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Europe is a highly urbanised continent. Today, around 75 % of Europe’s population live in urban areas. Estimates predict that European urban population will rise to 80 % in 2050. The urban landscape of Europe is heterogenous and characterised by a diversity of mostly small and medium cities.
of European population live in urban areas, in 2021
There are less than 30 cities in the EU with a population of more than one million. According to an assessment by UN-habitat in 2016, of these cities, only Paris and London can be considered megacities – high density metropolises of more than 10 million inhabitants.
The EU has a key role in promoting sustainable urban development. But cities (local authorities in general) have their own governance setting and therefore, are best placed to take local action to tackle and resolve environmental challenges, whilst ensuring a good quality of life for their citizens. Traditionally, they are crucial in improving waste and water management, public transport and efficiently using land by implementing integrated urban planning. Today, they also take centre stage on climate change adaptation and ecosystems preservation and restoration.
Urban systems are inherently complex. With the ample support of urban stakeholders, the EEA developed a conceptual model and selected six observation and analysis lenses to assess the role of cities in urban transitions towards environmental sustainability, within the broad European Green Deal framework and the EU Urban Agenda. Based on the stakeholders-led assessment process several outputs have been co-created.
City, in which the capacity of individuals, communities, institutions, businesses, and systems enable them to survive, adapt, and grow in response to chronic stresses and acute shocks.
City models based on approaches to functional and ecological urban development design, provide healthy and sustainable environments for both natural systems and communities.
City that has achieved or moving towards achieving low-carbon practices in all its aspects including economy, daily life (e.g., travel, politics and culture).
City, in which the processes of development include a wide variety of citizens and activities and involving spatial, social and economic inclusion.
City with physical and social environments and community resources, which enable people to perform all the functions of life and develop to their maximum potential.
City, in which all product and material streams can be brought back into the cycle after use, and become a resource for new products and services.
The influence of cities in EU policymaking has been increasingly recognised over the last few decades, including through the establishment of the Committee of the Regions in 1994 and the signing of the Leipzig Charter in 2006 (updated in 2020). The Pact of Amsterdam from 2016 culminated in the Urban Agenda for the EU, giving new impetus to and integrating the already many instruments dedicated to cities. Furthermore, city networks and associations are becoming increasingly important in shaping global climate and sustainability agreements.
For references, please go to https://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/sustainability-transitions/urban-environment/urban-sustainability or scan the QR code.
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