#CO2 Emissions

Hoe houden we de stad leefbaar en bereikbaar voor iedereen? En hoe kunnen mobiliteitshubs hieraan bijdragen? Kom op donderdag 6 april naar de presentatie over de BuurtHubs pilot in Amsterdam. Projectleider Diederik Basta vertelt hier meer over de resultaten en geleerde lessen van BuurtHubs in Amsterdam: mobiliteitshubs in de buurt met elektrisch deelvervoer.
 
Hoe zijn de BuurtHubs gebruikt en wat is het effect op de openbare ruimte? Hoe is de buurt betrokken geweest bij de inrichting en realisatie? En welke effect op autobezit zien we? Je hoort er meer over tijdens deze presentatie. Verder wordt je meegenomen in de werkwijze van het Stedelijk Innovatie en R&D team van gemeente Amsterdam, waar vooronderstellingen en ethische afwegingen een belangrijke rol spelen.
 
Datum: donderdag 6 april 2023
Tijd: 16:00-17:00
Locatie: DataLab Amsterdam, Weesperstraat 113 BG, 1018 VN Amsterdam
 
Meld je nu aan via
https://www.meetup.com/nl-NL/datalab-amsterdam/events/292360391/
 
Over de BuurtHubs
Als onderdeel van het Europese eHUBS project zijn er de afgelopen 4 jaar 17 BuurtHubs gerealiseerd in de stad. In een BuurtHub wordt elektrisch deelvervoer aangeboden. Denk aan een fiets, bakfiets, scooter, of auto. Allemaal schoon, elektrisch en gebruikt door Amsterdammers uit de buurt. Met de BuurtHubs is onderzocht of deze bijdragen aan:
·         het verbeteren van de bereikbaarheid van een wijk of buurt
·         het stimuleren van gebruik van schoon deelvervoer
·         de luchtkwaliteit
·         het vergroten van de leefbaarheid
·         het verlagen van de CO2-uitstoot in de stad
 
Alvast meer weten?
We delen de geleerde lessen en handige tools van het BuurtHubs project graag met andere steden, organisaties en bewoners die aan de slag willen met zo’n mobiliteitshub of er meer over willen weten. Lees hier de Handreiking eHUBS: https://www.amsterdam.nl/innovatie/handreikingen-mobiliteit/

Are you already familiar with the technology developments and challenges towards sustainable mobility and you are ready to take a next step deepening or broadening your expertise? Does the idea of alternating between research and consultancy work appeal to you? Then be sure to read on!

YOUR ROLE
The world of mobility is changing fast. Not only is electric and hydrogen becoming part of the transport and energy landscape, but cities and companies are also exploring topics such as vehicle-to-grid, shared mobility and hubs for transporting goods and people. Should you join the team as our new colleague, you will be providing expertise for research & demonstration projects as well as consultancy projects. Depending on your level of experience, skills and specialisms, your daily activities could vary from:

• Analysing and evaluating (technical, economic, social and environmental) performance of zeroemission vehicles (e.g., BEVs, FCEVs, light- and heavy-duty) and related energy infrastructures(e.g. charging/refuelling)
• Developing zero emission mobility strategies for public and private sector clients (such as local authorities and logistics fleets etc.)
• Evaluating and/or contributing to the development of best practices, policy guidelines and recommendations for sustainable mobility
• Engaging with and maintain relations with clients and partners (industry parties, public sector, knowledge institutes, etc)
• Attending and presenting at conferences and organising workshops
• Writing of customer and public-facing reports and other forms of publications

YOUR PROFILE
The role of ‘Specialist & Consultant – ‘Zero-Emission Mobility’ with Cenex NL can cover a range of specialisms at different experience levels. Do the following personal qualities and skills match with you:

• Relevant master’s degree (such as Technology, Engineering, Business and Innovation)
• Expertise and experience in zero or low-emission transport, vehicles and/or related energy infrastructures
• Knowledge and experience with analysing and/or modelling of quantitative of qualitative data
• Comfortable self-starter and completer of assignments * Fluent in English, both written and spoken; additional language skills (NL or other) are a plus
• Enjoy working with/in (internal/external) teams, an integral part of many of our projects
• Able to deliver value and quality to our customers and partners (verbally and written) • Excellent communicator (in person, presentations, writing reports)
• Existing work-permit to work in NL (currently we are unable to be a visa sponsor) • Willing and able to travel (inter)nationally with some regularity
• An analytical and curious mind with a passion for environmental technology and people
• Driving licence

And do you have certain additional expertise and skills that are highly valuable in the everchanging world of mobility and transport that you want to bring to our team?

CONTACT DETAILS
Do send us your CV and a letter where you motivate the above to hello@cenexgroup.nl (CC, jobs@cenex.co.uk). We look forward to hearing from you!

Closing date is extended

Do you know your way around Life Cycle Assessments and want to dive deeper into the world of zero emission mobility? Then we may have the perfect opportunity for you!

