VITORIA-GASTEIZ GREEN CAPITAL: A human scale city (PDF)

Ana Oregi Bastarrika President of the CEA-Environmental Studies Centre Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council

FOREWORD

As this forward is being written, we are mired in a health crisis, which has caused an economic crisis with social and, of course, environmental ramifications that remain to be seen.

Faced with this global emergency, the discourse on sustainability in all of its dimensions is showing its true significance and has become more necessary than ever.

A pandemic came into our lives and the life of our planet and has revealed many of the weaknesses and contradictions inherent to our way of life, the prevailing economic system, the way access is provided to essential public services, the way in which we design and manage our cities, etc. Now more than ever, the failings and virtues of globalization are coming to the fore: excessive reliance, disparities between north and south, cooperation required between countries and organizations, etc.

We have also seen that many of the extraordinary measures that had to be adopted during this crisis have entailed a reduction in the growing pressure on the planet and an improvement in the state of conservation of ecosystems, natural resources, forests, air, water, and more. It seems that there is still time to halt or at least slow some aspects of environmental deterioration, including loss of biodiversity and even climate change.

Locally, we've seen our cities' air quality improve, which is certainly important for our health and well-being, but we've also identified a number of shortcomings that hinder adaptation to the needs arising from this situation and others that may come.

Now is the time to reflect and certainly demand health for everyone, social justice, a healthy environment, and the fulfilment of the remaining Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), which now provide the framework with which to take on the uncertain and difficult future that lies ahead.

Vitoria-Gasteiz has been working along these lines for decades, first committed to Agenda 21 and then the SDG, especially directing its efforts to the fulfilment of Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. To this end, it has implemented sophisticated social, urban planning, and environmental policies that have garnered the city a host of national and international distinctions and awards.

These commitments have become even more meaningful now and compel us bolster our urban policies and guide them toward a model that will make the city more resilient and put people, their health, safety, and well-being above all other considerations.

The book that follows this text describes the evolution of Vitoria-Gasteiz from the perspective of mobility and green spaces. It discusses the measures that were implemented in the past and the ones that will be implemented in the future to build a more rational mobility model, increase the amount of public space, and grow the amount of nature in the city. These measures are helping to improve the city's environmental quality and liveability as well as maintain the city's desirable human scale.

This book has arrived at a critical moment. Now more than ever, we are reaffirming our COMMITMENT to continue down the path toward becoming a MORE SUSTAINABLE AND HUMAN CITY with community services, safe and accessible public spaces, and enough high-quality green spaces to improve our environment, health, and well-being.

You can download the full document here:

VG_Human_scale_city_rev 01.pdf

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