This conference brought together policy makers and representatives of the thousands of community-led initiatives on climate change and sustainability in Europe for the first ever European Day of Sustainable Communities on 23rd September 2017.

The conference engaged EU policy-makers and stakeholders in Brussels by demonstrating how community-led initiatives on climate change and sustainability have a vital role to play in achieving climate targets. The potential of people-driven actions is huge and the European Economics and Social Committee (EESC) was delighted to work together with ECOLISE to promote local sustainability action. The event also contributed to the action week that celebrates the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals.

To mark the European Day of Sustainable Communities on the 23rd September, citizens showcased their pioneering efforts to create new models for sustainable living. Ecovillages, Transition initiatives, permaculture projects, the agroecology movement, and many others opened their doors to the public to observe, discuss and be inspired by a diverse range of projects, covering everything from community energy, to local food, sustainable mobility, resource management and much more.

During the conference at the EESC, there was a live video link-up with the organisers showcasing a selection of these Europe-wide events. The latest information from the ECOLISE network was shared with conference participants, including research findings on the status, impacts and challenges of community-led initiatives in Europe in achieving climate targets, preserving natural resources and biodiversity, and creating a fairer and more equitable society.

Participants at the European Day of Sustainable Communities launch event included EU policy-makers such as the European Commission, Members of the European Parliament, Members of the EESC, government representatives, and community leaders, including ECOLISE members, partner organisations, associations and NGOs.

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Versão em português abaixo

#EDaySC2017 #communityled @Ecolise @EESC_SDO

 

Registration

Please register here.

Programme

8.15 a.m. – 9.00 a.m.

Registration and welcome coffee

Please note that only registered participants presenting a valid Passport/ID will be able to access the building for security reasons applying to EU institutions.

9.00 a.m. – 9.05 a.m.     Welcome remarks

Brenda King, chairwoman of the EESC’s Sustainable Development Observatory

9.05 a.m. – 10.30 a.m.   ECOLISE and the European Day of Sustainable Communities

Moderator of the day: Sarah MacAdam, Delivery Director, Transition Network

 Introduction

  • Robert Hall, President, ECOLISE

Zoom around Europe: Live video link-up to local events

  • Ireland: Davie Philip, Community Resilience Manager, Cultivate – Engaging Citizens in Community Led Transitions
  • Portugal: Gil Penha-Lopes, Faculty of Science, Lisbon University – Transition and Permaculture Research
  • France & Belgium: Marion Esnault, Coordinator – La Fête des Possibles
  • Sweden: Alisa Sidorenko, Permaculture Sweden – Resilience, International Cooperation & Youth Empowerment
  • Croatia: Markus Molz, Knowledge & Learning Coordinator, ECOLISE – Education for Sustainable Communities

Keynote speakers

  • Kosha Anja Joubert, Executive Director, Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) International
  • Rudolf Niessler, Director for Smart Sustainable Growth and Programme Implementation, European Commission, Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy

Introducing the conversation session

10.30 a.m. – 11.15 a.m. Conversation session during which tea/coffee will be served

Discussion among participants in small, self-organized groups: HOW DO WE ACCELERATE AND ENABLE A COMMUNITY-LED APPROACH?

  • Reflections to be harvested

Exhibition in the foyer (Brussels initiatives and ECOLISE members)

11.15 a.m. – 12.40 p.m. Panel discussion – The potential of community-led action in the EU

Community-led initiatives on climate change and sustainability are helping to mobilise citizens, change mind-sets and behaviour, and catalyse decentralised solutions based on social and technological innovations. These bottom-up approaches need a policy framework that enables action and fosters the spreading of such initiatives. The panel discussion will explore key elements of an enabling EU policy framework.

  • Philippe Lambert, Member of the European Parliament
  • Artur Runge-Metzger, Director for Climate strategy, Governance and Emissions from Non-trading Sectors, European Commission, Directorate-General for Climate Action
  • Lidija Pavić-Rogošić, EESC member, Director of ODRAZ – Sustainable Community Development, Croatia
  • May East, Chief Executive, GAIA Education
  • Peter Ulrich, Governance and Social Innovation Officer, ICLEI

Discussion with the audience

12.40 p.m. – 12.55 p.m.  Key Listener: Comments and Conclusions

  • Karl Falkenberg, former Director-General for the Environment at the European Commission and Hors-Classe Senior Advisor for Sustainable Development at the European Policy Strategy Centre, European Commission

12.55 p.m. – 1.00 p.m.   Closing remarks

  • Sarah MacAdam, Transition Network, moderator of the day
  • Özlem Yildirim, EESC Member, Confederal Advisor to the French General Confederation of Labour (CGT) (tbc)

End of programme

2.15 p.m. – 5.00 p.m.    Optional bike excursion to a community-led initiative in Brussels (t.b.c)

A limited number of participants (15), with bicycles brought along by the participants, upon registration

English and French interpretation will be provided during the program.