YOUR ROLE
The world of mobility is changing fast. Not only are electric and hydrogen powered vehicles becoming part of the transport and energy landscape, but the lifecycle impact and circular economy within the industry’s value chain is gaining much traction. Should you join the team as our new colleague, you will be providing expertise in our research, demonstration and consultancy projects. Your daily activities could vary from:

• Project management (of consultancy and EU-funded innovation projects) in the field of transport and renewables.
• Research, modelling, and analysis of the environmental, social and economic lifecycle impact of products within the transport and energy industries
• Leading the development of eco-design tools for e-mobility sector
• Leading the development of circular economy policy frameworks, guidelines and strategies (with regards to e-mobility) to support the local and national governments
• Client and partner engagement (industry parties, public sector, knowledge institutes, etc)
• Attending and presenting at conferences and organising workshops
• Writing of customer and public-facing reports and other forms of publications

YOUR PROFILE
The role of (Technical) Specialist within Cenex NL can cover a range of specialisms at different experience levels. For this role we are looking for a new colleague who meets the following requirements:

Essential

• Three to five years of experience in roles related to sustainability consulting or other relevant experience
• Demonstrated project management experience and ability to responsible manage multiple projects
• Experience in using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) software and other tools to quantify environmental, social and economic impact
• Relevant Master’s degree (such as Industrial Ecology, Industrial Design, Engineering, Environmental Sciences)
• Good understanding of circular economy principles
• Comfortable self-starter and completer of assignments
• Enjoy working in teams, an integral part of many of our projects
• Fluent in English, written and spoken
• Able to deliver value and quality to our customers and partners (verbally and written) • Excellent communicator (in person, presentations, writing reports)
• Existing work-permit to work in NL (currently we are unable to be a visa sponsor) • Willing and able to travel (inter)nationally with some regularity
• Strong affinity / experience with mobility, transport, and energy sectors and related technologies

Desirable

• Dutch (at minimum A2 level) and/or additional languages
• Experience with (EU) funding programmes (such as Horizon, Climate-KIC, or national)
• Driving licence

CONTACT DETAILS
Do you see a good match? Don’t hesitate to send your CV and a letter where you motivate your match to hello@cenexgroup.nl (CC, jobs@cenex.co.uk). We look forward to hearing from you!

Closing date is extended

Wat als we Amsterdam zien als één groot bos? Stel je voor, dat je je deur opendoet en direct de natuur inloopt. Hoe chill is dat? Wij willen Amsterdam omtoveren tot stadsbos. En jij kan meehelpen.

Op 26 november doen wij 3000 biologische bomen cadeau aan de stad en wij hebben jouw hulp nodig om ze een mooie plek te geven. Zoek een geschikt privéterrein, bijvoorbeeld jouw tuin of eerst in een pot op je balkon. Zo planten we samen een heel nieuw bos middenin de stad.

Meld je hier gratis aan en kom langs op 26 november!

Op 27 oktober organiseert de provincie Noord-Holland het Innovatiefestival Noord-Holland! 

Het belooft een inspirerende dag te worden met onder andere: 

• een keynote van Werner Schouten (directeur Impact Economy Foundation). 
• een panelgesprek met Ilse Zaal, gedeputeerde van de provincie Noord-Holland voor Economie, inclusief onderwijs en arbeidsmarkt, Landbouw en visserij, Dierenwelzijn, Bestuur, Europa, Recreatie en Toerisme, Sponsoring.
• ondertekening Waterstof Convenant met Jeroen Olthof, gedeputeerde van de provincie Noord-Holland voor Mobiliteit en Bereikbaarheid, Leefbaarheid, Gezondheid en Milieu, en Luchtvaart en Schiphol.
• de presentatie van 25 duurzame ondernemers van GO!-NH met Rosan Kocken, gedeputeerde van de provincie Noord-Holland voor Financiën, Circulaire economie, Zeehavens, Sport, Cultuur en erfgoed.
• De bekendmaking van de Noord-Hollandse Circulaire Innovatie Top 20. 
• Tijdens de plenaire sessie staan de urgente, complexe en ingrijpende transitieopgaven centraal en hoe ondernemers met hun duurzame innovaties het verschil (willen) maken. We gaan in gesprek met:
  • Eva Gouwens (CEO, Fairphone)
  • Melle Schellekens (Creative Captain, The Good Roll)
  • Carrie Howe (CEO, 3DTI).

Wil jij je ook onderdompelen in alles wat met innovatie te maken heeft? Meld je dan nu aan voor het Innovatiefestival via Innovatiefestivalnh.nl/. 

Het GO!-NH Scale traject is gericht op Scale-ups en MKB-bedrijven die goed ontwikkeld zijn in hun huidige markt en klaar zijn om hun innovatie op te schalen naar nieuwe markten of gebieden. In dit traject verkennen bedrijven op welke nieuwe markten ze gaan focussen en wat daarbij komt kijken. GO!-NH Scale bereidt de organisatie voor op flinke groei sprongen door het uitwerken van een goede ‘go-to-market’ strategie en individuele begeleiding door experts. Dit traject duurt 6 maanden en bevat individuele coaching en 10 workshopdagen. GO!-NH Scale start in september 2022. Inschrijven voor 12 september!

Wat levert het op?

