Pirmin Knecht AER Summer School 2007 Sustainable Development Zurich How to integrate sustainable development into governance; the Zurich approach  Swiss specialties  The Canton of Zurich  The Zurich approach to sustainable development  Support sustainable development; what cantons can do  Sustainability report  Integration of sustainable development into political guidelines

Pirmin Knecht AER Summer School 2007 Sustainable Development Zurich Alpine country in the heart of Western Europe Population of 7.36 million (around 20% foreigners) Jura (10%) Plateau (30%) Alps (60%); 48 summits higher than 4,000 metres High density of population, with many regional differences Confoederatio Helvetica (CH)

Pirmin Knecht AER Summer School 2007 Sustainable Development Zurich Multicultural, crossroads of European cultures 4 national languages: German, French, Italian and Rumantsch Influence on traditions, festivals and local customs 4 cultures, 4 languages Geographic distribution of the national languages (2002) German 63.7 % French 20.4 % Italian 6.5 % Rumantsch 0.5 % Non-national languages 8.9 %

Pirmin Knecht AER Summer School 2007 Sustainable Development Zurich Political structure on three levels: Federal state 26 cantons ~2,900 communes Decentralised Solidarity among cantons Federalism Communal boundaries Cantonal boundaries

Pirmin Knecht AER Summer School 2007 Sustainable Development Zurich Direct democracy including popular rights (initiative and referendum) Average of four popular votes per year Part-time parliament: two- chamber system with chambers representing people and cantons Government: 7 members, 4 parties Political structure

Pirmin Knecht AER Summer School 2007 Sustainable Development Zurich How to integrate sustainable development into governance; the Zurich approach  Swiss specialties  The Canton of Zurich  The Zurich approach to sustainable development  Support sustainable development; what cantons can do  Sustainability report  Integration of sustainable development into political guidelines

Pirmin Knecht AER Summer School 2007 Sustainable Development Zurich Canton of Zurich in relation to Switzerland Zurich Basel Geneva Area:1,700 km 2 -> 42‘000 km 2 (4%) Population: 1.25 million -> 7.3 million (17%) Jobs:0.75 million -> 3.6 million (20%) Bern

Pirmin Knecht AER Summer School 2007 Sustainable Development Zurich Zurich offers an Outstanding Quality of Life Zurich ranked 1 st for the sixth consecutive year The study is based on the assessments and evaluations of 39 key quality of life determinants, like economics, schools & education, medical & health, politics and culture. City (New York = 100) Zurich Amsterdam Oslo London Barcelona Madrid Index for overall quality of life Rank

Pirmin Knecht AER Summer School 2007 Sustainable Development Zurich Ease of attracting the right kind of people Randy Knaflic, Lead Recruiter for Engineering, Google “It’s much easier to attract people here from all over Europe than to anywhere else. “As you can see in companies like IBM, Microsoft and Google, they all are doing important research and development here in Zurich. We all see a good reason in being in Zurich; we can attract the right kind of people.”

Pirmin Knecht AER Summer School 2007 Sustainable Development Zurich What makes Zurich efficient excellent schools well educated population highly motivated workforce of 750‘000+ multi-cultural tradition excellent infrastructure

Pirmin Knecht AER Summer School 2007 Sustainable Development Zurich Commutes seldom exceed 30 min. door- to-door City of Zurich – Airport Distance: 10 km   15 min.   10 min. City of Zurich – Winterthur Distance: 25 km   15 min.   20 min. City of Zurich – Meilen Distance: 12 km   20 min.   14 min. Winterthur Airport City Meilen 45 km 60 km

Pirmin Knecht AER Summer School 2007 Sustainable Development Zurich Attractive Corporate Income Tax In % of Corporate Income

Pirmin Knecht AER Summer School 2007 Sustainable Development Zurich Charming Zurich land of lakes and rivers, mountains and hills

Pirmin Knecht AER Summer School 2007 Sustainable Development Zurich What makes Zurich lovely excellent gastronomy top sports facilities

Pirmin Knecht AER Summer School 2007 Sustainable Development Zurich How to integrate sustainable development into governance; the Zurich approach  Swiss specialties  The Canton of Zurich  The Zurich approach to sustainable development  Support sustainable development; what cantons can do  Sustainability report  Integration of sustainable development into political guidelines

Pirmin Knecht AER Summer School 2007 Sustainable Development Zurich KV Art. 6 Sustainability (2005)  Canton and municipalities care for the preservation of the basis of life. To take responsibility for future generations, they are obliged to an ecologically, economically and socially sustainable development.

