Songpa district in South Korea awarded the Globe Sustainable City Award 2011

The Award

The Globe Sustainable City Award is now presented for the third year. The aim of the City Award is to underline cities and municipalities, which excel in sustainable, urban development, and to set a positive example for others. The general mission of the Globe Sustainability Awards is to highlight and acknowledge particular cases and initiatives within the sustainability area.

The competition was strong and the runners-up were such remarkable communities, as: Araçuaí in Brazil, Murcia in Spain, São Paulo in Brazil, and Tampere in Finland. “Strong passion for a more sustainable city in combination with high level of innovation of building effective processes between stakeholders is the backbone of the application from Songpa", says jury group Chairman Jan Sturesson.

The Jury's motivation

"Songpa is an Asian City with a 2000 year long history, as well as recent history of Sport Olympics in 1988, now being a regeneration front runner and pioneering with implementation of many proven initiatives for Innovation for Sustainability, verified by significant metrics, leading to the branding of a Sustainable Eco City. The driving thrust with among others the environmental governance by the Green Songpa Committee with many demonstrated results as Eco Technology, Eco leaders, with the impressive Solar Power plants will justifiably qualify Songpa for the Globe Award. Furthermore here is a summarizing Values Quote from its application: A modern City is not designed simply to facilitate convenience of human life, but to allow people of every group to mingle harmoniously with each other in order to work hard to preserve the environment for the next generations…"

The Jury

The jury for the Globe Sustainable City Award consists of highly experienced and internationally recognized experts. The overall chairman of all four jury groups is Lars-Olle Larsson, Partner at PwC Sweden.

Jan Sturesson – Chairman of the jury, Partner at PwC and Global Leader of Government and Public Service, Sweden member of World Economic Forum global agenda council of Urbanization.
Carlos Arruda – PhD, Chairman of the Unicon, Director of the International Relations and coordinator of the Innovation Center Fundação Dom Cabral (FDC), Brazil
Lawrence Bloom – Deputy Chairman of Noble Cities Plc., Former Chair and Current Member of the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on Urban Management, Chairman of the UN Environmental Programme, Green Economy Initiative, sector on Green Cities, Buildings and Transport. and the UK Chair of the Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Organisation
Marilyn Hamilton – PhD, CGA is the founder of Integral City Meshworks Inc. and TDG Global Learning Connections, Canada
C. S. Kiang – professor, Chairman of Peking University Environment Fund, China Leif Edvinsson – Adjunct Professor of Intellectual Capital at Lund University, Sweden Hazem Galal – Globe Award Ambassador, Partner at PwC, Brazil

About Songpa

Songpa has been effectively pursuing the Green Policy with the aim of making their comprehensive environmental vision happen. Trying to become Sustainable Low Carbon & Green Growth Leading City, Songpa has been taking many initiatives, such as: Green Energy, Ecological Urban Environment, recycling of resources, etc. Level of implemented innovations is remarkable as well as short- and long-terms objectives which have been fulfilled by the authorities for years. By engaging the residents in implementing the innovative programs and raising public awareness about the environment and fulfilling green governance Songpa has been creating a multi-dimensional sustainable city.

www.songpa.go.kr