Challenges and Strategies for Metropolisesand metropolitan regions in a context of growing globalisation with regard to economic, social, environmental and cultural development

Introduction by Gaye Doganoglu Chair of the Committee on Sustainable Development of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.

St.Petersburg, Russian Federation, 26 June 2008

Dear Chair, Dear Minister,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Sustainable development is essential to the future of our urban areas. The inhabitants of our cities, metropolises and regions are no longer prepared to suffer the consequences of the global economic development that threatens our environment. They are no longer willing to accept climate change and its impacts, the destruction of natural resources or the effects of pollution on human health. Instead, they want a form of controlled development that will establish the basis for sustainable growth and ensure a good quality of life, employment and a reasonable future for their children. This is the challenge that all of us, and in particular local authorities, face.

It is a pleasure and a privilege to address you this morning on behalf of the President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. As Chair of the Committee on Sustainable Development, I would like to stress the long lasting relationship and excellent co-operation between the Congress and the CEMAT.

The city is central to the preoccupations in the Congress. By the end of this year, more than half of the Earth’s population will live in urban areas. For the first time in history humans are truly an urban species. The rapid growth in urbanisation is unprecedented and will structure our lives for this century.

Cities and metropolises are shaping our future, they are driving forces for prosperity and well-being, and they are key players in the globalisation process.  We know that innovation at all levels of governance is required to meet the challenges and needs of our emerging modern network societies. The complexity of societal trends constitutes the basis of the necessary transformations.

All our urban areas have their own character, their own specificity, even their own cultures. They all share modern-day concerns linked to the globalization of social, economic and political relationships. They are all facing changing and shared responsibilities between local, regional, national and European and international institutions and the democratic governance deficits on local, national and European level. They are all a part of the scientific and technological revolution, the demographic transitions, cultural diversity and migration trends.

These trends - certainly in cities and metropolitan areas - give rise to new societal patterns between citizens, private organisations and governments, including new expectations, responsibilities and roles of governance. It is in this spirit that the Congress, as one of the pillars of the Council of Europe, has elaborated and adopted the European Urban Charter II – a Manifesto for a new urbanity.

This ambitious Manifesto will be presented by its Rapporteur, Mr. Carlos Alberto Pinto, in the first session of this Symposium. But I would like to take this opportunity to underline that it is the fruit of an in-depth consultation process and of the many useful exchanges that have taken place to develop its ideas. With this in mind I would like to thank the associations of local and regional authorities and of urban experts which have provided valuable input into the elaboration of this text.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are seeing that Europe’s metropolitan areas are increasingly becoming the centre of economic, political and cultural life and that they are gaining growing importance as locomotives for the successful development of Europe’s economies. If our cities are to prosper, we need transparent and coherent decision-making processes, we need to encourage public involvement in policy making, we need to guarantee the accountability of public institutions and we need to respect the principle of subsidiarity.

It is clear that local and regional authorities are already contributing a great deal to Europe’s sustainable development and are places of innovation in the implementation of environmentally-sound policies. Examples of this recently addressed by the Congress include policies for adaptation to climate change and for a new energy culture; giving urban biodiversity the central place it deserves in our towns and cities and underlining the importance of public services in all areas for territorial cohesion.

We must not forget that the consequences of human activities such as pollution and environmental destruction do not respect administrative or national borders. We need to reinforce regional and trans-frontier cooperation. Local and regional authorities need to build partnerships and networks, not only within their wider localities, but also beyond as we know that it is often the most vulnerable countries which suffer the impacts of damaging behavior taking place in more prosperous areas.

Furthermore, I should like to mention the recent European Charter of Regional Democracy which was adopted by the Congress at its 2008 Plenary Session. This text develops the regional dimension of the principles of the European Charter of Local Self-Government. It is an important text for metropolises which are often regions in their own right.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Cities and metropolitan areas have a major role to play in creating livable and sustainable communities, in guaranteeing access for all to education and knowledge, to jobs and in designing an attractive urban environment where people want to live, work and raise a family, and where businesses can prosper.

It is for all us here present today, whether we represent a national government, local and regional authorities or experts in the urban field, to strive all together for more democracy, better governance, greater sustainability and greater solidarity. I look forward to the debates during these two days and I can assure you of the Congress’ support for this important task.