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Brussels, |
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Urban environment
As Europe becomes more urbanized, with around 70% of its population living in cities, towns, and suburbs, the quality of urban life increasingly depends on environmental factors. These include air and water quality, access to natural spaces and biodiversity, noise pollution levels, and the ability to mitigate heat increases due to rising temperatures.
Challenges and Opportunities in Cities: Cities are the main consumers of resources and face numerous environmental challenges. However, they also present unique opportunities for addressing these issues through efficient resource management, the circular economy, reduced reliance on private motorized transport, and energy-efficient buildings.
EU's Role and Objectives: The EU views cities as key players in achieving the European Green Deal's objectives of creating a low carbon, resource-efficient, sustainable, and resilient society. It aims to enhance urban quality of life through environmental laws targeting air and water quality, waste management, nature and biodiversity protection, and noise pollution reduction. About 1 in 5 Europeans live in areas with harmful noise levels, and air pollution leads to approximately 300,000 premature deaths annually.
EU Initiatives for Urban Environmental Improvement:
Supporting Policies and Strategies: The EU supports urban environmental improvement through various strategies, including the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, Circular Economy Action Plan, Environmental Action Programme (8EAP), Smart and Sustainable Mobility Strategy, and the Zero Pollution Action Plan.
EU policies and initiatives aim to safeguard health and the environment in increasingly urbanized settings, focusing on improving urban life quality. By partnering with cities and local governments, the EU seeks to address and overcome urban environmental challenges, leveraging cities' unique positions to foster sustainable development in line with the European Green Deal priorities.
Challenges and Opportunities in Cities: Cities are the main consumers of resources and face numerous environmental challenges. However, they also present unique opportunities for addressing these issues through efficient resource management, the circular economy, reduced reliance on private motorized transport, and energy-efficient buildings.
EU's Role and Objectives: The EU views cities as key players in achieving the European Green Deal's objectives of creating a low carbon, resource-efficient, sustainable, and resilient society. It aims to enhance urban quality of life through environmental laws targeting air and water quality, waste management, nature and biodiversity protection, and noise pollution reduction. About 1 in 5 Europeans live in areas with harmful noise levels, and air pollution leads to approximately 300,000 premature deaths annually.
EU Initiatives for Urban Environmental Improvement:
- European Green Capital Award: Recognizes cities that have made significant efforts to improve the environment.
- Green City Accord: Encourages European mayors to commit to making cities greener, cleaner, and healthier.
- Urban Nature Platform: Supports cities in restoring nature and biodiversity.
- EU policy on the urban environment: EU policy to promote sustainable EU cities, including information on the EU's Green Capital and Green Leaf initiatives and urban environment benchmarking tool.
- EU action on cities and their adaptation to climate change::EU and international initiatives to develop sustainable urban environments and to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change on urban areas.
- Energy-efficient buildings: on reducing the energy consumption of buildings, financing for energy efficient renovations, energy performance certificates, and monitoring the energy performance of buildings across Europe.
Supporting Policies and Strategies: The EU supports urban environmental improvement through various strategies, including the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, Circular Economy Action Plan, Environmental Action Programme (8EAP), Smart and Sustainable Mobility Strategy, and the Zero Pollution Action Plan.
EU policies and initiatives aim to safeguard health and the environment in increasingly urbanized settings, focusing on improving urban life quality. By partnering with cities and local governments, the EU seeks to address and overcome urban environmental challenges, leveraging cities' unique positions to foster sustainable development in line with the European Green Deal priorities.
- Around 70% of Europeans live in urban areas
- 1 in 5 people live in areas with harmful noise levels
- 300 000 premature deaths caused by fine particulate matter annually