• Je bent in staat om met een herhaalbaar en schaalbaar businessmodel te werken; 
• Je hebt een duidelijke strategie ontwikkeld om een nieuwe markt of nieuw gebied aan te boren met jouw innovatie; 
• De interne processen binnen jouw organisatie zijn strategisch ingericht en klaar voor het opschalen van de organisatie; 
• Toegang tot een netwerk van aansprekende bedrijven en experts op het gebied van duurzame innovaties en groeiversnelling; 
• Exclusieve mogelijkheden om deel te nemen aan toonaangevende conferenties, evenementen en industrie bijeenkomsten;
• De provincie Noord-Holland en vele andere (semi)overheden, corporate en industrie partners zijn nauw betrokken bij dit versnellingsprogramma waardoor samenwerkingen sneller en beter tot stand kunnen komen;
• Inzicht in benodigde investering bij schalen en mogelijkheid om aan te sluiten op verdere financiering binnen de innovatie-instrumenten van de provincie Noord-Holland;
• Mogelijkheid om aan te sluiten op verdere financiering binnen de innovatie-instrumenten van de provincie Noord-Holland.
• Alle deelnemende startups en innovatieteams komen na het traject in het GO!-NH Alumni-programma. Op regelmatige basis worden meet-ups en events georganiseerd.

Wat wij bieden

• Een traject dat start in het najaar met een workshopprogramma (circa 8 dagen), hier wordt concreet gewerkt aan strategieën op het gebied van schalen. 
• Een leadcoach die jou 6 maanden lang begeleidt en ondersteunt tijdens het traject. 
• Mocht je eerder willen starten dan houden we in aanloop naar het traject een aantal masterclasses waar je je vrij op kunt intekenen.

For the sixteenth edition of our Demo Days, we were finally able to meet offline again since the start of the pandemic. This meant: old-school post-its instead of filling online Miro boards. The Mobility & Energy Demo Day was hosted at one of our partners’ locations, namely Commandant’s Residence at the Marineterrein. From CO2 neutral transport to the Johan Cruijff ArenA to city logistics in the university quarter, in this article you’ll read all about mobility & energy projects our partners are working on.

About our Demo Days

The Demo Days are one of the tools we use to stimulate innovation and encourage connection between our partners and community. The purpose of the Demo Days is to present the progress of various innovation projects, ask for help, share dilemmas and involve more partners to take these projects to the next level. More information about the Demo Days can be found here.

Demo Day: Mobility & Energy

CO2 neutral transport to the Johan Cruijff ArenA in 2023 - Boen Groothof and Susanne van Gelder (municipality of Amsterdam)
How can we make CO2 neutral transport to any event in the Johan Cruijff ArenA possible by 2030? This is what the participants of the Mobility Challenge want to figure out. The participants voiced what their organisation wants to contribute to the challenge, and also expressed what they expect from each other. The next step is for all the parties to internally concretize their role within the challenge even further, to make CO2 neutral travelling to events in the Johan Cruijff ArenA possibly by 2030.

A sustainable energy system for business park De Vaart – Anke Delfos (municipality of Almere)
How to make the energy system of business park de Vaart in Almere more sustainable? This was the central question of the work session led by Anke Delfos. The participants concluded that a start could be made with the 'coalition of the willing' and identifying the front runners. The companies that are already enthusiastic can form a vanguard that can actively think along in the new developments. An analysis can be made of the measures that the companies are willing to take individually or collectively. This may lead to collaborations between organizations. The municipality will then also gain insight into which solutions will actually help to generate more energy and meet the increasing demand for energy. In a later phase, the vanguard can also inspire and motivate other companies to take action.

Measuring objectives for urban mobility - Susanne Balm (Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences), Marcel Ludeman (municipality of Amsterdam), Lisa van Velzen (Delft University of Technology)
The municipality of Amsterdam, Facility Services UvA-HvA and the HvA Lectureship City Logistics are working on a logistics research in the University Quarter of Amsterdam. This area is located in the city centre and is used by many stakeholders such as inhabitants, students, and visitors. The goal of the study is to design and evaluate logistical concepts for the University Quarter that are consistent with the objectives for liveability, accessibility and safety of this area. The question for the group: How can these objectives be operationalized and measured? The participants talked about the subjectivity of the objectives and how you can measure certain objectives, but also came up with concrete solutions. For example, providing information to stakeholders for more understanding and recognitions. One of the participants suggested a role-play to evaluate different solutions for smooth logistics in the area.

Want to join the next Demo Day?

Are you working on an innovative project that could use some input? Or are you preparing for an inspiring event that needs a spotlight? Our next Demo Day takes place on the 11th of October. If it fits within our themes (circular, mobility, energy and digital), sent a message to Sophie via sophie@amsterdamsmartcity.com or let us know in the comments. We are happy to talk with you to find out if it's a match!

Would you like to participate in the next Demo Day and share your thoughts on our partners’ innovative projects? As soon as the program for the next Demo Day is determined, we will share it on the platform and give you the opportunity to join as participant.

Curious to circular & digital projects? Read more about it in the recap of Demo Day Circular & Digital.

Photo: Myrthe Polman

Ons team wil uitbreiden! We hebben meerdere vacature mogelijkheden, van starter tot senior niveau. Neem een kijkje, tag of deel met je vrienden,... of download de details voor jezelf natuurlijk 😉

Our team is looking to expand! We have multiple opportunities from starter to senior levels. Have a look, tag or share with your friends,... or download the details for yourself of course 😉

Exhibition: Energy Junkies

NEMO for adults: visit The Studio at the Marineterrein

The Studio is NEMO’s off-site location at the Marineterrein in Amsterdam: Kattenburgerstraat 5, Building 027A.

