THEME, VISION AND GOALS

Learning Outcomes

Ecocity World Summit 2019 will engage participants in the critical conversations of our time. Through plenary, presentations, workshops, field trips and informal discussion, participants can expect to engage with each other to gather information, explore ideas, propose solutions and identify allies in the quest for socially just and ecologically sustainable cities.

City builders, city dwellers and city leaders around the world are seeking answers to a host of questions about ecocities. By sharing knowledge with each other, Summit participants will learn:

• How we can achieve low-carbon lifestyles to stabilize climate at 1.5 degree Celsius
• How cities can be restructured to live within planetary boundaries
• How urban living and global habitat restoration are connected
• How cities can do a better job of supporting access to safe and affordable housing
• How ecocities can avoid the asset deficit for infrastructure renewal and urban revitalization
• What the world’s leading ecocities are doing to achieve reductions in emissions, waste and resource demands and successfully bend the urban metabolism
• Which performance standards and rating systems are best suited to achieving sustainability goals, and how the International Ecocity Standards (IES) support existing systems
• How an ecocity approach to rebuilding cities in balance with nature can simultaneously create vibrant, healthy, happy places for people to live, work and play

 

Framing the Conversations

Participants may be drawn to follow the conversation around the primary theme of socially just and ecologically sustainable cities or a particular sub-theme, IES category or individual IES standard.

The integrated nature of an ecocity approach—and of sustainability itself—means that each standard represents part of a larger, whole system and each IES pillar or Summit sub-theme offers a way to explore part of the solution. Therefore, the program is intended to be interactive and inter-disciplinary to help participants build bridges and connect ideas for action.

View the program to identify the conversations you want to follow.

 

By Theme and Sub-theme

The Summit conversations are oriented to an overarching theme and three sub-themes that weave through all the program sessions:

• Overarching theme: Socially Just and Ecologically Sustainable Cities
• Sub-theme 1: Climate Action
• Sub-theme 2: Circular Economy
• Sub-theme 3: Informal Solutions for Sustainable Development

The overarching theme represents the goal and the sub-themes build the bridge to get there.

 

By IES Category

Each of the 18 individual standards addresses an area of challenge and opportunity for aspiring ecocities. Their measure tracks progress related to the four broad categories above. Each is considered integral to the whole functioning of socially just and ecologically sustainable cities.

Urban Design Access by Proximity Safe and Affordable Housing Green Building Environmentally Friendly Transport	Bio-GeoPhysical Conditions Clean Air Clean and Safe Water Healthy Soil Responsible Resources/Materials Clean and Renewable Energy Healthy and Accessible Food
Socio-Cultural Features Healthy Culture Community Capacity/Governance Healthy and Equitable Economy Lifelong Education Well Being/Quality of Life	Ecological Imperatives Healthy Biodiversity Earth's Carrying Capacity Ecological Integrity

For more information on the International Ecocity Standards, visit ecocitystandards.org.