Zurich, Switzerland

As the largest city in Switzerland, Zurich is the economic motor of the surrounding region and indeed the whole country. Zurich is the capital of the canton of the same name and the centre of a number of regions which together have some 1.9 million inhabitants. It is famous for its lakeside location and green, densely wooded chain of hills which run through the city from north to south.

The high standards of living, working and accommodation are regularly confirmed in surveys of the local residents, and Zurich consistently finds itself at the top of international rankings of cities in terms of quality of life. The city sets great store by sustainability and was notably one of the first cities in the world to include the ideas and aims of the 2000-Watt Society in the city’s constitution.

Sustainablity focus: 2000 Watt Society

Ten years ago, the vision of a "2000-Watt Society" was developed at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich. It is a model for energy policy which demonstrates how it is possible to consume only as much energy as worldwide energy reserves permit and which is justifiable in terms of the impact on the environment. It is possible when every person in every society limits their energy consumption to a maximum of 2000 watts.

Furthermore, at least 75 percent of energy needs need to be met using renewable energy sources, meaning that on an annual basis only one tonne of greenhouse gas is given off per person per year. To achieve this goal by 2050, the city of Zurich is making commitments in the following areas:

Energy efficiency and renewable energies - Comprehensive energy services are offered along with consulting for building owners and contractors to pass on the necessary expertise. Sustainable buildings - Almost all new municipally owned constructions such as housing estates, school buildings and retirement homes, correspond to the Minergie-Eco Standard (for low-energy housing and environmental friendly materials).

Mobility for the future - Zurich promotes means of transport which make efficient use of urban spaces and energy resources, namely public transport, pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Awareness - Regular events to increase public awareness are held, such as the annual environment days and the Zürich Multimobil action day (where the inner-city is closed to cars).

Achievements:

• The city is a signatory of the Covenant of Mayors
• Zurich has had a sustainable procurement policy in place since 2008
  
  

ICLEI and Zurich: Zurich has been an ICLEI member since 1994 and is a partner in the Relief research project. Zurich was a founding member of the Procura⁺ Campaign and is a member of ICLEI's Cities for Climate Protection Campaign.  

Websites: www.stadt-zuerich.ch/portal/en/index.html
www.stadt-zuerich.ch [In German]
www.stadt-zuerich.ch/2000watt [In German]

Oslo, Norway

Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. The city is characterised by a mix of old and new architecture, parks, hills, museums, monuments, lakes, forests and the fjord.

Oslo is also a pilot city of the Council of Europe and the European Commission intercultural cities programme. The population currently increases at a record rate of over 2 percent annually, making it the fastest growing city in Europe.


Sustainablity focus: Eco-friendly tolls

Since the introduction of the Oslo toll ring, the city has recovered €1.5 billion a year. This sum is reinvested to improve the traffic infrastructure. In addition, road charging has led to a 5 percent decrease in traffic. Cars drivers have to pay €3, truck while bus drivers have to pay €7 each time they drive through the city centre. The charges are in place 24 hours a day, all year round.

Electric cars are given free passage through Oslo’s toll ring. Two thirds of all 3,400 electronic vehicles in Norway operate in the Metropolitan area of Oslo. Even though their total share of the traffic volume is below 1 percent, this number is continuously increasing. A growing number of passengers use the attractive range of public transport services in order to reach the city centre, profiting from a more restrictive parking lot policy of the authorities.

To encourage citizens to use public transport, the city reduced the price of a monthly ticket in the public short-distance traffic by 20 percent, a new subway ring was constructed, the stations were modernised, the operation intervals for the major tram lines were reduced to 5 minutes and the intervals for the major bus and subway routes were cut down to 7.5 minutes.

To learn more, read Oslo Green Capital.

Achievements:

• Oslo was a finalist in the European Green Capital Award in 2009
• The city won the European Sustainable City Award Winner in 2003
• The Climate Energy Fund supported 2,400 projects yearly and the total energy savings of the Climate and Energy Fund for the last 10 years is around 1.3 TWh – nearly 10 percent of what the Oslo uses in total
• There are more than 2,300 electrical vehicles in the Oslo city area
• 60 percent of the energy used for public transport is renewable

“The City of Oslo has signed the Covenant of Mayor and Eurocities Declaration on Climate Change. We respond to climate change by global commitment and through local action”

Stian Berger Røsland, Governing Mayor 

 

ICLEI and Oslo: Oslo has been an ICLEI member since 1992. 

Websites: www.oslo.kommune.no/english/ and www.oslo.kommune.no/ [In Norwegian]