Can democracy save the environment? This webinar, organised in the context of the World Forum for Democracy, will tackle the question by exploring what policy solutions and governance practice can be applied at the local level to address environmental concerns.

The COVID-19 pandemic has left public authorities at all levels facing an emergency unprecedented in both scale and scope and has exposed weaknesses in governance models. It has also served as a wake-up call: the well-being of humanity depends on the health of the environment. Metropolitan areas are at the forefront of the impending environmental disaster as they account for almost 70% of global carbon emissions and more than 60% of resource use.

The concept of the “15-Minute City” first emerged in 2016 and has been receiving increasingly visibility in recent months, also due to limitations to mobility that have been introduced in member States to keep the pandemic under control. Offering access to key everyday services and functions within 15 minutes of where people live, the “15-Minute City” can help tackle environmental challenges and contribute to better social well-being, protection of biodiversity and preservation of natural resources, and the promotion of a functional and responsible economy.

Join the webinar to discuss the “15-Minute City” and urban planning for the environment with Carine Rolland, Deputy Mayor of Paris in charge of Culture and the “15 Minute City”, Venla Bernelius, Assistant Professor of Urban Geography, University of Helsinki, and Tamás Dömötör, Chief Government Adviser on Urban Planning in the Prime Minister’s Office of Hungary.