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Overview:
A transboundary regional capital and metropolis on the Baltic Seas:
Both Copenhagen and Malmô are aiming to further incorporate sustainability into their urban development. The two cities have already built a strong economic relationship with one another in the Øresund Region.
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Background:
The Copenhagen Stock Exchange marks the city as a major financial centre in Northern Europe and has been identified as one of the richest cities in the world. The capital of Denmark has invested strongly in both urban and cultural development, seeking to be carbon neutral by 2025. The building of the Øresund Bridge has allowed the city to develop a strong partnership with Malmô, Sweden and its surrounding province, so named the Øresund Region. Malmô, a once-deteriorating industrial centre, is redesigning itself to become an eco-city with the goal of running on only renewable energies by 2030.
Challenges:
Copenhagen, while already a leader in sustainable mobility, faces ongoing challenges adapting mobility programmes to increasing urban sprawl. Malmô faces social segregation challenges. Because both cities lie on the coast, the risk of rising sea levels and climate change impacts are further challenges.
Current Initiatives:
Copenhagen is meeting the challenge of its expanding population by initiating an ambitious new sustainable urban development project- Nordhavn. The Sustainia Guide for Copenhagen further outlines urban planning strategies to allow the city to be carbon neutral by 2025. Malmô is undergoing a major urban development project in its Västra Hamnen neighbourhood. Called the City of Tomorrow, Västra Hamnen is the first district in Europe that has declared itself to be carbon neutral. Among the city’s various other projects, the Fullriggaren urban development project will comprise Sweden’s largest collection of energy-efficient buildings combining passive and low-energy housing.
IVL Svenska Miljoeinstitutet AB (IVL) and Aarhus Universitet (AU) will be will coordinating and developing post-carbon visions with local Copenhagen and Malmô stakeholders.
