The actions of this project, comprised of European cities committed to environmental conservation, are based on five pillars: water, air, noise, green spaces and waste management.
The Departments of Open Government, Economic Promotion and Employment, and Urban Planning, Orchards and Environment of the Murcia City Council are calling on technology centers, official colleges, university research groups, associations and business groups to collect their contributions.
Murcia has been selected to participate in this initiative funded by the European Commission, along with the cities of Cieza (Spain), Arezzo (Italy), Helsingborg (Sweden), and Vilnius (Lithuania).
Murcia City Council convened this Tuesday the first local action group to improve environmental indicators in the municipality of Murcia. This initiative is part of the European GreenMe5 project, funded by the European Commission within the Life+ framework program with a budget of €209.786,98 from European Union funds. The project seeks to improve urban environments through actions focused on five pillars: water, air, noise, green spaces, and waste management.
To this end, the Councilors for Open Government, Economic Promotion and Employment and for Urban Planning, Orchards and Environment, Mercedes Bernabé and Antonio Navarro, respectively, held an initial meeting with the entities that will collaborate with the City Council and are part of this local action group, which includes technology centers, public colleges, university research groups, associations, and business groups. The members of this group will provide input and proposals on the actions to be undertaken, actions that will seek to improve environmental standards, achieving more appropriate indicators to enhance citizens' quality of life.
Five European cities have been selected for the GreenMe5 project. Along with Murcia, Cieza (Spain), Arezzo (Italy), Helsingborg (Sweden), and Vilnius (Lithuania) are also involved. Coordinated in Spain through the Federation of Municipalities of the Region of Murcia, the project will also include the following cities: Cieza (Spain), Arezzo (Italy), Helsingborg (Sweden), and Vilnius (Lithuania).
In February 2021, Murcia joined the Green City Accord, a movement made up of European cities committed to environmental conservation, becoming one of the first to do so. To this end, it pledged to take action across the five pillars mentioned above with the goal of improving environmental indicators.
Mercedes Bernabé explains that "Murcia is a city that looks to Europe, always working on different initiatives and keeping up with new European trends. Just as Murcia looks to Europe, Europe looks to Murcia. In this sense, we are working on the GreenMe5 project to improve the implementation of the Green City Accord in the municipality of Murcia."
"GreenMe5 enables the integration of municipal services and this local action group to improve urban environmental indicators, with the collaboration of the other European cities participating in the project and encouraging citizens to get involved and participate in municipal environmental issues," insists the Councilor for Open Government, Economic Promotion, and Employment.
During the meeting with members of the local action group, Councillor Antonio Navarro emphasized the importance of their direct collaboration as support agents in improving these five environmental pillars, while also inviting them to share their ideas for improvement and suggestions. He also announced that a suggestion box has been created on the project website for submitting proposals ( https://www.estrategiamurcia.es/greenme5/ ).
Ongoing projects
Murcia City Council is already working on the five areas outlined in the European GreenMe5 project (water, air, noise, green spaces, and waste management), with initiatives that have already begun and others that are about to begin.
– In water , Murcia is a prime example, as 98% of wastewater is reused and work is also underway on various European projects to obtain nutrients from wastewater, such as nitrogen and phosphorus for agriculture.
– Regarding air quality , the Municipal Aerobiology Network has been launched, consisting of 13 stations that measure air quality and pollen levels. The stations have been strategically located both in the city center and in the outlying districts, allowing for a more accurate assessment of air quality across the municipality of Murcia by expanding the measurement area to several zones. These sensors enable real-time air quality measurements and monitoring from the CEUS (Center for Environmental and Environmental Studies).
– Regarding noise , the City Council is working on updating the Noise Map of the Municipality of Murcia, a new version that will allow us to understand the noise stress in neighborhoods and districts in order to design an intervention strategy to reduce noise levels in those areas where the measurements are highest.
– In green spaces , the city of Murcia is making great strides, creating more pleasant environments designed for its citizens. Notable projects include Murcia Río, which has revitalized the banks of the Segura River within its urban area; the green belt to be built in the urban space freed up by the undergrounding of the railway tracks; the Southern Coastal Greenway; the Alfonso X El Sabio Promenade; and the Western Green Corridor, whose construction has just begun and which will connect Murcia Río with the large central green space of Salitre, La Seda, and El Rocío.
Finally, in waste management, efforts will focus on reducing food waste through the circular economy, with pilot projects in schools in the municipality of Murcia. These projects will involve awareness-raising activities to help children develop good habits and understand the need to reduce food waste. Bernabé emphasizes that “this initiative is part of the Circular Economy Strategy of the Municipality of Murcia, launched in 2019 by Mayor Ballesta's administration.”