1. IAOS/SCORUS – Santiago, Chile, 20-22 October 2010 URBAN SUSTAINABILITY AND KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY – CITIES KNOWLEDGE NEEDS Asta Manninen City of Helsinki Urban Facts asta.manninen@hel.fi Leo Kolttola Statistics Finland leo.kolttola@stat.fi 1

2. Urban sustainability and knowledge economy Issues of sustainability in metropolitan and city areas are distinctive The share of service industries is very high (on average 78 % in EU 27) and still rising. Economic development is essentially linked to knowledge. The role of “non-material” resources is an issue that can be most clearly observed in metropolitan and city areas. The population of major cities and their regions is growing, which also causes social problems, especially in developing countries. 2

3. Characteristics of the knowledge economy Source: e.g. www.euricur.nl Cities simultaneously promote a competitive, sustainable and inclusive city. Attracting knowledge workers. Creating knowledge. Applying knowledge. Developing growth clusters. Cities possess a high organising capacity. 3

4. Knowledge needs on sustainable urban development Two sources are utilised: Urban Matrix a four-year-long EU project targeted at knowledge exchange on urban sustainability, www.urban-matrix.net,www.urban-matrix.net and Reference Framework for European Sustainable Cities, a current project embracing cities in all European countries www.rfsustainablecities.euwww.rfsustainablecities.eu. 4

5. Knowledge needs on sustainable urban development according to Urban Matrix experiences Integrated approaches to sustainable urban development Sustainability aspects in public-private partnerships Cooperation with stakeholders and citizen participation Climate change Integrated transport systems Social cohesion & demographic change Urban regeneration & compact cities Linking competitiveness and economic development to sustainable development 5

6. Knowledge needs on sustainable urban development according to the RF for European Sustainable Cities objectives To deliver an accepted common framework for sustainable urban development To put in place the foundations on which to improve the skills and capacity to deal with sustainable integrated urban development To deliver a key set of quality material (tools; good practices and the like) that can evolve and be adapted to suit city needs - and that will endure To mobilise city and national bodies sufficiently to build a sustainable learning network 6

7. The way forward The studies on urban development can lead to better understanding of the concept of sustainability in different social and economic environments. The definition of the content of social sustainability and its interconnection to ecological and economic sustainability has proven to be important for the measurement frameworks of sustainable development (UNECE ). DGINS Conference 30 September 2010. Measuring Progress, Well-being and Sustainable Development. (forthcoming) 7

8. Annex 1: Urban Matrix URBAN MATRIX Targeted Knowledge Exchange on Urban Sustainability, European Commision, Framework Programme 6 Period: February 2006 - January 2010 Coordinator of the project : www.eurocities.orgwww.eurocities.org Partnership project: website www.eukn.org/urbanmatrixwww.eukn.org/urbanmatrix Partners: University of the West of England GHK International Amsterdam Helsinki Aalborg Sevilla Malmö Belfast San Sebastian Palermo Stockholm Sheffield 8

9. Annex 2: Further links to the Reference Framework for Urban Sustainability DGALN, La direction générale de l’aménagement, du logement et de la nature DGALN CERTU European Union URBACT Council of European Municipalities and Regions EUROCITIES In addition, 70 test cities will be appointed 9