The Conference
The Metropolitan Council of Dunkerque and its president, Michel Delebarre, and the European Sustainable Cities & Towns (ESCT) Campaign have the pleasure to invite you and a delegation of your region, city, town or municipality to the 6th European Sustainable Cities & Towns Conference, which will take place in Dunkerque, on 19-21 May 2010.
Dunkerque 2010 will explore how sustainable development can help local governments to face the current economic, social and climate challenges and how it can be further implemented in the current context of crisis. It will convene key actors to identify what changes are needed to our political frameworks and will explore how different sectors can cooperate to advance sustainable development in Europe. This event is the next large conference in Europe to address climate change after Copenhagen 2009 (COP-15) and it will offer a unique opportunity to position local governments as willing partners and leaders on emissions reductions and innovative solutions. The culmination of Dunkerque 2010 will be the conveyance of a political message to Europe and the world on climate and the wider local sustainability agenda.
The largest European event dedicated to local sustainable development
After the successful conferences of Aalborg 1994, Lisbon 1996, Hanover 2000, Aalborg 2004 and Sevilla 2007, more than 1500 local government leaders from all over Europe as well as representatives from European and national networks of local governments, European institutions, international organisations, business, NGOs and research institutions are expected to take part in the largest European conference dedicated to local sustainable development.
We invite you to visit the programme section for more information about the objectives and the themes of this conference.
News
Eat in Dunkerque
The Metropolitan Council of Dunkerque is pleased to invite all participants to enjoy the evening of the Thursday, 20th May in the restaurant of their choice. Meal tickets will be given. To see the restaurants partners list click here.
Booking in the Congress Palace at the Info Point.
Watch REAL QUESTIONS
by Konrad Otto-Zimmermann, Secretary General of ICLEI
Time for REAL QUESTIONS is a series of dialogues that I have conducted over many years discussing the environmental challenges of our time with statesmen, ministers, UN officials, NGOs and business leaders.
In December 2009 on the occasion of COP15, I have further explored with global leaders the issues that are shaping the future of our cities and our planet.
I am very pleased to share some of these dialogues with you, Dunkerque 2010 Conference participants.
See you in Dunkerque!
Click here to watch REAL QUESTIONS
Among other you can find contributions from:
- Rajendra Pachauri, Chair, IPCC
- Angel Gurria, Secretary General, OECD
- Marcelo Ebrard, Mayor of Mexico City
- Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Photographer and film maker
- Kumi Naidoo, Executive Director of Greenpeace International
- Brice Lalonde, French ambassador in charge of international negotiations on climate change
Key statements
"The success of the “Aalborg process on local sustainability” illustrates the growing ambition of local leaders to achieve a higher degree of sustainability in our cities and towns within a common European framework. Through the Aalborg Charter and Commitments, thousands of local governments in Europe have seriously committed themselves to enhance the sustainability of their urban areas. The concepts and ideas of these groundbreaking documents will be explored once again, and re-confirmed within a changing European and global context."
Emanuele Burgin - President Local Agenda 21 Italy; on behalf of the partners of the European Sustainable Cities and Towns Campaign