Sustainable Development is now a phrase often heard worldwide. According to the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED), it is defined as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Sustainable Development is closely related to our environment, our resources and social problems in our society.
The impact from global warming is most visible in winter cities. On the other hand, due to climatic features of cold weather and heavy snowfall, winter cities consume enormous amount of energy for heating and snow removal operations and increase the impact on the environment. With this self-contradiction in mind, the World Winter Cities Association for Mayors believes that winter cities should be the ones who take the initiative in approaching global warming within the international community.
How can we protect our precious Earth and leave it to future generations? At the national level, this international issue is being discussed. The 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen (COP15) also put great emphasis on this. We, local governments as organizations which are closer to the people, must work hard on this urgent challenge. As we approach this issue, it is necessary to consider it ethically as well as technologically. Sustainable development means that resources are used reasonably and the carrying capacity of ecosystems is taken into account, thus ensuring improvement in the quality of life of us and our children. A sense of living in harmony as global citizens is important for the future of the Earth and the human race, and acceptance of and respect for other cultures are essential elements. The use of electronic media for providing information to the people increases citizen`s awareness and the knowledge of public administration. A secure service space will be developed for citizens, allowing them to use public services and communicate in the same environment both with the state, businesses and other citizens. Electronic information can become a powerful tool for city development under conditions where natural and human resources are limited.
The World Winter Cities Association for Mayors takes full advantage of its network and continues to lead the world in tackling global warming in order to leave a better environment for future generations, through the valuable actions of the Subcommittee on Winter City Environmental Issues and the Subcommittee on City Operations for Mitigation of Climate Change and their proposals. With Sustainable Development as a key concept, we hereby pledge our continued vigorous involvement in developing our unique winter cities.