Could The Grass Be Greener Beyond COVID-19?

27 May 2021 09.00-10.30 CET

COVID-19 recovery planning represents a clear opportunity for cities to make their economies greener and progress towards climate change goals. Investing in green measures in cities creates jobs, sets local conditions for long-term economic growth, reduces CO2 emissions, prepares communities for future climate related risks, and makes for healthier residents. In response to the pandemic, an increasing number of green recovery initiatives have emerged, displaying cities’ high level of ambition as well as their capacity to experiment with innovative solutions. This session examined the variety of strategies cities are making to achieve an inclusive economic recovery in parallel with environmental sustainability and energy efficiency.

Panelists

• Ricardo Rio, Mayor of Braga, Portugal
• Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, Mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone
• Susan Aitken, Council Leader of Glasgow, United Kingdom
• Peter Kurz, Mayor of Mannheim, Germany

Moderated by Aziza Akhmouch, Head of Cities, Urban Policies and Sustainable Development Division, Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities, OECD, and Wolfgang Teubner, Regional Director Europe, ICLEI.