A warm house, a quick microwave meal and a mobile phone that allows you to stay connected 24/7 – there’s no shortage of comfort and convenience in our everyday lives. But almost everything would grind to a halt if we were to lose access to one vital source: energy. At the moment, this issue is more relevant than ever, both in politics and among consumers. Our addiction to energy, dependence on fossil fuels and the effects of our energy consumption on climate change arethe focus of NEMO’s new exhibition for adults: <em>Energy Junkies</em>.

In the Energy Junkies exhibition, you get to make the decisions that will determine our future. How would you transform our energy addiction into a healthy habit? Create your own carbon diet, choose the right medicines from the climate pharmacy and dream about a world where we are cured of our energy addiction. The Energy Junkies exhibition opens June 8 2022 at NEMO's Studio, the off-site location for adults at the Marineterrein in Amsterdam.

Photo: DigiDaan.

Het klimaat verandert en het wordt steeds drukker in Amsterdam. Jaarlijks komen er alleen al miljoenen bezoekers op Zuidoost af voor het grootste entertainment gebied van Nederland. We staan voor de opgave om de stad, waaronder Zuidoost, leefbaar, veilig en tegelijkertijd bereikbaar te houden. Verschillende partners slaan daarom nu de handen ineen om bezoekers van en naar evenementen in 2023 CO2 neutraal te laten reizen

De auto is op dit moment het meest gebruikte vervoersmiddel in Zuidoost. Amsterdam heeft ervoor gekozen om de privé auto minder ruimte te geven in de stad en de uitstoot van fossiele brandstof terug te dringen om de luchtkwaliteit in de stad te verbeteren en bij te dragen aan de klimaatdoelstellingen.

De transitie van mobiliteit vraagt om een samenwerking tussen (semi) publieke en private partijen en het verstevigen van duurzame alternatieven voor de privé auto. Op 11 mei hebben de gemeente Amsterdam, Johan Cruijff ArenA, Ajax, NS, GVB, Transdev, VRA en Amsterdam Smart City getekend voor een samenwerking rondom CO2 neutraal reizen. Het doel: in 2023 bezoekers CO2 neutraal te laten reizen van en naar één of meerdere evenementen in de Johan Cruijff ArenA. Zodat we samen leren hoe we CO2 neutraal reizen naar evenementen de norm maken

Op de Amsterdam Smart City Demodag op 14 juni zullen de bovenstaande organisaties bij elkaar komen in één van de werksessies, om verder na te denken over het proces. Wat hebben we nodig? Wat wordt de werkwijze? Wat kunnen de grootste hobbels zijn?

Ben je werkzaam bij één van onze partnerorganisaties en lijkt het je interessant om hierover mee te denken? Stuur een mail naar trisha@amsterdamsmartcity.com voor verdere informatie over deelname aan de werksessie.

eHUBS are starting to play an important part in the development of sustainable and liveable cities. As the shift to more sustainable transport becomes increasingly urgent, we must develop services which provide a real last-mile alternatives to the private passenger car. This is where eHUBS come in. An eHUB is an on-street location where electric shared mobility services, from escooters, to ebikes and cargo bikes can be found and used. These mobility hubs have the potential to significantly change the future of urban mobility, creating accessible, affordable and centralised shared mobility services. In this conference, we share experiences and exchange ideas about the current use and future of eHUBS.

The conference will explore the role of eHUBS, the lessons learned from cities pioneering them and opportunities for the future found by universities. Across two days, we hear from local authorities, universities, and mobility experts, sharing knowledge and inspiring their peers.

Several European cities are already experimenting with eHUBS, piloting the concept to create cleaner, sustainable and livable cities. This eHUBs conference is a result from the eHUBS project, which is funded by the Interreg NWE Programme, with six partner cities from five countries implementing the shared mobility concept, paving the way for others to do the same.

Free admission

The 22nd and penultimate episode in the *Better cities: The contribution of digital technology-*series will discuss two ambitious ‘smart city’plans of two governments and the associated risks.

Recently, the European Commission launched a 100-city plan, the EU Mission on Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities. One hundred European cities that aspire to be climate neutral by 2030 (you read that correctly) can register and count on supplemental funding. I immediately thought of another 100-city plan, India's Smart City Mission. In 2015, Prime Minister Modi announced that in six years 100 Indian cities would become 'smart'. The official term of the project has now ended, and I will examine below whether this goal has been achieved, I discuss the two plans and then explain why I call both of them a leap forward. At the end I will make a few suggestions for how the European mission can still learn from the Indian one.

India's Smart City Mission

The problem
In India, 377 million people live in cities. In 15 years, 200 million will have been added. Already, traffic in Indian cities has come to a complete standstill, each year more than 600,000 people die from air pollution, half of the urban areas have no drinking water connection, waste collection is poor and only 3% of sewage is treated. The rest is discharged into surface water, which is also the main source of drinking water.

The mission
The Smart City Mission was intended to implement substantial improvements on all these problems in 100 cities, which together comprise 30% of the population. In the improvements digital technology had to play an important role.
The 100 cities were selected because of favorable prospects and the quality of the plans, which usually consisted of a long series of projects.

