Bologna: ecoBudget as a tool for cycle management

1. Fifth European Conference on Sustainable Cities & Towns Bologna: ecoBudget as a tool for cycle management Anna Patullo - City Councillor for Environment Giovanni Fini - Head Environmental Quality Unit Raffaella Gueze - Project Officier City of Bologna Municipality of Bologna Environmental Quality Unit

2. Two questions • Our cities are very active concerning sustainability issues. Are we fully aware of the results of our efforts? Shall we met our objectives? • While we plan long term objectives are we able to guarantee our citizens the achievement of short term goals to ensure the best quality of life and environment today?

3. About Bologna Capital of the Crucial railway and motorway junction Emilia-Romagna Region Population: Strong presence of small and medium 373.592 inhabitants industry (Emilian model) Land area:  Biggest middle ages city center in Europe 140,846 Km2 (restricted traffic zone)

4. A new planning cycle Bologna has a significant tradition of policies for promoting its sustainability. In 1993 the City participated in the Urban CO2 Reduction Project promoted by ICLEI. The aim had been to formulate an agenda for local energy saving activities.Bologna confirmed its commitment to sustainability by signing the Aalborg Charter in June 1996 and starting local Agenda 21 process. In 1996 Bologna was one of thirteen recipients of a Certificate of Distinction under the ”European Sustainable City Award” scheme. Aalborg commitments were subscribed in 2006 starting a new phase of planning processes which led the city to think systematically about its future in terms of sustainability. Main aim of this new phase is to strengthen the effectiveness of actions for a better environmental quality within long term actions foreseen by sector plans.

5. ecoBUDGETis an environmental management tool designed specifically for local authorities and first implemented by ICLEI in 1987. The “environmental budget” adopting the same principles as a financial budget, provides a set of indicators and relative short term targets for the planning, monitoring and reporting of the consumption of natural resources within the municipal territory, as a result of sustainability-oriented policy ecoBUDGET as a tool for sustainability management

6. ecoBUDGET as a tool for sustainability management • The Master Budgetdefines critical and priority resources, indicators, targets and actions plan to reach the target • The Budget Balance shows the achievements of the targets

7. ecoBUDGET as a tool for sustainability management The adoption of the ecoBUDGETmethod in Bologna started in September 2001, thanks to the European ecoBUDGET project, funded by the European Commission’s LIFE programme In 2004, the LIFE project closed the first ecoBudget cycle. The positive result of this experience led the municipality to adopt ecoBudget as a stable environmental budgeting system for the city

8. December 2004 Ecobudget Asia started IIndECOBUDGET CYCLE • L.I.T. APRIL 2002 • MASTER BUDGET FEBRUARY 2003 • BUDGET BALANCE MAY 2004 • MASTER BUDGET JULY 2006 • BUDGET BALANCE APRIL 2007 • MASTER BUDGET ‘07 APRIL 2007 ecoBUDGET as a tool for sustainability management IstECOBUDGET CYCLE

9. ecoBUDGET as a tool for sustainability management “Nowadays, there are two contradictory ways to view development. The first of these considers monetary profit as being the only criterion to measure success. The second links development to the impassable limits of workers’ dignity, of mankind’s health and of the conservation of natural resources. I believe that ecoBUDGET is instrumental for cities that strive to pursue the second form of development.” Sergio Cofferati, Lord Mayor of Bologna

10. Some examples

11. Air quality PM10 concentration (ug/m3) base year (2000) 64 2001 53 2004 40 Benzene concentration (ug/m3) base year (2000) 9,7 2001 10,3 2004 7,0 • Main actions • city centre not accessible to private cars • promotion of substitution of old vehicles / promotion of natural gas vehicles • severe traffic limitations in some days period • improvement of public transport efficiency • new public transport infrastructures • new bike lanes and pedestrian areas • ...

12. Climate protection Electricity produced from renewable sources (MWh) base year (1997) 71.987 2001 81.990 2004 120.674 Inhabitants served by district heating base year (1997) 10.895 2001 29.961 2004 32.205 • Main actions • Biogas production from sewage water • New photovoltaic installations • Development of district heated areas • ...

13. Noise Noise levels - San Felice (db(A)) base year (1996) 67,5 2001 66,8 2004 67,3 • Main actions • actions for private mobility reduction • street floor maintenance • renovation of public fleets (included public transport) • ...

14. Green areas and urban development Public green areas (m2) base year (1996) 6.467.586 2001 7.458.352 2004 7.486.952 • Main actions • New green areas within new districts • development of new green areas in existing city • ...

15. 1996 1999 2002 2004

21. Soil and sub-soil Contaminated soils being cleaned 62 areas 400.000 m2 Management of quarry excavation cycle Protection of natural and re-natuarlised areas ...

22. Environmental education Classes (pupils) involved 2004 164 (2876) 2005 260 (5200) • Main actions • Scuolambiente project • Il cielo in un aula (the sky in a classroom) event • Sere in serra (evenings in the greenhouse) • ...

23. Conclusions ecoBudget has proved to be a suitable instrument for planning and monitoring long term targets but … … it has proved to work for actions and short term targets. It is thus a suitable tool to bring Aalborg Commitments to the streets Anna Patullo, Giovanni Fini, Raffaella Gueze unamb@comune.bologna.it - tel +39 051 2193118 www.comune.bologna.it/iperbole/unamb