Opening the second edition of the World Forum on Intermediate Cities, Vice Minister Marina Sereni said “intermediate cities play a crucial role in development, although they are not yet receiving the attention they deserve. But if we want a post-pandemic recovery based on inclusive, resilient, and sustainable development, cities are our front line, particularly small and medium-sized cities.
“In Italy” – she continued – “we have a certain experience in decentralised cooperation, thanks to the contribution of our local administrations. That is why we are convinced that there cannot be any lasting solution to the crises we are facing without the full involvement of local authorities. So it is not by chance that the Italian Presidency of the G20 has identified the need to focus on the territorial development and localisation of the sustainable development goals”.
“All of this” continued Sereni, must constitute “a unique opportunity to take advantage of the contribution that intermediate cities make to truly sustainable development; but concrete action must be taken for it to happen. The first G20 Energy-Climate Ministerial meeting, organised under the Italian Presidency, recognised the strategic importance of cities in achieving national climate policies and accelerating sustainable energy transitions. The ministers then went on to endorse the action plan for smart, resilient, and sustainable cities, which sets out the general guiding principles for voluntary measures to make cities more sustainable. All of that effort” – concluded the Deputy Minister – “will find further confirmation at the end of the month in Rome, at the next summit with the leaders of the G20, when they will give their official support to the launch of a platform dedicated to intermediate cities for the pursuit of development goals.”