Governance
The regular city governing bodies were deemed incompetent to lead the projects. That is why management boards (‘special purpose vehicles’) have been appointed, operating under company law and led by a CEO, supported by international consultancy firms. All rights and duties of the City Council regarding the execution of the mission were delegated to the appointed boards, including the power to collect taxes! Not surprisingly, this decision has been challenged in many places. Several cities have withdrawn from 'the mission' for this reason.

Financing
To implement their projects, each city would receive $150 million over five consecutive years. This money should be seen as seed capital to be supplemented from additional sources such as public-private partnerships, commercial bank lending, external financing, loans, and foreign investment.

Area-oriented and pan-urban approach
The plans contain two components: an area-oriented and a pan-urban approach. The first aims at adapting, retrofitting or new construction and should relate to a wide range of 'smart services'. For example high-speed internet, waste facilities, parking facilities, energy-efficient buildings, but also replacement of slums by high-rise buildings. The slick 'architectural impressions' that circulated at the beginning of the planning period (see above) mainly concern the area-oriented approach.
The pan-urban approach includes at least one 'smart' facility for a larger part of the city. The choice is often made to improve the transport infrastructure, for example the construction of new roads and highways and the purchase of electric buses. No fewer than 70 cities have built a 'smart' control center based on the example of Rio de Janeiro, which I believe was rather premature.

Progress
Now that the official term of 'the mission' has ended, a first inventory can be made, although observers complain about a lack of transparency about the results. About half of all the 5000 projects that have been started have not (yet) been completed and a significant part of the government funds have not yet been disbursed. This could still happen in the coming years. This is also because attracting external resources has lagged behind expectations. These funds came mainly from governments, and large technology companies. This has had an impact on the implementation of the plans.
The slow progress of most projects is partly because most of the population was barely aware of the mission and that city councils were not always cooperative either.

Impact
It was foreseen that half of the available resources would go to area-oriented projects; this eventually became 75-80%. As a result, on average only 4% of the inhabitants of the cities involved have benefited from 'the mission' and even then it is not clear what the benefits exactly entail. The city of New Delhi covers an area of almost 1500 km2, while the area concerned is only 2.2 km2: So you're not even going to have 100 smart cities. You're going to have 100 smart enclaves within cities around the country, said Shivani Chaudhry, director of the Housing and Land Rights Network.
It soon became clear that the mission would be no more than a drop in the ocean. Instead of $150 million, it would take $10 billion per city, $1000 billion in total, to address all ambitions, according to an official calculation.  Deloitte was a little more modest, calculating the need for $150 billion in public money and $120 billion from private sources.

Type of projects
The many topics eligible for funding have resulted in a wide variety of projects. Only one city has put the quality of the environment first. Most cities have initiated projects in the areas of clean energy, improving electricity supply, reducing air pollution, construction of new roads, purchasing electric buses, waste disposal and sanitation. What is also lacking, is a focus on human rights, gender, and the interests of the poorest population groups.
In some places, it has been decided to clear slums and relocate residents to high-rise buildings on the outskirts of the city. Indian master architect Doshi warns that the urban vision behind the smart city plans will destroy the informality and diversity that is the cornerstone of the country's rural and urban society. He challenges planners to shift the emphasis to rural areas and to create sufficient choices and opportunities there.

The European Mission on Climate-neutral and Smart Cities

The problem
Cities produce more than 70% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions and use more than 65% of total energy. In addition, cities in Europe only cover 4% of the total surface area and accommodate 75% of the population. The ecological footprint of the urban population is more than twice what it is entitled to, assuming a proportional distribution of the earth's resources.

The mission
On November 25, 2021, the European Commission called on European cities to express their interest in a new European mission on Climate-neutral and smart cities. The mission aims to have 100 climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030, which will act as a model for all other European cities.
The sectors involved in this transformation process are the built environment, energy production and distribution, transport, waste management, industrial processes and product use, agriculture, forestry, and other land uses and large-scale deployment of digital technology. That is why the European Commission talks of a green and digital twin, or a simultaneous green and digital transformation.

Governance
Reaching the stated goal requires a new way of working and the participation of the urban population, hence the motto 100 climate neutral cities by 2030 - by and for the citizens.
According to the plan's authors, the main obstacle to climate transition is not a lack of climate-friendly and smart technology, but the inability to implement it. The current fragmented form of governance cannot bring about an ambitious climate transition. Crucial to the success of the mission is the involvement of citizens in their various roles as political actors, users, producers, consumers, or owners of buildings and means of transport.

Funding
The additional investment to achieve the mission is estimated at €96 billion for 100 European cities by 2030, with a net positive economic benefit to society of €25 billion that will increase further in the period thereafter. The European Commission will provide €360 million in seed funding.
The overwhelming amount of funding will have to come from banks, private equity, institutional investors, and from the public sector at the local, regional and national level.

