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Reference Framework for Sustainable Cities (RFSC)

Some useful functionalities for Finnish cities

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The Reference Framework for Sustainable Cities

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What is the RFSC?

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A toolkit for cities

• an interactive web-tool• facilitating the dialogue about sustainable

and integrated urban development– within cities– between cities– with local stakeholders– across sectors– at different political levels (local, regional, national,

European)– within different levels of governance

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The content of the tool

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Three main sections of RFSC

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Profile and Network

Exchange experiences and learn from other cities:

describe your city with some simple characteristics

add documents, photos, use existing documents

tell what is useful for other cities to stimulate exchange and learning

search engine to find other cities to start sharing and learning with

directory of cities and institutions to contact

catalogue of showcases to learn from

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Three evaluation tools

Checklist to develop a sustainable urban development strategy

Check whether a strategy or project is developed in an integrated manner

Build a monitoring system to evaluate a strategy or project

Choose the tool that suits your needs!

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Tool 1: Develop strategy or project

Helps to develop a sustainable and integrated urban development strategy with a checklist

… in line with:− the city’s own priorities

− European objectives and principles

− general and detailed objectives

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Tool 2: Check the integrated approach

Check with a qualitative evaluation tool the integrated approach of an urban strategy or project

by checklist of questions based on a vision of a European

sustainable city stimulate discussions positive or negative impacts? conflicts or synergies in objectives? visualise the results

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Tool 3: Build a monitor system

Helps to monitor the progress over time

– 33 recommended key indicators (e.g. EU 2020)

– some targeted values

– a broad collection of other useful indicators in library

– detailed explanation of all indicators in library

– possibility to add own indicators

– a spreadsheet to build own monitoring systems

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The “core” of the 3 evaluation tools

25 objectives on sustainable urban development

• covering European objectives and principles

• inspired by practices in some 200 European cities

• grouped by the 4 pillars of sustainability– economy– social affairs– environment– governance

• each objective specified with sub-objectives to go into details and to stimulate further debate

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What are the benefits of the RFSC?

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Better communication• about sustainable and integrated strategies and projects

• amongst and between different groups– technical departments in the city administration– elected representatives – planners, practitioners and experts– citizens and stakeholders– at different political and multi governance levels (local, regional,

national, European)

• through illustrating and explaining decision-making processes– compare the impact and results for different alternatives– improve coordination– give reasons for the choices taken

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Better results

• making urban strategies and projects more sustainable

• fostering integrated thinking and actions– raising awareness about potential synergies– warning about possible gaps and conflicts– creating cost-savings in the long run

• assessing progress over time– identifying the potential need for adjustments

• building capacity in urban management– learning step-by-step with a strong focus on the process– finding useful examples and show cases from other cities– exchanging with peer-cities and learning from each other

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Background of RFSC

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Background and political context

Decisions of EU Ministers for urban development

• Leipzig Charter on Sustainable European Cities (2007)– Promote the integrated approach– Pay special attention to deprived neighbourhoods

• Marseille Statement (2008)– Create a tool for cities to implement the Leipzig Charter– France initiated the “Reference Framework”

• Toledo Declaration (2010)– Prototype of the RFSC– Test the RFSC with a larger group of cities (66)

• Poznan (2011)– Improve and then diffuse among European cities

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A joint European initiative

• Cities and local authorities networks (CEMR, Eurocities, ICLEI)• Member States of the EU• European Commission (DG Regional and Urban Policy)• Multi-level working structure

– Urban Development Group (political monitoring committee)– Member States and Institutions group (MSI group)– National Support Groups– Management Team (joint leadership: France, DG REGIO, trio presidencies)

• Expertise and support– CSTB (technical expert, webmaster)– National Support Groups– Platform31, ICLEI and CEMR (RFSC secretariat, information, training)

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A common European platformNo evaluation or judgement of cities

but critical self-assessment of cities and conscious decision-making

No standardisation of urban development but creating a space for debate adaptable to the national context and the local situation

No measuring or ranking of cities but comparing different approaches and results

No obligation for cities, no precondition for funding but cities contributing to common European objectives

No fees for cities, no financial support but e-learning, exchanging and capacity building

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How to start using the RFSC?

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Contact secretariat

As visitor

• easy to explore the RFSC • all tools and user guides available• no sharing and networking• no safeguard of work

info@rfsc.eu

As RFSC city

• sharing, networking and learning• all your strategies and projects later available for further developing/checking• all kind of support of RFSC-secretariat

Access to RFSC and RFSC-secretariat

rfsc.eu