ECO-CITIES FORUM
Oct. 11-12, 2011
Marseille, France
The Ministry of Environment of the Hashemite
Kingdom of Jordan and the United Nations
Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) are
pleased to announce the next
Eco-Cities of the
Mediterranean Forum, to be held under
the framework of the Mediterranean Economic
Week, in Marseille on October 11-12, 2011. http://www.semaine-eco-med.com/en
During the Eco-Cities Kick-off Conference held
in Marseille on December 2010, UNIDO and the
Ministry of Environment of Jordan announced the
second Eco-Cities Forum. The Kick-off
Conference, held from December 2-3, was a
successful event that culminated in the
formalization of the main thematic areas to be
addressed during the 2nd Eco-Cities Forum - the
two thematic areas are
water and
waste management.
The objective
of the 2011 Forum is to bring together
municipalities of the region and the private
sector, as well as non-governmental
organizations and intergovernmental
organizations, to discuss solutions to
environmental challenges, which promote both
economic growth and social responsibility. The
Forum will set a platform for municipalities and
the private sector to exchange experiences on
the most critical environmental issues being
faced in the Mediterranean region and discuss
business opportunities to address the issues,
including environmental services and best
available technologies.
Eco-Cities
are areas where urban planning and environmental
management tools are applied to pursue synergies
in resource utilization and productivity, waste
management, environmental preservation,
industrial and economic development and a
healthy living environment
The Forum will focus on a multi-stakeholder
discussion of the main thematic areas of water
and waste management; however, it will also
hold, in parallel, side events such as workshops
and business-to-business (BtoB), which will
allow for a more in depth discussion of the
topics, as well as face to face meetings amongst
the participants. The Forum will also have an
exhibit area where cities, sponsors and other
partners can showcase their areas of expertise.
The Forum will seek the participation of a wide
array of stakeholders including:
• Mayors and City Managers;
• Relevant Ministries of the region, e.g.
Environment and Industry;
• Private Sector - providers of environmental
service and eco-technologies;
• Non-Government Organizations (NGOs);
• Inter-Governmental Organizations;
• Universities
During the Kick-off Conference participants
illustrated the importance of the challenges
still facing municipalities of the region.
Although water and waste management emerged as
the key topics, other cross-cutting issues such
as energy and financing were also identified.
These will be incorporated into the discussions
in order to assure that the Forum responds to
the most urgent environmental challenges faced
by the region. Several institutions and
organizations have already expressed their
interest and commitment to the forum and they
have been invited to take an active role during
the event.