(Excursion  is without interpretation).

Lancement de la Journée européenne des initiatives citoyennes durables

L’événement rassemblera décideurs et représentants des milliers d’initiatives citoyennes contribuant à la lutte contre les changements climatique et au développement durable en Europe, afin de lancer la toute première Journée européenne des initiatives citoyennes durables, qui se tiendra le lendemain.

La conférence se veut un moment de dialogue entre décideurs et acteurs européens à Bruxelles, en montrant comment les initiatives citoyennes sur le climat et la durabilité contribuent de façon décisive à atteindre les objectifs climatiques. Le potentiel des actions menées au niveau local est énorme et le CESE est heureux de s’associer à ECOLISE pour promouvoir les actions durables locales. L’événement contribue également à la semaine d’actions célébrant le deuxième anniversaire de l’adoption des Objectifs du développement durable.

Afin de marquer la Journée européenne des initiatives citoyennes durables le 23 septembre, des citoyens présenteront leurs efforts pionniers afin de créer des modes de vie novateurs et durables. Ecovillages, initiatives de transition, projets de permaculture, agroécologie et bien d’autres initiatives seront à l’honneur, que le public pourra découvrir et discuter afin de s’en inspirer ; les projets couvriront un champ d’activités allant de l’énergie communautaire à la production alimentaire local, en passant par la mobilité durable, la gestion des ressources, et bien plus.

Pendant la conférence au CESE, une connexion vidéo en direct aura lieu avec une sélection de porteurs de projets issus de toute l’Europe. Les participants pourront également en savoir plus sur les derniers développements concernant le réseau ECOLISE, y compris les résultats de recherches menées sur la contributions, les impacts et les défis des initiatives citoyennes en Europe s’agissant de la lutte contre les dérèglements climatiques, la préservation des ressources naturelles et de la biodiversité et la création d’une société plus juste et équitable.

Les participants au lancement de la Journée européenne des initiatives citoyennes durables comprendront des décideurs européens issus de la Commission européenne, du Parlement européen, du Comité économique et social européen, des représentants de gouvernements nationaux ainsi que des porteurs de projets, en particulier issus du réseaux ECOLISE, des organisations partenaires, du monde associatif et des ONG.

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Lançamento do Dia Europeu das Comunidades Sustentáveis (22 de Setembro, 2017)Esta conferência reúne decisores políticos e representantes das milhares de iniciativas lideradas pela comunidade com ação sobre as alterações climáticas e promovem a sustentabilidade na Europa, a fim de lançar o primeiro Dia Europeu das Comunidades Sustentáveis que se realiza no dia seguinte (23 de Setembro).

A conferência pretende envolver os decisores políticos e as partes interessadas da UE em Bruxelas, demonstrando como as iniciativas comunitárias com ação climáticas e promoção da sustentabilidade têm um papel vital a desempenhar na consecução de metas climáticas e outros objetivos do desenvolvimento sustentável (ODS). O potencial das ações dirigidas pelas pessoas é enorme e o Comitê Económico e Social Europeu (CESE) tem o prazer de trabalhar em conjunto com a ECOLISE para promover ações de sustentabilidade local. O evento também contribuirá para a semana de ação que celebra a adoção dos Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável.

Para marcar o Dia Europeu das Comunidades Sustentáveis a 23 de Setembro, os cidadãos apresentarão os seus esforços pioneiros para criar novos modelos de vida sustentável. As Ecovilas, as iniciativas de transição, os projetos de permacultura, o movimento agroecológico e muitos outros abrirão suas portas e convidarão o público a observar, discutir e inspirar-se em uma variedade de projetos abrangendo tudo, desde a energia da comunidade até a alimentação local, mobilidade sustentável, gestão comunitária de recursos e muito mais.

Durante a conferência no CESE, haverá uma ligação de vídeo ao vivo com os organizadores locais de uma seleção desses eventos europeus. As informações mais recentes da rede ECOLISE serão partilhadas com os participantes da conferência, incluindo os resultados da pesquisa sobre o status, os impactos e os desafios das iniciativas lideradas pela comunidade na Europa para atingir metas climáticas, preservar os recursos naturais e a biodiversidade e criar uma sociedade mais justa e mais equitativa .

O evento de lançamento dos Participantes no Dia Europeu das Comunidades Sustentáveis incluirá os decisores políticos da UE, como a Comissão Europeia, Membros do Parlamento Europeu, membros do CESE, representantes do governo e líderes comunitários, incluindo membros da ECOLISE, organizações parceiras, associações e ONGs.

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