Calendar

Wednesday, 2nd March 2022, 8:30-9:30 am CET

The Milan Urban Food Policy Pact Secretariat in partnership with the IURC programme of the European Union is organising an online training on urban food policy through a series of webinars for MUFPP and IURC cities in Asia Pacific. Participating cities will have the opportunity to showcase their best practices and learn from their peers in the region in the way they use food as an entry point for sustainable urban development.

The training will consist of an introductory session, followed by six webinars directly linked to the six categories of the Milan Pact. The introductory webinar will give participating cities the opportunity to understand the key pillars of a food policy and all the associated benefits of developing one. As the first event, the introductory session will provide overviews of the Farm to Fork Strategy of the European Union and the MUFPP. Participating cities will have the possibility to share their learning needs and showcase their best practices on food related issues. The webinar will also be the occasion for presenting the entire series for cities interested to join the training.

Agenda

Overview on the IURC programme (10 minutes)

Michel Mouchiroud, Deputy Head, EU Foreign Policy Instruments Asia-Pacific

Keynote speech on the power of sustainable food system to transform our cities in the framework of the EU Green Deal (10 minutes)

Andrea Magarini, Chair of the Eurocities Working Group Food

Overview on the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact and presentation of the webinar series (15 minutes)

Filippo Gavazzeni, Head of the MUFPP Secretariat, City of Milan

Survey and Q&A (20 minutes)

Read the highlights and watch the video here.

BACKGROUND

According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), before COVID-19, the contribution of China’s tourism industry to the national economy was 9.3%, which was similar to the EU average (9.5%). The Chinese outbound travel market is notable for its large volume and rapid growth. Tourism from China to the EU has tripled in ten years. China has already become an important force in the global tourism economy. With its rich cultural heritage and natural resources, China offered unique tourism destinations. In 2016, China ranked number 8 among non-EU destinations (after USA, Turkey, Switzerland, Norway and Russia, Thailand, and United Arab Emirates). The successful events in the EU-China Tourism Year (2018), announced in 2016 by the (former) President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, and the Chinese Prime Minister, Li Keqiang, provided a unique opportunity to increase visitors’ flows and investments in both EU and China.

This training session provides the participants an overview about long-term social, economic and ecological change in the tourism and culture industry in China, focusing on innovation-driven action plans in the digital transition and rural revitalisation, therefore supporting the EU-China city and regional cooperation to lead in a more effective way and achieve a more satisfactory result.

OBJECTIVES

This Zoom-in session aims to identify major challenges faced and innovative strategies implemented in the Chinese tourism industry. The training may help EU cities and regions deepen the understanding in the Chinese context and transfer the knowledge to the EU-China city and regional cooperation under the IURC framework by:

(1). Sharing social, economic and ecological context of the tourism industry in China

(2). Identifying potential pilot areas in future cooperation with Chinese counterparts.

TARGET PARTICIPANTS

This training will be open to:

(1). IURC-China participating cities regions

(2). IURC global community (invitation only)

Register

AGENDA

Read the highlights from the event

背景

旅游业是欧盟和中国许多城市和区域的主要经济支柱产业之一，具有创造就业机会的高潜力。它是公共收入和当地社区，包括当地居民和中小企业的主要来源之一。然而，旅游业与文化部门同时受到了疫情的严重打击。

欧盟和中国中央政府层面已推出了文旅产业行动计划，以应对绿色和数字转型的挑战、提高复原力（Resilience），并提升全球竞争力。例如，欧盟的绿色和数字 “旅游业转型之路”，和中国国务院印发的《 “十四五”旅游业发展规划》。另一方面，各城市和区域努力制定与当地发展计划相配套的战略，包括基于数据的旅游服务（如管理可持续交通或应对突发状况的数字工具）、可持续的本地产品和消费、能源和资源节约型旅游基础设施，以及创新的 “文化产业”。

此次研讨会是作为欧盟国际城市与区域合作IURC China项目合作专题组工作会议的一部分，旨在分享城市和区域如何实现绿色和数字化转型以及文旅产业的复原力，并讨论中欧合作如何能协助实现上述目标。

