Author: indy

“New Green Possibilities” International Online Forum

In the context of the Bangkok Design Week 2021 hosted by the Creative Economy Agency (CEA), the International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) programme of the European Union and we!park, a partner of the Green Bangkok 2030 initiative of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), will organise a series of activities aimed at advancing dialogue and multi-stakeholder cooperation on green urban...

Makassar: Addressing Energy and Climate Change Issues

Capacity building for development of Climate Action Plan Makassar, the capital of Sulawesi Province in Indonesia, began its cooperation on energy and climate change within the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM) programme in July 2019 when the European Union made a roadshow to the city. Across Indonesia, cities had faced two interlinked challenges: rapid population growth...

Toyota, Japan & Grenoble-Alpes Metropole, France

Smart city solutions for people, industry and the environment For their city-to-city cooperation in the IUC programme, Toyota and Grenoble-Alpes Metropole were interested in developing smart city solutions for a sustainable city through innovation and creation of new businesses. They shared experience in renewable energy such as networking of hydrogen labs and startups, hydrogen fleet deployment, town development using hydrogen...

Iskandar: An Asian Leader in Climate Action

Developing a blueprint for a more sustainable region Iskandar Malaysia, a region in the State of Johor made up of five local authorities, is a leader in sustainable urban development, with a robust climate action “blueprint” for which it has secured backing from local, state and international governing levels. The Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) spearheads and coordinates climate efforts...

IURC Asia & Australasia Information Event

On Wednesday 26th May 2021, the IURC Asia & Australasia project team collaborated with IURC colleagues in China and Brussels to organise a webinar to provide information for European cities willing to cooperate with Asian and Australasian cities within the IURC programme. The event highlighted how diverse and dynamic the Asian and Australasian regions are, as represented by the team...

Gwalior, India & Leuven, Belgium

Strengthening governance for the restoration of privately-owned heritage buildings in Gwalior RESULTS OF IUC-INDIA CITY-TO-CITY COOPERATION Located in the heart of Belgium next to Brussels, the city of Leuven has a legacy and ongoing practices to make use of heritage buildings in a way that their heritage structure and design are protected. Within the IUC programme, Leuven entered into partnership...

Penampang, Malaysia

Working to cut more than their fair share of emissions In Cities on the Route to 2030, a report on cities and climate action published last week by CDP, Penampang in Malaysia, a pilot city of the EU-funded IUC and GCOM initiatives, was the only city in Asia singled out (out of 100 Asian cities reported). It is the first...

Official Launch of IURC in India

The new International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) programme was launched on 4 May in India during the 2nd India–EU Urban Forum in the presence of Mr Kunal Kumar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs; Dr Ronald Hall, Senior Expert, Directorate General of Regional and Urban Policy, European Commission; and Ms Kamilla Kristensen-Rai, Counsellor, Delegation of the European...

Vietnam

IURC Asia & Australasia Partner Country: Vietnam Country Description With a population of 95 million people, living in 64 provinces and 5 cities with a total area of 329,314 km2, Vietnam is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. During recent decades, cities in Vietnam became the engines of economic development, and rapid urbanisation has been the...

Thailand

IURC Asia & Australasia Partner Country: Thailand Country Description Thailand is not only undergoing rapid urbanisation but is also implementing various policies to tap urbanism for economic growth and promote sustainability. Until the second half of the 20th century, it was primarily an agricultural country. However, since the 1960s increasing numbers of people have moved to Bangkok and to other...