Sustainable Cities

According to the OECDmore than half of the world's population lives in urban centers, a figure that is expected to reach 60% by 2030 and 70% by 2050. Cities therefore encapsulate the great challenge of our time: to continue to grow economically while providing greater social progress, while ensuring a reduction in pollution and sustainable use of natural resources. The response to these challenges will be decisive in the Sustainable Development agenda and represents an opportunity for innovation with a focus on economic, environmental and social progress, and with the intervention of all the agents of the urban ecosystem - citizens, schools, local authorities, companies and other organizations.
É the eleventh of the Sustainable Development Goals - to make cities and communities resilient and sustainable - and, within its framework, specific action criteria have been defined such as, by 2030, ensuring access to safe, adequate and affordable housing for all, providing access to safe, accessible, sustainable and affordable transport systems for all, increasing inclusive and sustainable urbanization and providing universal access to safe, inclusive, accessible and green public spaces.
For companies, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in cities offers an opportunity in the areas of housing, energy, efficient construction, mobility, water and sanitation. Many are already considering this transition as strategic, developing solutions that contribute to urban sustainability.
Among Portuguese cities, many have made sustainability a priority. Lisbon has been a pioneer in this effort and, for this reason, has been awarded the prize of European Green Capital 2020. The distinction is the result of evaluation by a group of international experts on efforts to mitigate climate change, adapt to it, implement more sustainable urban mobility systems - of which the advances in social passes are an excellent example - preserve green spaces and biodiversity, improve air quality, combat noise pollution and waste, manage water and energy efficiently, promote sustainable growth, eco-innovation and governance.
Find out more about the Business Mobility Pact for the City of Lisbon
Working Group
What is the role of the Working Group in this area?
The Sustainable Cities Working Group was created with two main objectives:
- Clarify the business case for sustainable, circular and carbon-neutral cities in the context of Portugal's adaptation to climate change and the commitments made in the Paris Agreement through case studies, events, publications, debates, etc.
- Promote business projects, in partnership with the relevant stakeholders, with concrete deliverables that contribute to sustainability in an urban context.
Goals 2022
- Monitoring the finalization of the Business Mobility Pact for the City of Lisbon.
- Collaborate in the development and implementation of the Business Mobility Pact for the City of Braga.
- Develop a project in the field of sustainable construction.
Projects
Business Mobility Pact for the City of Lisbon
The Business Mobility Pact for the City of Lisbon (PMEL) is a commitment promoted by the WBCSD, Lisbon City Council (CML), BCSD Portugal and the signatory companies and institutions.
It aims to contribute to more sustainable mobility in the city of Lisbon through concrete actions to which companies commit, in interaction with the City Council, their employees, suppliers and customers. Through the adoption of new measures, behaviours and solutions, in cooperation with the local authority, the PMEL will stimulate actions aimed at optimizing and decarbonizing the operations and fleets of the different entities, promoting the diversification and integration of the modal mix, and promoting the growth of the use of collective and inclusive multimodal transport.
Braga Business Mobility Pact
The Braga Business Mobility Pact (PMEB) is a project promoted by BCSD Portugal and Braga City Council that aims to contribute to more sustainable mobility in the municipality of Braga through concrete actions to which companies commit.
Participation in this pact allows signatory companies to reduce their carbon footprint, access and share knowledge about sustainable mobility, and improve relations with other companies, organizations and local institutions.