthier and more sustainable world, with cleaner air and greener spaces and a place for everyone.   

So, I want to thank everybody who is participating today and working towards this goal.  

Together, we can build vibrant, sustainable and welcoming green cities that provide for all citizens.  

Thank you.