Ghent Climate Forum joins forces
The Climate Forum is an initiative of organisations, companies and institutions that aims to speed up the fight against the climate crisis.
The Ghent Climate Forum is a new initiative of Ghent-based organisations, companies and educational institutions that aims to speed up the fight against the climate crisis in the Ghent region. The Forum joins forces - in cooperation with the City of Ghent - around various themes, such as ‘energy poverty’ and ‘pavement removal’.
Climate Forum for more efficient cooperation
There are many initiatives centred around the climate in Ghent. Hundreds of companies and organisations are currently doing their part. That broad involvement is one of the strong points of the Ghent Climate Policy.
The Ghent Climate Forum was set up to cooperate even more efficiently, to exchange knowledge and to bring initiators in contact with each other. The City of Ghent supports the Ghent Climate Form by means of a cooperation agreement and a start-up grant. Ghent University will coordinate the project in the first year, until the Climate Forum can stand on its own feet.
From pavement removal to a debate with ArcelorMittal
The Ghent Climate Forum will work on concrete experiments and partnerships between motivated citizens, companies, civil society groups, knowledge institutions and city services through so-called climate tables.
The Ghent Climate Forum will start up new actions. Some of those actions are planned for this year: in autumn the Ghent ‘Koerknallen’ Championship will be organised, to motivate neighbourhoods to remove pavement in their back yards. There will also be a debate with ArcelorMittal, a company that is responsible for a lot of emissions, but also contributes to employment in Ghent.
Involve everyone
The forum builds on previous, positive colloborations in the city. A few years ago, during the so-called transition arenas, many concrete projects (Transitie UGent, Greentrack, De Nieuwe Dokken or Buurzame Stroom) were developed that are still having an impact today. The free ‘Gent aan Zee’ climate festival also brings together many partners and initiatives, on the one hand to inspire Ghent citizens, and on the other hand to stimulate cross-pollinations and collaborations.
This is the Ghent Climate Forum
The Ghent Climate Forum is still in its infancy. Many organisations are currently already on board: Ghent University, ABVV-Gent-Eeklo, Beweging.net, Gents MilieuFront, VDK, Natuurpunt, VOEM (Association for Development and Emancipation of Muslims), VOKA-Oost-Vlaanderen, City of Ghent, North Sea Port, Beweging van mensen met een laag inkomen en kinderen (Movement of people on low incomes and children), UNIZO, the Ghent energy cooperative Energent, Gents Kunstenoverleg/Greentrack Gent (with Vooruit, Handelsbeurs, Design Museum and SMAK).