A summary of the study in which I have contributed as an expert in regional and local development policies: European Urban Sustainability Delphi study

A summary of the final Delphi round to all the experts who completed all the raunds of research. In this group of experts from 26 european countries have been part even an representative from our center: Luiza Hoxhaj, european expert on regional and local development. (Our extras)

In the period of May to October 2015 a large group of urban sustainability experts from 26 European countries participated in a European Urban Sustainability Delphi study that consisted of three rounds of data-collection. The objective of the study was to find out which components these experts find most relevant for defining and measuring ‘Urban Sustainability’ in a European context. In the third and final round experts were invited to select the 5 most relevant components.

The results are as follows:

Component name                  Number of times chosen                            % of experts(no=72)

Air quality                                            33                                                             46%

Governance                                          29                                                             40%

Energy consumption                            29                                                             40%

Non –car transportation infrstr            24                                                              33%

CO2 emissions                                    23                                                              32%

Inequality                                            23                                                              32%

Green Spaces                                      23                                                               32%

Health                                                 18                                                               25%

Climate resilience                               18                                                               25%

Solide waste                                        16                                                               22%

Civic engagenmet                               13                                                               18%

Local resources                                   12                                                              17%

Biodiversity                                        12                                                               17%

Education                                            10                                                               14%

Employment                                         9                                                                13%

Water usage                                          9                                                                13%

Economic productivity                         8                                                                11%

Smart infrastructure                             8                                                                 11%

Waste water tratement                          8                                                                 11%

Housing                                                7                                                                 10%

Noise Pollution                                     6                                                                    8%

Safety                                                    5                                                                   7%

Urban Microclimate                             5                                                                   7%

Entrepreneurship                                  4                                                                   6%

Cultural capacity                                  4                                                                   6%

Bussines climate                                  3                                                                    4%

International embeddedness                1                                                                    1%

Experts were also invited to explain their selection. A summary of the explanations provided for the ten components that were most often selected, is provided below.

Air quality:

The air quality in a city is relevant for the health, well-being, and quality of life of its inhabitants. Furthermore, the component is related to many other aspects of urban sustainability, such as biodiversity, green spaces, and CO2 emissions.

Governance:

As a potential driver of change the city government determines the extent of a city's sustainable development. It can support a sustainable development among others by adapting legislation, providing resources, involving stakeholders, and planning/managing a development strategy.

Energy consumption:

Energy is needed to sustain life and its use impacts the environment. A city's energy consumption is related to various environmental issues, such as CO2 emissions, climate change, and the use of natural resources. A city's energy consumption also determines its self-sufficiency and dependency on non-renewable energy. Renewable energy consumption is crucial for a sustainable urban development.

Non-car transportation infrastructure:

A non-car transportation infrastructure reduces the use and negative impacts of cars and improves the sustainability of urban mobility. A non-car transportation infrastructure improves the (urban) environment in terms of among others (air) pollution, CO2 emissions, energy and resource consumption, noise pollution, congestion, quality of life, and space use.

CO2 emissions:

CO2 emissions affect climate change and have an impact on the environment as a whole. Cities (as emitters of high levels of CO2) need to mitigate and fight climate change. CO2 emissions are also related to other urban sustainability issues, such as energy consumption, transportation, as well as inhabitant's health and quality of life.

Inequality:

As a social aspect of sustainability, inequality is often neglected. Inequality creates many social problems like social exclusion as well as tensions and conflicts between different groups of people. A sustainable, functioning, and inclusive city needs to provide for all its inhabitants, among others by sharing benefits and offering equal opportunities.

Green spaces:

Green spaces improve a city's general quality of life as well as the (psychological) well-being of its inhabitants. They provide many benefits to a city in terms of among others biodiversity, air quality, health, and urban microclimate. Green spaces are also important for recreation, relaxation, and meeting other people. Finally, green spaces support and raise people's awareness regarding environmental topics.

Author: Jurian Meijering (jurian.meijering@wur.nl)

Research Methodology Group, Wageningen University

Health:

A sustainable and healthy city needs to have healthy inhabitants. The health of a city's inhabitants reflects the quality of the urban environment in terms of among others air quality and urban design. Healthy inhabitants contribute to a city's economic, environmental, and social (sustainable) development.

