Calling yourself a tree-hugger and carrying a SIGG bottle doesn’t quite make you an environmentalist. Likewise, planting recycling bins on every corner doesn’t make a city a leader in environmental initiatives. Among crowds of “green-washed” hopefuls, there are few cities across the globe that not only can boast green roots of their past, but also have concrete plans to for a sustainable future. Enter Malmo, Sweden – a city that wants to convert to 100 percent renewable energy by 2020.
Malmo is Sweden’s third largest city, and isn’t the first place tourists think to visit as they graze over Scandinavia. Once a part of Denmark, it’s cultural influences toe the line between Danish and Swedish, giving it a unique flair that Stockholm can’t claim. And while it’s history makes it a an interesting and diverse place to see, it’s Malmo’s current innovations and ambitions plans for the future that make it so compelling.
In ten years, Malmo aims to be completely climate neutral and rely 100 percent on renewable energy. Fortunately, the goal isn’t all that unrealistic. Three aspects – ecological, social, and economic sustainability make up the trifecta holding their environmental program in place.
“A successful environmental agenda does not wait for the perfect solution; it has to be of experimental in nature and employ diverse working methods,” says the city of Malmo’s official Environmental Program for 2009-2020. Officials here want to find methods that succeed environmentally, but keep social and economic perspectives in its periphery. Under their guidelines, living in a sustainable city should be a reality for anyone who wants to live in one.
The European Union wants to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent in the next decade, but a lot of people will have to work toward a common goal in order to make that happen. Urban conditions will have to improve through enhanced green spaces and air quality, and Malmo stands behind the notion that simplicity and clarity will pave the road to that success.
But it’s easy to talk about what you want, and to develop goals. It’s not always easy to find a way to achieve them. This city has it covered with tactical, concrete ways to paint the town green:
• Make the city greener, denser, and more diverse by creating mixed-use spaces and increasing efficiency.
• Build more convenient and widely-connected public transportation, including a better cycling network and walking paths.
• Phase in solar, wind, water, and biogas, while phasing out fossil fuels.
• Double the EU’s goal, by decreasing gas emissions by 40 percent
Another cornerstone of Malmo’s plan is to decrease the consumption of material goods by utilizing materials more efficiently. Creating a sustainable agriculture with crop-free and pesticide-free zones is part of the process, and doing so will benefit biological diversity and the protection of water resources.
This city isn’t afraid to commit to its goals, either. Recently, its government signed the Covenant of Mayors’ initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which plans to improve energy efficiency within the urban environment. It also opened its doors to scientists for an internal workshop called “The Planet in 2050” which creates “desirable futures for the Earth” by the year 2050, and realistic ways to achieve those futures.
Still not convinced? Book a flight to Malmo and see for yourself.
