‘Green’ plan key to Galway City’s economic future

In the week where world leaders gathered in Glasgow at COP26 to bang heads together on how to tackle the climate crisis, local environmental activists have reiterated calls for the City Council to sign up to the National Park City initiative or face being ‘left behind’.

According to the initiative’s convenor, Brendan Smith, fears that the project would stifle development were “totally unfounded”, and Galway would miss out on development if it failed to act, as financiers and investors turned their attention to sustainable development.

The aim of the National Park City to have Galway recognised as a city ‘dedicated to sustainability, where citizens benefit from, and are strongly connected to, nature’, and to have that commitment enshrined in the City Development Plan.

“It is coastal cities such as Galway that are most at risk from the devastating impact of global warming, such as rising sea levels and powerful seaborne storms,” said Mr Smith.

“The Galway National Park City initiative could play a part in overcoming this serious deficit. It represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to harness the fantastic range of talents and world-class expertise found amongst the stakeholders of our great city, to reimagine our urban landscape and to be found amongst the stakeholders of our great city, to reimagine our urban landscape and to be a leader and role model for other Irish cities to emulate.

“Galway City must now grasp the opportunity that is being presented to it by a coalition of champions drawn from education, business, scientific research, technology, architecture, arts, youth, health and community interests and to follow the lead of national, regional and local governments stretching from Cardiff to Adelaide in supporting this new and inspirational designation,” he continued.

At a recent meeting with local representatives and City Council officials, Mr Smith gathered big-scale developers from London – which has already been designated a National Park City – and other locations who all made the similar point.

“They’re saying that funders want to see sustainability. We want to see development in Galway but we want to see it done sustainably and what these guys are saying – including Martin Gettings who was behind the biggest regeneration project in Europe at Canary Wharf in London – is that the money is now backing green, sustainability and diversity.

“The situation as it is in Galway cannot continue. Every indication is the jobs are going in the direction of green and this is the way the world is moving and we have to be part of that. That Council can’t do it alone; it needs to tap into all sectors and the National Park City gives them an avenue to do that,” said Mr Smith.

Every city must adhere to a set of principles in order to achieve the designation and as a result of the work of volunteers and the over 100 champions signed up to back the project, most have already been achieved. The one glaring omission is the backing of the local authority, Galway City Council.

Those speaking at the event discussed how Covid-19 had changed cities and in order to attract those who had abandoned urban life since working from home became possible, ecologically vibrant spaces with green space and waterways at their core would be the only way to bring them back.

Martin Gettings

Group Director of Sustainability at Canary Wharf Group in London

“The pandemic, for all its ills, has had the effect of galvanising our resilience and heightened our understanding that, when it comes to global challenges, we stand as one. It has stared to reforge our relationship with the built environment.

“People are starting to realise more and more the effects that ‘place’ can have, not only on their own health and wellbeing, but on local and global ecosystems.

“To tackle ‘Sustainable Development Goals’ (SDGs), we need ‘Sustainable Development Action’ and we have aligned our strategy with the SDGs. All of this means that we can now raise green finance based on our existing green portfolio and our future plans. We see the aims of the National Park City as in absolute alignment with this.

“A city with a National Park City status helps create the conditions for places, people and nature to thrive. We truly believe that the collaborative culture that built Canary Wharf is the same that we need to address the climate and biodiversity crises.”

Matthew Weaver

Corporate Investment Manager with Fabrix, London

“Covid has brought into focus the need for healthy workspaces including the introduction or reintroduction of nature into the urban landscape.

“The [London] National Park City Developers’ Forum is helping to have the principles of making the city greener, healthier and wilder happen.

“The National Park City principles were never seen as a hindrance. In fact, the principles have guided us and ensured that our plans have received a high level of support from investors, residents, business and community organisations,”

Michael Henderson

Director of Sustainability, AECOM Europe, an American-owned multi-national engineering firm

“The National Park City movement is not a signal to the world that we are restricting development . . . it provides a framework for providing higher quality development. It is about greener, healthier liveable climate-resilient cities.

“While it may be a challenge to the ‘development community’ as a whole, it is one we need to rise to.”

Emily Hamilton

Head of Environment Protection, Social Responsibility and Corporate Governance at Savills Investment and co-founder of London National Park City Developers’ Forum

“Developers have seen that making a place greener, healthier and wilder can be an incredible catalyst to making places more liveable. ‘Development’ and National Park City principle are very much linked.

“Investors from sustainable investments funds such as pension funds are wanting to invest in greener projects.

“The growing Sustainable Finance Investment landscape is a huge opportunity for Galway through the Galway National Park City to get the best investment for your city.”

Jonathan Maidment

Head of Parks & Harbour Authority, Cardiff Council

“Cardiff Council passed a motion in January to support the development of a National Park City for Cardiff. It has widespread endorsement from all the political parties. Cardiff is one of the greenest cities in the UK and wants to be a carbon neutral city by 2030.

“Community engagement is critical for the Council and the Council sees the National Park Movement as a tool for engaging with a wide range of stakeholders. Council wants to be a facilitator for the movement. The Council is experiencing budget reductions but we don’t feel that we will be hostages to fortune and are committed to building the momentum, the campaign and in achieving the status of National Park City.”

Kathryn Tierney

Former official at the Directorate General Environment of the European Commission and a policy coordinator for the European Green Deal

“Galway National Park City . . . is a movement from the ground up of committed people, volunteers who are engaged in the green transition and it clearly fits into the EU Green Deal because it is really where citizens are trying to create a green deal, a local green deal for Galway. It is direct evidence of citizen engagement.

“If the Galway National Park City was recognised in the Development Plan by Galway City Council, I would feel that it would be a hook to apply for EU funding because it is true recognition and evidence of citizen engagement.”

(Photo: ‘Roots in the Sky’ in Southwark, London, backed by Fabrix investors, exemplifies the type of development attracting funds thanks to the London National Park City designation according to Matthew Weaver, Corporate Investment Manager of the company. The building includes a 1.4-acre roof-top forest with over 100 trees and 10,000 plants).