Overwhelmed but hopeful
To start off the City Panel, the panelists were asked to reflect on the two keynote speeches by Paul Behrens on climate mitigation & adaptation and Elin Andersdotter Fabre on participatory urban development. Both big topics that can be quite overwhelming. Although the keynotes presented some of our major challenges as cities, the panelist shared a feeling of positivity and hope for the future.
"I felt overwhelmed but also very grateful for all those people and cities working on innovation" - Hannah Prins
Shifting our perspective
When asked about the ugliness of cities, Sigrid Wertheim-Heck mentions indifference as a main issue: we focus so much on effiency that we've become indifferent towards our environment and the people around us. Hannah Prins questions if we shouldn't rethink what we find normal as a society: Why are we designing cities for cars, and not for people? Biking is becoming more dangerous, and our solution is: wear a helmet. Why aren’t we saying, cars should be banned from the roads?
Jasper van Dijk refers to the current debate on rent regulation and the housing crisis. He finds this debate is exemplary for many crises because it closely relates to many other issues: climate change, inequality and so on. Policy makers find it difficult to work together between policy areas and to integrate the long term perspective.
Diversity, Data and Dialogue
Eveline van Leeuwen asks the panelists: How can we get the best out of the messy cities?
Politicians, scientists and citizens can really help each other, but currently they often speak another language, or not every voice in included in the city planning. Sigrid Wertheim-Heck points out the misconception about qualitative research being mainly storytelling, and that quantitative research is the real science. One way to make is work between to policy makers and citizens is to really listen to each other. We should seek new ways of dialogue, be brave to really implement your findings and look for diversity in methods we use.
Jasper van Dijk emphasizes the importance of better communication and collaboration between scientists and policy makers. We need data and analysis of scientists to help telling the right story, and to find what are the effects of policy.
Paul Behrens: Technical and behavioural innovations are there, but it’s the networks that can make the change. What we need is deliberative decision making and making sure its including all the people living in the city. Understanding each other and really feeling why it is important. Some things are hard to measure: we need more diversity in data.
Elin Wertheim-Heck: If we have data about how various parts and neighbourhouds work, we can design better cities.
"We can’t afford to redo things, that would be a waste of resources, so lets make it right from the beginning. Throughout the process, more thorough and inclusive." - Elin Wertheim-Heck
About the panelists
Jasper van Dijk
Jasper van Dijk is an economist with a mission to address societal and social challenges through better substantiated policies. He is also a co-founder of the Institute for Public Economics. Jasper obtained his PhD in Economics from the University of Oxford and has worked at the OECD, the Boston Consulting Group, and the Ministry of Finance. As a scholar, consultant, and civil servant, he has ten years of experience researching and advising on societal issues.
Hannah Prins
Hannah Prins (26) is a climate activist and author of 'je bent jong en je wil een toekomst' which translates to 'you're young and you want a future,' which she co-wrote with Jantijn Anema. 'In Amsterdam, demonstrations prevented a highway through the city in the 1970s; now we must take action again for green, quiet, and livable cities.'
Sigrid Wertheim-Heck
Associate Professor (ius promovendi) Global Food System Sustainability at Wageningen UR (University & Research centre) with a focus on consumption in urban areas. Experienced professional with a demonstrated history of working in the research industry. Skilled in Marketing Management, Sustainable Business, International Relations, Market Research, and Management. Strong operations professional with a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) focused on sociology of consumption from Wageningen University.
Paul Behrens
As an associate Professor environmental change at Leiden University and acclaimed author of the book 'The Best of Times, The Worst of Times: Futures from the Frontiers of Climate Science', Paul Behrehs' expertise in climate, energy, and food has garnered attention in scientific journals and media outlets. His insights offer hopeful perspectives on our path towards a sustainable future.
Elin Andersdotter Fabre
Elin Andersdotter Fabre is managing the Her City initiative at UN-Habitat's (United Nations Human Settlements Program) Global Public Space Program. Before joining UN-Habitat, Elin worked as the Sustainable cities program director at the Swedish independent think tank for Global Utmaning. She has been active in advocacy work for setting up the 2030 Agenda, the New Urban Agenda and other sustainable urban development policies. Elin has extensive experience from a range of development issues - democracy, human rights, gender equality and security from the UN, government offices and civil society.