Energie Commune (BE) presents REC4EU in Ghent
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The workshop focused on the redevelopment of derelict industrial areas into comfortable, sustainable, and low-carbon districts. These are intended to provide a stronger sense of community, overcome car-centric urban design, enable active mobility, integrate renewable energies, and enable the circular economy. On the second day, the workshop explored sectoral solutions at the district level via work in groups. We looked at shared mobility, shared electricity production and consumption, and renewable district heating, with a particular focus on citizen-owned solutions. The workshop concept and overall moderation were ensured by Katharina Krell and Simon Hunkin, Policy Learning Platform thematic experts. Benjamin Wilkin was involved as speaker (introduction & conclusion) and animator of the workshop dedicated to REC. This animation, based on Belgian experiences, was also fed by the first insights of the REC4EU project. This Interreg project brings some feed-back from 6 other regions, besides Belgium: Italy (Tuscany), France (Nouvelle Aquitaine), Spain (Andalusia), Finland (Tampere), Poland (Lubelsky) and Slovakia. Around 45 people were attending the speech and 2 times 15 of them joined the workshop. Key messages The discussions revealed the benefits of thinking and planning at district level, with key messages to take away: Good governance Integrated sustainable urban redevelopment requires greater co-ordination, planning and communication, not only between departments, but also with citizens. This needs specific resources: time, money and skills. This is particularly challenging for smaller municipalities. It also is necessary to go outside of traditional methods: governance is typically quite rigid, it’s all about processes and stability, while innovation and change are needed. It’s important to bring together a team of innovative people able to push change through. Capacity building Public bodies need new human resource strategies to train local staff in the skills needed to take on the bigger and more ambitious projects that will be needed to overcome our societal challenges. Integrated policy and funding instruments Such transformation needs funding for place-based initiatives, not sectoral ones. Integrated urban, or non-urban, development should become the new norm, to make better use of limited resources and achieve higher impact from public interventions. Political support is vital Use the team of innovators to explain the vision and clearly explain how it solves political challenges. Set a long-term, integrated vision and promote it widely to avoid backsliding between elections. Ideally, implement projects in a step-by-step process so there is always something to show as success for politicians. Bring citizens on board This can be a challenge, but they need to be seen as a partner in the transition, not a challenge to be managed. Make them co-owners of the transformation by involving them in planning, and implement shared projects such as shared mobility and shared energy generation.
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Interreg Policy learning platform: Event Agenda at the present link:
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