What went wrong with the Indian Mission and its follow-up

The gap between ambitions and reality
Almost all comments on 'the mission' emphasize that three necessary conditions were not met from the start, namely a widely accepted governance model, adequate funding, and involvement of the population and local government. There was an unbridgeable gap between ambitions and available resources, with the contribution of external capital being grossly overestimated.
The biggest problem, however, is the gap between the mission's ambitions and the nature of the problems that India it faces: Cities are bursting at the seams because of the millions of poor people who flock to cities every year in search of work and a place to live that find them only in the growing slums. The priorities for which the country must find a solution are therefore: improving life in rural areas, improving housing in the cities, ensuring safe drinking water, waste disposal, sanitation, and purification of wastewater, good (bus) transport and less polluting car traffic. Urgently needed is a sustainable development model that addresses ecological problems, makes urbanization manageable, controls pollution and will use resources efficiently.

Leap forward
The 'Mission' is a leap forward, which does not tackle these problems at the root, but instead seeks a solution in 'smartification'. Policymakers were captivated by the promises made by IBM and other technology companies that ICT is the basis for solving most urban problems. A view that I objected in the third episode of this series. IC solutions have been concentrated in enclaves where businesses and prosperous citizens are welcomed. The Government of India Special Rapporteur on Housing therefore notes that the proposals submitted had a predominant focus on technology rather than prioritizing affordable housing and doubts the correctness of this choice.
Instead of emphasizing the role of digital technology, the focus should have been on equitable, inclusive, and sustainable living areas for all. Not the area-oriented but the pan-urban approach should have prevailed.

Follow-up
Several authors suggest future actions consistent with the above comments:
• Setting a longer time horizon, which is much more in line with the problems as they are felt locally.
• Decentralization, coupled with strengthening local government in combination with citizen participation.
• A more limited number of large-scale pan-urban projects. These projects should have an immediate impact on all 4000 Indian cities and the surrounding countryside.
• More attention for nature and the environment instead of cutting down trees to widen motorways.
• Training programs in the field of urbanization, partly to align urban development with Indian culture.

The European mission revisited

Leap forward
Europe and India are incomparable in many ways, but I do see similarities between the two missions.
With the proclamation of the 'mission', the Indian government wanted to show the ultimate – perhaps desperate – act of determination to confront the country's overwhelming problems. I therefore called this mission a flight forward in which the image of the 'smart city' was used as a catalyst. However, the country’s problems are out of proportion to this, and the other means employed.
It is plausible that the European Union Commission also wanted to take an ultimate act. After the publication of the ambitious European Green Deal, each national governments seems to be drawing its own plan. The ‘100 cities mission’ is perhaps intended as a 'booster', but here too the feasibility of this strategy is doubtful.

Smart and green
The European Union cherishes the image of a 'green and digital twin', a simultaneous green and digital transformation. Both the Government of India and the European Commission consider digital technology an integral part of developing climate neutral cities. I hope to have made it clear in the previous 21 episodes of this series that digital technology will certainly contribute. However, the reduction of greenhouse gases and digitization should not be seen as an extension of each other. Making a city climate neutral requires way more than (digital) technology. Moreover, suitable technology is still partly under development. It is often forgotten that technology is one of the causes of global warming. Using the image of green and smart twins will fuel the tension between the two, just like it happened in India. In that case, it remains to be seen where the priority will lie. In India it was 'smart'.

Funding
Funding of the Indian mission fell short; much is still unclear about funding of the European mission. It is highly questionable whether European states, already faced with strong opposition to the costs of 'climate', will be willing to channel extra resources to cities.

Governance
The European mission wants to be by and for the citizens. But the goal has already been established, namely becoming climate neutral by 2030. A new 'bottom-up' governmental approach would have been to investigate whether there are cities where a sufficiently large part of the population agrees with becoming climate neutral earlier than in 2050 and how much sooner that could be and next, leave it to these cities themselves to figure-out how to do this.

Can Europe still prevent its mission from failing like India's? I propose to look for in the same direction as India seems to be doing now:
•      Opt for one unambiguous goal: Reducing greenhouse gases significantly earlier than 2050.
•      Challenge a limited number of cities each to form a broad coalition of local stakeholders that share this ambition.
•      Make extra resources available, but also ask the cities themselves to make part of the necessary investments.
•      Stimulate universities and industry to provide a European response to Big Tech and to make connections with the 'European Green Deal'.

My e-book Smart City Tales contains several descriptions of intended and alleged smart cities, including the much-discussed Saudi Arabian Neom. The Dutch version is here.

Smart mobility and LEV’s: a general introduction

 #Smart-Mobility is an important aspect for daily life and commuting/recurrent transportation needs and in this day&age there are many potential solution(s) for smart-mobility in Amsterdam. Today some of these new vehicles types are mostly restricted on city streets and Amsterdam citizens cannot grasp the potential of this vehicles. These devices can go up to at least 20km of range for short trips and with vehicle speeds ranging from 20, 25, 45 km/h (e-scooter, e-bike, moped respectively) and some as far as 90km/h (micro-car 90), etc.

Potential CO2 emission reduction research

There is a study regarding CO2 potential emission reduction by the use of light electric vehicles (LEV's) in contrast to short car trips usage. LEV's CO2 emissions is averaged at 24g CO2 eq/km compared with conventional vehicles (including EV's) averaged at 203g CO2 eq/km. The findings are quite relevant since it could reduce CO2 emissions as much as 44% = 57 million tones CO2 eq per year. The full study can be found at URL link below.

Proposal

If the Gemeente Amsterdam would lift the ban on LEV’s, this would be beneficial for Amsterdam citizens since they would have less noise (silent devices), cleaner air (by the study analysis) and maybe more fun alternative to ICE-scooters and cars.

