Geneva, sustainable city: what action does the municipality take?

fleurs faisant partie du réaménagement de la Pointe Nord de Plainpalais

The City of Geneva works towards sustainable development through several programmes, policies and actions implemented by the different administrative departments.

Take a look: Information pack on climate change in Geneva.
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Protecting the environment

Ecological issues are at the very heart of the notion of sustainable development. Human activities must respect the limits of our planet, be it in terms of the natural resources available or their capacity to regenerate themselves in the event of pollution. The issues addressed in the City of Geneva’s environmental commitments pages are: energy and the climate, waste, water, land use planning, mobility and biodiversity.

Living together

The second series of issues linked to sustainable development relate to society, and more particularly social cohesion, living together and sharing. The municipality is very active in this sphere, which affects numerous municipal competences. The issues addressed on this page are: equality and diversity policy, inclusion and social ties, housing, participation, events, activities and sport, international solidarity and networks in cities.

Responsible, forward-looking local companies

Finally, it is important to address the challenges of a sustainable economy. The City of Geneva implements proactive measures, albeit with a more limited scope for manoeuvre than the canton or the Confederation to take action in this field. The issues addressed on this page are: institutional exemplarity and public procurement, the local economy and local employment, innovation, sustainable food and reusing/sharing objects.

Commitment on a planetary scale

These three key dimensions of sustainable development should be viewed against the backdrop of the Agenda 2030 adopted by the United Nations in 2015, focusing on 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) applicable worldwide: all countries must contribute to achieving them. It should be noted that these 17 SDGs are interconnected and impact on one another – it is impossible to resolve them individually and cooperation between sectors is essential to their success.

Support for associations and awareness

With its “Geneva, sustainable city” newsletter, the Agenda 21 - Sustainable city department keeps the population up to date. Furthermore, the City organises regular events and campaigns. It prioritises networking and the dissemination of information.

Every year, in addition to this, numerous partner associations and institutions receive support for their awareness actions, projects and campaigns focusing on creating a sustainable city. At the bottom of the page, you can download the list of associations supported by the Agenda 21 - Sustainable city department. Other associations focusing on sustainable development, and more particularly on mobility and social cohesion, receive support from other departments of the municipal administration.

Monitoring sustainable development in the City of Geneva

The Cercle Indicateurs is a mechanism which serves to assess the municipality’s efforts in the field of sustainable development. The City has taken part in three assessments (2009, 2013 and 2017) and can thus monitor the changes observed within its territory while comparing itself with other Swiss cities.

Overview of the latest results: The 2017 assessment shows that the efforts made with a view to achieving energy transition in the City of Geneva have borne fruit, although the environmental performance is mitigated somewhat by issues such as air quality, which is strongly linked to mobility at a cantonal level. From an economic standpoint, the City of Geneva has an efficient and innovative structure which is nevertheless unable to resolve the problems of unemployment and precariousness. The municipality enjoys a healthy financial situation. Furthermore, the indicators for 2017 confirm the leading role played by the City of Geneva in the fields of culture, early childhood policy and international solidarity.

Contact

Service Agenda 21 - Ville durable

De 9h à 12h et de 14h à 17h

5 Rue de l'Hôtel-de-Ville

1204

Genève

Suisse

Tél. +41224182286

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Article modifié le 02.06.2023 à 08:39