Göteborg, Göteborg (FUA), Sweden
City population: 939291
Duration: 2013 – 2021
Implementation status: Ongoing
Scale: Meso-scale: Regional, metropolitan and urban level
Project area: unknown
Type of area: Public Greenspace Area, Central Business District / City Centre
Last updated: October 2021

2017 Green and Grand City is part of Göteborg's 400th anniversary (in 2021), and plans are developed up to the anniversary on a yearly basis. In 2017, the focus was on a greener and grander Göteborg. The vision for 2021 includes three themes, water, building bridges (reduces divides between people) and open spaces. The anniversary efforts build on three elements of sustainability; social, ecological and economic. (Ref. 1)

Green and Grand City (2017)
Green and Grand City (2017)
Photographer: Markus Holm (Amplifyphoto), retrieved 08/24/2018 from Johan De Paoli

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Grey infrastructure featuring greens
  • Alley or street trees and other street vegetation
  • Parks and urban forests
  • Large urban parks or forests
  • Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces
  • Community gardens and allotments
  • Allotments
  • Community gardens

Key challenges

  • Water management (SDG 6)
  • Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Environmental quality
  • Air quality improvement
  • Regeneration, land-use and urban development
  • Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
  • Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
  • Inclusive governance
  • Effective management
  • Health and well-being (SDG 3)
  • Creation of opportunities for recreation
  • Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
  • Economic development: service sectors
  • Tourism support
  • Real estate development
  • Employment/job creation
  • Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
  • Preservation of natural heritage
  • Promotion of cultural diversity

Focus

Creation of new green areas, Creation of semi-natural blue areas, Maintenance and management of urban nature

Project objectives

Five goals are set for Göteborg 2021, these are: 1. To make an international impression 2. To be a bold model for sustainable growth 3. To develop Göteborg and the surrounding region 4. To involve the whole city in the celebrations by inviting ongoing open consultation with everyone 5. To strengthen the image of Gothenburg. 6. To find new and creative surface water solutions that can be integrated into the city. (Ref. 1) Within these goals are the objectives for 2017 Green & Grand City, which are based on social, ecological and economic sustainability with initiatives on health, lifestyle, food and safety. All city districts are involved, and activities aim to make the city greener and grander. (Ref. 3)

Implementation activities

During the collection of ideas for Gothenburg's 400th anniversary, there was a strong recurring desire to have more green spaces in more places around the city. This has been the basis for the focus year 2017. Everything from urban cultivation, green experiences and upgrading of parks to increased climate knowledge, biodiversity and expanded nature trails received extra attention in 2017. Among many initiatives, some are making a more visible mark on the city, such as the Jubilee Park, the cable car across the river and BoStad21, while others, such as the anniversary camp (Side by Side by El Sistema), Gothenburg Tales and Democracy and Young Influence, are contributing more through their social impact. (Ref. 1) Slottsskogen was restored, more urban farming areas were established (such as the Jubilee Park, mentioned above), and existing and new green areas/oases were developed to create more natural meeting places where everyone can feel welcome. (Ref. 3) Also, in parallel with ongoing and planned urban development and infrastructure projects, Göteborg 2021 aimed at creating a package for the anniversary year that will help meet the city’s goals. (Ref. 1)

Main beneficiaries

  • Local government/Municipality
  • Citizens or community groups

Governance

Management set-up

  • Co-governance with government and non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

  • Local government/municipality

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
  • Taskforce groups

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

“The anniversary preparations and collaboration in the city use existing structures and groups, such as the forum for managers of administrations and companies, the city district sectors and the communication network. New forms of collaboration have also been developed. In addition to their project teams, several of the anniversary initiatives also have steering committees to ensure they stay on the right track and to ensure sustainable solutions, collaboration and sound finances. Even the focus year 2017 for a ‘Green and Grand City’ has a steering committee, with representatives from the Parks and Landscape Administration, the Environmental Administration and Göteborg & Co.” (Ref. 1)

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Yes (The 2017 anniversary plan for Göteborg 2021 mentions that the EU project BEGIN (Blue Green Infrastructure through Social Innovation) is also being set up in 2017 (with regards to the aim to arrive at new and creative surface water solutions that can be integrated into the city). (Ref. 1))
... a national policy or strategy? Unknown
... a local policy or strategy? Yes (E.g. the Jubilee Park is a project, and included also as a project/part of the vision for urban development in Göteborg, where the city will grow by around one third until the year 2035. (Ref. 4, 5))

Financing

Total cost

€10,000 - €50,000

Source(s) of funding

  • Public local authority budget
  • Corporate investment

Type of funding

  • Earmarked public budget

Non-financial contribution

Unknown

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Environmental quality
  • Improved air quality
  • Water management and blue areas
  • Improved stormwater management
  • Green space and habitat
  • Increased green space area
  • Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
  • Increased number of species present
  • Increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales

Economic impacts

  • Increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
  • More sustainable tourism
  • Attraction of business and investment

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Social justice and cohesion
  • Improved access to urban green space
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Gain in activities for recreation and exercise

Type of reported impacts

Expected impacts

Presence of formal monitoring system

Yes

Presence of indicators used in reporting

Yes

Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports

Yes

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

No

References

Ref. 1. Göteborg & Co (n.d.) Together for an even better city - anniversary plan 2017. Göteborg 1621-2021. Göteborgs Stad. Retrieved from Source link on 13th November, 2020.
Ref. 2. Göteborg & Co (n.d.) Om Göteborg & CO. Göteborgs Stad. Retrieved from Source link on 13th November, 2020.
Ref. 3. Göteborg 2021 (2017) DAGS FÖR GRÖN OCH SKÖN STAD 2017. Göteborg & Co. Retrieved from Source link on 13th November, 2020.
Ref. 4. Göteborgs Stad (n.d.) BLUEWAYS, GREENWAYS AND OASES. Retrieved from Source link on 13th November, 2020.
Ref. 5. Göteborgs Stad (n.d.) Jubileumsparken. Stadsutveckling. Retrieved from Source link on 13th November, 2020.
Ref. 6. Göteborgs Stad (2017) Inriktning och budget 2017. Trygg, vacker stad, Park- och naturförvaltningen, Stadsbyggnadskontoret, Trafikkontoret. Retrieved from Source link on 13th November, 2020.
Ref. 7. Göteborg & Co (2017) Utvecklad jubileumsplan 2017-2018 med sikte på 2021 och budgetunderlag. Utkast. Tillsammans för en ännu bättre stad. Göteborgs stad. Retrieved from Source link on 13th November, 2020.
Green and Grand City (2014)
Green and Grand City (2014)
Photographer: Beatrice Törnros ([email protected]), retrieved 08/24/2018 from Johan De Paoli
Grön Skön 2017
Göteborg 2021
https://www.goteborg2021.com/aktuellt/dags-gron-och-skon-stad-2017/