Energy, food, mobility, finance – just about every global sector is expected to transform dramatically in the coming decades. So isn’t it time you create your own transition strategy?

Do you believe, like us, that sustainability and social justice are key to fundamental change? Then join ‘Just Sustainability Transitions’: a hands-on, six-month course that provides the tools and inspiration needed to facilitate change processes.

Goed nieuws: steeds meer bedrijven gaan over op elektrisch rijden. Belangrijk, want alleen zo kom je als leverancier straks in Zaanstad, Haarlem, Almere en Amsterdam de stad nog in!

Ook op bedrijventerreinen zien we steeds meer elektrische bestel- en vrachtwagens rondrijden. In de toekomst zal circa 80% van de laadsessies plaatsvinden op deze bedrijventerreinen.

Hoe zorgen bedrijven samen voor voldoende en slimme laadpunten? Welke kansen liggen er in het zelf opwekken van stroom en het inzetten ervan voor eigen gebruik? Hoe organiseer je je als ondernemers op een bedrijventerrein om dit collectief aan te pakken? Wat is daarbij de rol van parkmanagers? En wat mag je van de overheid verwachten?

Kom op 14 april van 15.30 tot 17.00 uur naar de GDZESMRA Meetup #9: Laden op Bedrijventerreinen, hoe pak je dat aan? Praat onder leiding van Richard Hoving, Lead Mobiliteit van de Amsterdam Economic Board, mee en doe inspiratie op om zelf toe te passen.

Programma

• Frans van der Beek (SADC) geeft inzicht in de regionale verduurzamingsopgave voor bedrijventerreinen waar realisatie van laadinfrastructuur onderdeel van uitmaakt. 
• Dertje Meijer (Food Center Amsterdam) vertelt voor welke vragen en welke collectieve opgave het FCA staat om het laden op hun terrein slim te gaan regelen. 
• Eric Beers (HCNP) laat zien welke kansen er liggen om als logistiek ondernemer zelf aan de slag te gaan en zelf stroom op te wekken voor eigen gebruik. 
• Robert van den Hoed (NKL Nederland) geeft een preview van de handreiking laadpunten op bedrijventerreinen die in mei uitkomt. 
• Maarten Linnenkamp (MRA Elektrisch) vertelt hoe zij ondertussen aan de slag zijn en ervaring opdoen met de realisatie van laadinfra en voertuigen op bedrijventerreinen.

Walther Ploos van Amstel (Hogeschool van Amsterdam) reflecteert op het programma en wijst je de weg naar verdere versnelling.

Natuurlijk is er ook voldoende ruimte om met elkaar en de sprekers in gesprek te gaan. Dat kan ook informeel tijdens het netwerkmoment na afloop van het programma.

Achtergrondinformatie

De Green Deal ZES MRA draait vooral om samenwerking en kennis delen tussen bedrijven, overheden en kennisinstellingen. Deelnemers aan de Green Deal ZES MRA testen niet alleen nieuwe praktische logistieke oplossingen, maar ook combinaties van nieuwe technologieën, publiek-private samenwerking en aangepaste regelgeving. De Amsterdam Economic Board stimuleert samenwerking en kennisdeling, agendeert actuele onderwerpen en geeft een podium aan relevante oplossingen. En activeert partijen om vooral mee te tekenen en daarmee een belangrijke te leveren aan de toekomst van de Metropool Amsterdam! Lees hier meer.

Op 2 maart is het 50 jaar geleden dat het rapport ‘Grenzen aan de groei’ van de club van Rome verscheen. Het rapport schetste het scenario dat als de westerse maatschappij doorging met de consumptiemaatschappij, een immense catastrofe het gevolg zou zijn. Het rapport werd de aanjager van de milieubeweging van de jaren tachtig en lijkt met de huidige klimaatverandering en biodiversiteitscrisishelaas relevanter dan ooit.

Wat kunnen we, anno 2022, leren van het rapport? Wat is er de afgelopen jaren al wel gedaan en wat moeten we nog doen? Hoe kunnen we vergroening, digitalisering en een circulaire economie inzetten om het tij te keren?
Om deze vragen te beantwoorden en een blik in het verleden en heden te werpen slaan Future City Foundation, Stichting Steenbreek en de SKBN de handen ineen tijdens een online talkshow op 2 maart van 10.00 – 11.00 uur. Mediapartner van dit Webinar is Stadszaken.nl.

Datum: 2 maart, van 10.00 – 11.00 uur
Locatie: Online talkshow onder leiding van Jan-Willem Wesselink
Kosten: Gratis

In het rapport lees je de alarmerende boodschap: “De mensheid kan niet blijven doorgaan zich met toenemende snelheid te vermenigvuldigen en materiële vooruitgang als hoofddoel te beschouwen, zonder daarbij in moeilijkheden te komen. (…) Dat betekent dat we de keuze hebben tussen nieuwe doelstellingen zoeken teneinde onze toekomst in eigen handen te nemen, of ons onderwerpen aan de onvermijdelijk wredere gevolgen van ongecontroleerde groei.”

Welke nieuwe doelstellingen kunnen we nu zoeken om ervoor te zorgen dat we onze toekomst en die van onze kinderen in eigen hand nemen? Daarover gaan we met drie experts (namen volgen z.s.m.) in gesprek.

