Greening our cities

Green project at the trainstation Sloterdijk in Amsterdam - 'It has to happen in the city. This is where a relatively large number of people feel the effects of climate warming and where greening has a potentially large impact.' That's the view of urban planner Mendel Giezen on making cities sustainable by bringing back nature. He recommends integrated policy: 'Greening doesn't only help with climate adaption, it also has other effects that can support urban planning policy.' - The energy transition. The energy transition entails the transition from the generation of electricity from fossil fuels such as gas, nuclear power and coal to a sustainable and CO2-neutral energy system. In 2019, 8.7% of all energy used in the Netherlands came from sustainable sources. In 2030, that number must be at 27%, and in 2050 the energy production should be almost entirely sustainable. Mendel Giezen is a university lecturer in sustainable urban development at the University of Amsterdam, where he is conducting research into the energy transition, climate adaption and greening cities.