Pirmin Knecht AER Summer School 2007 Sustainable Development Zurich Possible activities for Cantons  Sustainable Development Strategy  Monitoring of sustainable development  assessment of sustainability of important projects  Support municipalities (LA 21)  Marketing the vision of sustainable development  Initiate special projects which have a lasting effect towards sustainable development

Pirmin Knecht AER Summer School 2007 Sustainable Development Zurich Sustainable Development Strategy Swiss Federal Council (1997/2002/2007) Review January 2007 Strategy March 2002

Pirmin Knecht AER Summer School 2007 Sustainable Development Zurich

Pirmin Knecht AER Summer School 2007 Sustainable Development Zurich Sustainablilty report Present the development of the whole canton with a focus on sustainable development  Normally indicator-based reports

Pirmin Knecht AER Summer School 2007 Sustainable Development Zurich Objectives of the sustainability report recognising the ongoing development  Sustainable development is a basic principle of the canton of Zurich. SD must be integrated into all policy areas and grow to be increasingly important  Sustainable development is to be conceived as a social process of searching, learning and structuring  Create overwiew of status for important political decision-makers (e.g. cantonal council)  Basis for the decision-making prozess to work out the objectives of the legislature or the sustainable development strategy

Pirmin Knecht AER Summer School 2007 Sustainable Development Zurich environment Biodiversity Nature and landscape Energy quality Energy consumtion Climate Use of resources Water balance Water quality Soil consumtion Soil quality Air qualitiy economy Income Living costs Employment market Investments Efficient utilisation of resources Innovation Economic structure Know-how Public funds Taxes society Noise Mobility Health Security Distribution of income Participation Culture and leisure Education Sozial Support Integration Equal rights North-South Solidarity Subject areas

Pirmin Knecht AER Summer School 2007 Sustainable Development Zurich

Pirmin Knecht AER Summer School 2007 Sustainable Development Zurich Context: other important reports Environmental report Social report Spatial planning report Economic develop- ment report Increasing level of details Sustainability report

Pirmin Knecht AER Summer School 2007 Sustainable Development Zurich Embedded sustainability report Sustainability report Objectives of the legislature / SD strategy JI DS FD VD SK BI BD GD Decisions by cantonal council Orders from the Cantonal council Controlling Decisions by cantonal council

Pirmin Knecht AER Summer School 2007 Sustainable Development Zurich Timetable  Decision by the cantonal council to establish a sustainability report (April 2006)  Constituting Steering Commitee (Mai, June 2006)  Definition indicators, collection of datas, interviews with about 40 people (June – November 2006)  Writing all texts, summary, guest commentary (Sep. – Dec. 2006)  Consultation in all departments (January – February 2007):  Publication (April 2007)  Decision by the cantonal council to work out a sustainable development strategy (April 2007)  Elections for the cantonal council (April 2007)  Elaboration of the objectives of the legislature (Mai – Juli 2007)

Pirmin Knecht AER Summer School 2007 Sustainable Development Zurich Sucess stories  Clear directions by the cantonal council  Steering committee with senior representatives of the departments (political group)  Support group provided good inputs (functional support)  Personal contact with 40 people who helped to establish the texts of the sustainability report  Additional resources of about % for one year  Cantonal council of our Department of Construction «carries the flag»

Pirmin Knecht AER Summer School 2007 Sustainable Development Zurich Integration of sustainable development into political guidelines  SD in the preambule of the objectives of the legislature (guiding principles)  SD as an important obective of the legislature  SD as measures which are based on the objectives of the legislature Ideal situation (objectives for the legislature):

Pirmin Knecht AER Summer School 2007 Sustainable Development Zurich  There are 3 guiding principles in the preambule  Strengthen competitiveness of Zürich (  economical dimension)  Protection of the natural ressources (  ecological dimension)  Ensuring social cohesion (  social dimension)  No concrete objectives yet  We are trying to link the 3 guiding principles to measures Additional: We are now working out a sustainable development strategy Integration of sustainable development into political guidelines Status August 2007 (objectives for the legislature):