Wilt u meer weten en meepraten?

Meld u aan

Over de Future City Foundation
De Future City Foundation is een ‘movement of communities’ die zich bezighouden met digitalisering en technologisering van regio’s, steden en dorpen. Wij verbinden professionals bij gemeenten, bedrijven en andere organisaties met elkaar om samen van die regio’s, steden en dorpen slimme gemeenschappen te maken met een gezonder leefomgeving, zoals bedoeld in Sustainable Development Goals van de Verenigde Naties en conform onze Europese democratische waarden.

Over Stichting Steenbreek
Stichting Steenbreek is een kennis- en netwerkorganisatie en biedt ondersteuning bij het duurzaam vergroenen van onze leefomgeving. De Steenbreekvisie is dat het besef dat groen goed is voor biodiversiteit, klimaatadaptatie en een fijne, aantrekkelijke leefomgeving gemeengoed wordt. En dat iedereen in Nederland, van bewoner tot bestuurder, hiernaar handelt. Bekijk de website

Over SKBN
De Stichting Kennisalliantie Bedrijventerreinen Nederland (SKBN) is al tien jaar de landelijke kennisalliantie voor de (her)ontwikkeling van toekomstbestendige bedrijventerreinen en andere werklocaties. Bekijk de website

Over Stadszaken.nl
Stadszaken.nl informeert stedelijk professionals en RO-ers over ontwikkelingen in het vakgebied met dagelijks nieuws, achtergronden, tools, inspiratie en events. Dat doen we binnen de thema’s die er nu toe doen, namelijk economie, ruimte, circulaire economie, mensen en smart cities. Stadszaken.nl publiceert iedere werkdag actuele content en daarnaast minimaal drie keer per week achtergrond-, opinie- en/ of how-to-verhalen. Dat doen we samen met een netwerk van partners en een professionele redactie, ieder met zijn eigen specialiteit. Bekijk de website

Meld u aan

On 10 February during the CE Week there is an opportunity to help the community of the International Green Deal Circular Festivals! Beside the facilitating Dutch Ministries of IenW and EZK now consisting of 20 large international festivals. Lowlands/MOJO, Body & Soul, Awakenings, Roskilde, Milkshake, ID&T, Zwarte Cross, DGTL, Pukkelpop, Vierdaagsfeesten… just a few examples of large European festivals participating.

The focus of the workshop will be on how to become climate neutral as festival, through their efforts to become circular: two sides of the same coin. Why is action needed now, what can festivals do and how to set concrete targets? Together these international front runners join forces to give direction to a sustainable and resilient future for the live sector. Moreover as perfect living labs, festivals can inspire visitors, cities and other events to join this green movement!

If you feel you can add to this discussion and help making the festivals enthusiastic to take action, then please join our meeting. Also if you see other relevant connections and opportunities; please register via the website below!

For the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water management and together with partners, the Strategy and Management Consultants of RHDHV execute the program management of this Green Deal from 2019-2025.

In the Netherlands, people like to cycle a lot. However, bicycle paths are not always safe due to the great variety of cyclists, such as cargo bikes and e-bikes, racing cyclists and bicycle delivery drivers. The Amsterdam Bike City (ABC) Innovation Lab from the Municipality of Amsterdam is looking for the best solution for the variety of speeds on the cycle path, to do something about this problem. The ten best submissions may present their solution to a jury of leading professionals.

Do you have the best idea to improve safety on bicycle paths? If so, you will win € 2,000 and have a chance of winning € 45,000 to implement your idea. Take that chance!

More information:

Ben jij ondernemer in de textielbranche en benieuwd naar circulaire business kansen voor jouw bedrijf?

In februari 2022 organiseert de CIRCO HUB Noord-Holland een track omtrent textiel hergebruik & recycling waarin je onder begeleiding concrete stappen zet in het (her)ontwikkelen van nieuwe, circulaire producten, diensten of businessmodellen.

Meer weten en circulaire kansen ontdekken? Neem dan snel een kijkje en meld je aan voor deze driedaagse CIRCO Track.

CIRCO Hub Noord-Holland bestaat uit Impact Hub Amsterdam, Noorderwind, Stichting Circulair West en Natuur en Milieufederatie Noord-Holland en draagt bij aan het verspreiden van kennis over circulair ontwerpen en ondernemen. Door het aanbieden van verschillende CIRCO Tracks helpen we MKB in diverse sectoren om nieuwe circulaire ondernemingskansen te ontwikkelen.

Join us at the EIT Climate-KIC Sustainable Shared Mobility (SuSMo) closing webinar on the 7th of December 14:00 - 16:00 to find out how to introduce shared mobility in your city and learn from the experiences from European frontrunners.

The SuSMo partners will present learning material and guidelines for introducing, managing and regulating shared mobility in cities. In addition to the SuSMo partners we introduce speakers from CROW and autodelen.net. CROW will present their car sharing toolkit for Dutch municipalities while autodelen.net will discuss best practices from car sharing in Belgium. See the attached agenda for the full list of speakers and topics.

You do not want to miss this webinar!

Please register here: https://tinyurl.com/SuSMoWebinar

We look forward to meeting you online!