Green Growth Forum 2013: doing it ourselves and involving more research institutes

Madis Tilga looks back on the 2013 'Rohevik' Green Growth Forum, which saw more than 100 people interested in green planning come together at the Estonian University of Life Sciences in Tartu on 26 September and around a hundred specialists in district heating gather at the Viljandi Traditional Music Centre on 27 September.

Green planning

We looked at planning on three levels: building; community; and city. Speakers representing the city and communities emphasised that creating a pleasant, convenient and environmentally friendly living environment is the obligation not only of local governments, but also the people who live there. A number of good things – such as the balanced planning of traffic, green areas and footpaths – have sprung up from the grassroots level, because local governments lack the resources needed to offer the community all suitable solutions as 'complete packages'. There are still examples of well-thought-through activities that have come from the top down, whether they be lowering the speed limit in the city centre or developing environmentally friendly transport.