Cities

5. Introducing measures to green cities can increase social equity and quality of life. Enhancing public transport systems, for example, can reduce inequality by improving access to public services and other amenities, and by helping to relieve vehicle congestion in poorer neighbourhoods. Cleaner fuel for transport and power generation can reduce both local pollution and health inequality. Reducing traffic and improving conditions for pedestrians and cyclists can help foster community cohesion, an important aspect of quality of life, which also has positive impacts on economic resilience and productivity. Evidence shows that children who live in close proximity to green space are more resistant to stress, have a lower incidence of behavioural disorders, anxiety, and depression, and have a higher measure of self-worth. Green space also stimulates social interaction and enhances human well-being.

6. Only a coalition of actors and effective multilevel governance can ensure the success of green cities. The most important fundamental enabling condition is a coalition of actors from the national and local state, civil society, the private sector and universities who are committed to advancing the green economy and its urban prerequisites, placing it centrally within the top strategic priorities for the city. The central task of this coalition is to promote the idea of a long-term strategic plan for the city or urban territory. Equally, it is crucial to develop strategic frameworks not just at the local and urban level, but also at regional and national levels, ensuring coordinated design and implementation of policy instruments.

7. Numerous instruments for enabling green cities are available and tested but need to be applied in a tailored, context-specific way. In contexts with strong local government it is possible to envisage a range of planning, regulatory, information and financing instruments applied at the local level to advance green infrastructure investments, green economic development and a multi- track approach to greater urban sustainability. In other contexts, local governments, in a more pragmatic approach, could target a few key sectors such as water, waste, energy and transport and commit those to a limited number of specific goals as a point of departure for greening urban sectors.

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