Cities keep growing. According to the UN, it is estimated that about half of the world's population currently lives in urban areas. And these figures are expected to increase, reaching 70% in 2050. This increase in the proportion of people living in urban areas worldwide requires us to rethink the way cities work, not only in order to accommodate these people, but to do so in the most effective and sustainable way possible - for the sake of people, cities, and the planet. Now or Never.
Find out more about Sustainable Cities.
Curiosity
Did you know that according to the UN, cities occupy just 3% of the Earth's land but account for 60 to 80% of energy consumption and 70% of greenhouse gas emissions?
Now or Never
A podcast that discusses the present and seeks solutions for a more sustainable future
Catarina Barreiros
Graduated with a major in Architecture and with a master's degree in Management, she was a fashion stylist and worked in Digital Marketing, in a luxury product company, and in a pharmaceutical company. The documentary Cowspiracy and a conference on Zero Waste generated the first concerns with sustainability. She created the blog Do Zero and today seeks to live with the minimal ecological footprint possible.
José Manuel Viegas
Graduated in Civil Engineering from Instituto Superior Técnico, where he taught for more than 20 years. He was the National Director of the MIT-Portugal program's Transport Systems Area, Secretary-General of the OECD International Transport Forum, and founder/CEO of TIS. He has been the Chairman of the EDP Environment and Sustainability Board since 2018.
Paulo Líbano Monteiro
Graduated in Electrical Engineering from Instituto Superior Técnico, he was a researcher at INESC for almost a decade. He was the Director of CASE and Portabil, and ten years ago he joined EDP, where he was involved in INOVGRID, among other projects. At the beginning of 2021 he took on the position of Director for Innovation and Technology at E-REDES.
Generation Zero
A web series that highlights Portuguese families with inspirational sustainable practices
To Catarina and Rodolfo, driving a car is the last resort. They always ride their bikes, on a daily basis, be it for leisure trips or for their everyday needs. And riding a bike has led this couple to think about what the future of cities could and should be - in particular Lisbon, where they live. In fact, this desire to celebrate communal life has led Rodolfo, an architect, and Catarina, a photographer and film director, to apply for a plot at one of Lisbon City Hall's community gardens. It is in that roughly 100-square-meter area that they plant and harvest the most seasonal vegetables. When the harvest is bountiful, they barter with friends and other “farmers,” something which has changed their relationship with food but has also made them feel that they are part of a generation which is changing the face of our cities. Get inspired by this couple and join them in making our cities more sustainable spaces.