Managing director Theresia Vogel will present the Smart Cities Initiative of the Climate and Energy Fund:
Small but smart – any city can boost energy transition
- Those who speak of smart cities often have rapidly growing cities with over a million inhabitants in mind. Europe, however, is characterized by only a few of these mega-cities and countless smaller cities and towns. Due to its population structure Austria is almost predestined to be a pioneer for such small cities on the way to energy transition.
- The strength of the Smart Cities Initiative of the Climate and Energy Fund lies above all in the trans- and interdisciplinary approach. Projects are not implemented one-dimensionally but holistically across sectors and disciplines. The main innovation driver of the projects is the integration of social participation, forming a broad alliance on the way to a decarbonized society.
- Therefore, the aim of our Energy Talk is to show that even the smallest of towns can make a relevant contribution to achieving the climate goals and further how these small municipalities can be won over to the transformation. The best outcome was to find partnering cities, official or private institutions that want to carry on our vision of multiplying smart cities. Austria’s small and medium-sized cities can be a model and multiplier for projects of similar sized cities all over Europe.
The Energy Talk of the Climate and Energy Fund is part of the networking programme of the Sustainable Energy Week of the European Commission (EUSEW) 2019. This international conference will be held in Brussels from the 17th until the 21th June. It is the biggest European conference dedicated to renewables and efficient energy use in Europe. Sessions organised by the European Commission and energy stakeholders focus on sustainable energy issues, debate new policy developments, best practices and sustainable energy ideas. Next to the conference, the Networking Village brings the EUSEW Community together to forge alliances whilst the EUSEW Awards celebrate outstanding projects and ideas.