会议目标

通过深入的多边讨论，本合作专题研讨会旨在展示可持续旅游业在促进IURC案例城市与地区的经济发展、社会包容和创新方面的挑战和解决方案，并为他们提供达成以下目的平台：

（1）分享可持续旅游业的观点、政策倡议和最佳实践。

（2）在旅游部门的绿色和数字转型和复原力方面，确认潜在的合作项目和利益相关者。

参会人员

（1）IURC China项目中方案例地区

（2）IURC China项目欧方案例城市/区域

日期：

2022年3月4日 北京时间下午4-6时

议程

研讨会后续报道

BACKGROUND

Tourism is one of the major economic sectors in many cities and regions in the EU and China, with high potential for employment generation. It is one of the major sources of public revenue and for local communities, including local residents and SMEs. However, tourism, converging with the culture sector, has been hard-hit by the pandemic.

At the EU and national level, action plans have been launched to overcome the challenges for the green and digital transition, to increase resilience, and to lift global competitiveness. For example, the European Union´s green and digital “Transition Pathway for Tourism”, and China’s innovation-driven 14th Five-Year Tourism Development Plan (2021-2025). On the other hand, cities and regions endeavoured to develop strategies complemented with local development plans in various aspects, including data-based tourism services (e.g. Tools to manage sustainable transport, or exceptional occasions), sustainable local production & consumption, energy and resource-efficient tourism infrastructures, and innovative “cultural industry”.

The webinar is organised as a part of the IURC China thematic cluster working session, aiming to share how cities and regions achieve green and digital transformation and resilience of the tourism & culture sector and discuss how EU-China cooperation can help them to reach the goals.

OBJECTIVES

Through deep multilateral discussion, this thematic webinar seeks to showcase challenges and solutions of sustainable tourism in enhancing economic development, social inclusion and innovation in IURC pilot cities & regions and offer them a framework to:

(1) Share perspectives, policy initiatives, and best practices in sustainable tourism.

(2) Identify potential common projects and relevant stakeholders to address green and digital transition and resilience in the tourism sector.

PARTICIPANTS

This webinar will take place among

(1) stakeholders from IURC China pilot cities and regions in the thematic group of Tourism and Culture;

(2) invited participants from IURC global community.

Register

AGENDA

Read the highlights from the event

Thursday, 17 March 2022, 08:00AM – 09:30AM (CET) / 18:00 – 19:30 (AEDT)
Moderation: Professor Bruce Wilson at RMIT & Country Coordinator IURC Australia

This thematic cluster webinar is a part of International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) Asia & Australasia, which aims to further urban and regional cooperation in the fields of sustainable urban development and innovation between EU and non-EU cities. The activity is in addition to the ongoing bilateral discussions amongst cities. Within the IURC thematic network n°2 “Urban and Regional Renewal”, this webinar will narrow in on urban renewal precincts.

According to Victoria Planning Authority, “urban renewal precincts are often old industrial areas that are no longer being used for their original purpose, and could benefit from redevelopment. Some urban renewal sites include large parcels of land owned by the government, or a single private owner, which can be transformed into great places for people. Additionally, urban renewal precincts also allow the government to deliver on key policy commitments, such as providing affordable housing and sustainable green spaces to the wider community.”

Agenda

08:00/18:00 –  Welcome by HE Michael Pulch, EU Ambassador and Head of Delegation to Australia

08:15/18:15 – Keynote presenter: Prof Jago Dodson, with Q&A

08:30/18:30 – City case studies (each 10 minutes):
• Madrid
• Incheon
• Melbourne
• Sejong

09:10/19:10 – Q&A and comments on the case studies

09:20/19.20 – Concluding remarks

09:30/19:30 – Closing

Registration: https://www.cognitoforms.com/IURCAsiaAustralasia/InnovationPrecincts

会议背景

世界各国高度重视制定战略和行动来优化基础设施和资源管理，以应对资源枯竭、气候变化和生态系统退化的挑战。 基于自然的解决方案（Nature-based Solution, NBS）和循环经济（Circular Economy, CE）可以为这种变革提供工具。基于自然的解决方案的与循环经济的概念相结合，有利于生态环境的修复，并将资源循环利用。 蓝-绿基础设施、综合水管理、ICT 等被认为是与可持续发展目标相关的循环经济和基于自然的解决方案工具。