Climate resilience:

Climate change is the biggest challenge and threat cities need to deal with. Cities need to be climate resilient if they want to be sustainable and prosper. They need to be resilient to the effects of climate change such as floods and droughts.

Solid waste:

The amount of waste that is produced and recycled within a city is linked to other sustainability challenges such as resource consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change. It also provides information about a city's resource efficiency and sustainability awareness. It is important to recycle and re-use solid waste (in the form of energy or material) as well as to involve a city's inhabitants in this process.

Author: Jurian Meijering , Research Methodology Group, Wageningen University

Një libër që duhet lexuar: “Ese dhe etyde filozofike estetike”

Tre jave për mua, e zhytur në leximin e veprës më të fundit të Prof. Alfred Uci, një nga kolonat e shoqërisë shqiptare (vlerësim, të cilin ja ka bërë i madhi Dritëro Agolli)  ishin një “arratisje e bukur” nga zymtësia e realitetit.  I shijova në maksimum 451 faqet e librit të tij: “Ese dhe etyde filozofike estetike”, një përmbledhje  e studimeve të viteve të fundit të Prof. Ucit. Në to spikat stili estetik, që i bën ato tërheqëse dhe interesante jo vetëm për specialist të fushës, por edhe për lexues të tjerë të interesuar për temat, si puna ime. Në studimet e prezantuara në libër  Prof. Uci analizon kryevepra të letërsisë botërore nga antikiteti  e deri në ditët e sotme.

 
Studimeve të tij, të zgjedhura jo rastësisht apo për nevoja për arsyetime të kulluara teorike, por mbështetur në përvojën e zhvillimit të ndërlikuar të kulturës në shekuj Prof i analizon kryeveprat e arteve dhe estetikës, jo si të largëta apo të harruara por duke theksuar tek to vlerat universale dhe duke vecuar prej tyre mesazhet fisnike, që dëshmojnë të vërteta ndricuese edhe për kohën tonë. Paralelizmat befasues të tij të lejojnë të meditosh dhe ti nxjerrësh vet mësimet e nevojëshme prej tij.

E “marrë për dore”, prej Profesorit, nëpërmjetë kësaj vepre,  ju riktheva Shekspirit (duke lexuar “Timonin”,” Sebelinin” dhe “Masë për masë”, të përkthyera nga Kristaq Traja), ju riktheva Dante Alighierit (nëpërmjetë ciklit të plotë në italisht të “Komedisë Hyjnore”, me komentet dhe vleresimet përkatëse nga personalitete të shquar të kohës sonë, midis të cilëve Umberto Eco). Pavarësisht magjisë, që kam ndjerë kur i kam lexuar për herë të parë, mund të them pa mëdyshje se provova një kënaqesi të vecantë dhe pata një kuptim më të thellë të tyre. Nuk mund të mbetej jashtë analizës së Prof. Uçit Servantesi me Don Kishotin e Mançës, Dostojevski etj.

Më mbas udhëtimi vazhdon me personalitete të shquar të letërsisë dhe mendimit shqiptar si:  De Rada, Naim Frashëri, Noli, Migjeni, Fishta, Dritero Agolli, Kadare dhe Rexhep Qose, të cilin Prof. Uçi e quan "një gurë të rëndë në studimet e letërsisë shqiptare. Leximin e tyre do ta rifilloj me Arkën e Djallit të Agollit.

Ndjesia e këndëshme dhe lehtësia me të cilin e shoqërova leximin e këtij libri dhe rileximin a autorëve që përmenda, e nxitur nga këndvështrimi i autorit, për mua është e njëjtë me atë ndjesi që më ka shkaktuar leximi i veprës së Prof. Përparim Kabos: “Epistolate-Antropologjia e frymës”.

Jemi me fatë që kemi bashkëkohës të tillë! Mos i lini pa lexuar. Leximi i tyre të iluminon, të mencuron dhe te fisnikeron.