The strengthening of cooperation between Greece and France in critical issues concerning sustainable urban development was jointly decided at the meeting of the regional governor of Attica, Nikos Hardalia, with the regional governor of the metropolitan region of Paris (Île de France) Valérie Pécresse, in Paris.

The agenda of the discussions was dominated by challenges and finding solutions regarding waste management in large urban areas, the mode of operation of public transport, etc.

The two sides agreed on the need to create a European Network of Regions that would focus on promoting sustainable practices and tackling climate change.

The meeting is part of the regional Authority’s wider planning to strengthen interaction with major European cities and regions that are implementing advanced solutions for the sustainable management of their urban centres. During the meeting, Mr. Hardalias focused on the need to transfer know-how from France to Greece, mainly on self-administrative responsibility for the proper operation of public transport and waste management.

He highlighted the importance of properly organizing public transport to address the challenges facing large urban areas, saying:

“It is extremely important for us to transfer the good practices implemented in Paris in terms of public transport in order to convince the government of the need to redefine the responsibility of Public Transport in the basin and to improve the services provided, offering meaningful solutions to citizens».

For her part, Mrs. Pécresse agreed to the development of cooperation, underlining the role of technology in improving the daily life of citizens. He showed particular interest in the digital systems that have been implemented in Greece through Gov.gr and stated that he will seek to utilize Greek know-how to introduce similar systems in Paris.

On the issue of waste management, Mr. Hardalias informed about the desire of the Region to assume full responsibility, with a process that will soon be finalized by the government, as he said, as “waste management is a major issue for Attica and more steps and more coordinated actions are needed to achieve substantial results».

For her part, Mrs. Pécresse presented her region’s experience in this field, mentioning that Paris uses an innovative system of converting waste into fuel – through the use of methane – which is used to drive the city’s buses. However, he pointed out that there have been objections from the European Union about increased gas emissions, which has led it to look for new, more environmentally friendly solutions for creating fuel from waste.

On the issue of decentralization and promoting a greener model of urban development, Ms. Pécresse announced that she aims, by the year 2049, for 75% of the Paris area to consist of parks and green zones, leaving only 25% for housing and other infrastructure. In fact, he developed the idea of ​​creating “elevated cities”, where residences will be concentrated in smaller spaces, while enhancing the natural environment.

Mr. Hardalias informed Mrs. Pécresse that in his own area of ​​responsibility he is also facing severe challenges of overpopulation, as 46% of the population of Greece lives in the wider region of Attica. This creates serious pressures on infrastructure and the environment, which is why the Region is exploring ways to strengthen decentralization in order to improve the quality of life and promote balanced development.

Nikos Hardalias also proposed the creation of a European Network of Regions, which would focus on sustainable management and tackling climate change, which directly affects all areas of daily life, pointing out: “Through cooperation with other European cities, we can exchange know-how and to adopt innovative solutions that will improve the quality of life of our citizens”.

Mrs. Pécresse supported the governor’s proposal and noted that cities such as Stockholm, Vienna and Warsaw, with metropolitan characteristics, could play a central role in this Network, given their experience in the field of environmental sustainability. It was even agreed to set up a joint working group, with experts from the Attica Region and the Île de France, which will submit specific proposals by the end of 2024. The first meeting of this group will take place within the next few weeks, in October 2024.

Coming out of the meeting, the regional governor praised the personality and experience of his French counterpart and expressed his satisfaction for the cooperation they initiated, foreseeing the perspectives that are opening up for the Attica Region.

We seek, he said, to upgrade critical sectors in order to ensure a more sustainable and functional city for all, while “through the creation of a European Network of Regions, we aspire to bring our cities closer together and promote solutions that contribute to sustainability and climate resilience.

Attica, together with other European regions, can develop and implement new practices that will make our cities more resilient, cleaner and greener.

Our collaboration with Île de France is only the beginning of this journey, and I am confident that the initiatives we will undertake together will yield concrete and measurable results in the coming period. We are moving forward with determination and strategy, with the belief that the metropolitan region of Attica has the potential to develop into a model of European sustainability, ensuring a better quality of life for all our citizens».