在欧盟和中国，为了保护城市和农村地区可持续的资源和生态系统，基于自然的解决方案和循环经济是未来发展的重点。欧盟的立法、项目和行动计划都认可基于自然的解决方案和循环经济的优点，例如《欧洲资源效率路线图》（2011年）、《欧洲绿色新政》（2020年）、城市绿化UP试点项目（2017-2022年）和proGIreg 试点项目（2018-2023年）；中国自2013年开启 “海绵城市计划”，并在30多个试点城市发展绿色和蓝色基础设施。国家发改委印发的《2015年循环经济推进计划》和《循环发展引领行动》加强了循环经济在城市、工业和农业发展中的有效实施。欧盟和中国都采取了雄心勃勃的循环经济行动计划，鼓励通过更多的回收和再利用来实现产品生命周期的 “闭环”，从而带来巨大的环境和经济效益。

此次研讨会是欧盟国际城市与区域合作IURC China项目合作专题组工作会议的一部分，为案例城市和区域提供机会交流和分享如何通过基于自然的解决方案和循环经济的方式，实现绿色和数字化转型，并讨论中欧合作如何能协助实现上述目标。

会议目标

通过经验分享和深入讨论，展示基于自然的解决方案和循环经济在促进经济发展、社会包容和创新等方面发挥的重要作用，，并为他们提供达成以下目的平台：

（1）分享基于自然的解决方案和循环经济的观点、政策倡议和最佳实践。

（2）确认潜在的合作项目和利益相关者，以应对绿色循环经济的转型。

参会者

（1）IURC China“基于自然的解决方案和循环经济”专题合作小组内的中欧案例城市及区域

（2）受邀的IURC 全球社区成员

议程

研讨会后续报道

BACKGROUND

Strategies and actions are needed worldwide to optimize the infrastructure and resource management to confront the challenges of resource depletion, climate change and degradation of ecosystems.  Nature-based solutions (NBS) and circular economy (CE) can provide tools for this transition. Implementation of NBS, combined with the concept of the circular economy benefits the ecosystem services and returns resources to the territory.  Blue-green infrastructure in smart cities, integrated water management, ICT etc. are considered as enabling tools for NBS in the circular economy (CE) linking to Sustainable Development Goals.

At the EU level and national level, NBS and CE are major parts of future developments in order to provide sustainable resources and ecosystems in urban and rural areas. The proven benefits of NBS and CE is shown in EU legislations, projects and action plans, e.g., The Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe (2011), The European Green Deal (2020), URBAN GreenUP (2017− 2022) and proGIreg (2018− 2023); The Chinese government initiated the “Sponge City Program” (2013) and adopted more than 30 pilot cities for green and blue infrastructure development. The Circular Economy Promotion Plan (NDRC, 2015) and Leading Actions on Circular Development (NDRC, 2016) enhance the CE implementation in urban, industry and agriculture development. Both the EU and China adopted the ambitious CE action plans, which encourage ‘closing the loop’ of product lifecycles through greater recycling and reuse, with significant environmental and economic benefits.

The webinar is organized as a part of the IURC China thematic cluster working session, aiming to share how cities and regions achieve green and digital transformation by NBS and CE approaches and discuss how EU-China cooperation can help them to reach the goals.

OBJECTIVES

Through deep multilateral discussion, this thematic webinar seeks to showcase challenges and solutions of Nature-Based Solutions and Circular Economy in enhancing economic development, social inclusion and innovation in IURC pilot cities & regions and offer them a framework to:

(1). Share perspectives, policy initiatives, and best practices in NBS and CE

(2). Identify potential common projects and relevant stakeholders to address the transition to a green and circular economy.

Participants

This webinar will take place among：

(1). stakeholders from IURC China pilot cities and regions in the thematic group of NBS and CE;

(2). invited participants from IURC global community.

Register

Agenda

Read the highlights from the event