Changing cities

The topic of the city has been has been developed around three axes: space, with the example of the so-called C40 cities that can create a "supranational network" (Saskia Sassen, sociologist and economist) to act collectively against the effects of climate change; the time, because of the role that cities have in development and innovations; and finally beauty to conceive cities not only as a space for meeting, but also for sharing beauty.

The centrality of this topic is due to the function and weight that cities have at a global level: they occupy 2% of the land, consume 75% of the energy, produce 70% of the emissions and 80% of global GDP. They are dense spaces, connected to each other, engines of development, as well as the place where numerous difficulties can navigate: they find themselves in the front row of the climate crisis because they are the most affected by its effects, yet they are also a potential laboratory for solutions, developed both by citizens and above all by businesses. In fact, the latter that have great potential, as they can accelerate action against the climate challenge and collaborate through innovation.

It is important to stress that "climate action is a process, not an objective, made of collaboration and inclusion in urban planning" (Luisa Miranda Morel, Inclusive Climate Action C4o). With this undertaking, the project city C40 consists of a network of mayors working together against the climate crisis, towards an increasingly green transition, involving major cities around the world such as Milan, Rome, Paris, Amsterdam, Cape Town, Buenos Aires, New York City. Among the principles that guide the action of C40 cities there are better climate policies, that can lead to greater social, health and economic benefits. It is therefore a movement that firstly thinks about citizens: "climate action must be courageous, supported, have broad consensus and be socially accepted. To achieve this it must be fair, through an inclusive process with communities, equitable planning, and understanding who and how the impact of the climate crisis is felt" (Luisa Miranda Morel).

The perspective of cities is also important at the level of urban planning: "better urban planning of the territory can lead to a reduction in emissions of 20% before 2050" (Costanza De Stefani, C40 Reinventing Cities). There are several projects with this object, aiming at investing in infrastructure and neighbourhoods: among these the Collective for Climate in Paris has created the first zero-emission neighbourhood that follows the principle of reversibility of buildings over time, for example the offices can become homes to reduce the need for demolition and housing demand. Therefore, urbanization lends itself to being a valid tool for designing neighbourhoods, as well as to tackle the phenomenon of sprawl, which consists of the disorderly and unsustainable dispersion of the city. A concept that often emerged during the various talks at the festival is precisely that of the 15 minutes city: according to this urban proximity design, all services must be at a maximum of 15 minutes away from your home either on foot or by public transport. This involves the transition from mono- to poly-centric cities, with complete neighbourhoods, inclusive communities, spaces intended for people and not vehicles (for example the Street for Kids initiative in Milan, for the safety of roads near schools), where green space is central to integrating climate risks, so in Medellín (Colombia) the re-naturalization plan led to a reduction in the city's temperatures by 2°.

Projects of urban regeneration offer valuable examples to be adopted in all the Italian cities. In Milan, the 2030 Territorial Government Plan has made it possible to identify possible public areas dedicated to intermodal travel to transform them into urban places and squares, and to redevelop spaces previously in a state of abandonment, contacting creative people and architects in correlation with economic entities to guarantee the success of the projects. This is what happened with the redevelopment of the previously abandoned area of the Ex Macello, the Bovisa Node, the project for Piazzale Loreto (by 2026), and the transformation of intersections into squares such as Piazzale Bacone for a new pedestrian space. In this way "urban regeneration produces new positive externalities for neighbourhoods" (Matteo Motti, Policy Advisor to Deputy Mayor for Urban Regeneration Municipality of Milan), especially from a perspective of proximity and safety. In fact, the three pillars for the 15 minutes city must be: "green, slow mobility and accessibility"" (Matteo Motti).

Finally, the last relevant concept that emerged during the Future 4 cities is the one suggested by Luca Ballarini (founder of Stratosferica in Turin), the so-called citizen making: "teaching that being citizens does not only mean demanding services but also caring for the city, through civic education especially for the new generations".