Together with partners

Union of the Baltic Cities main working tools are the projects addressing the focus areas of the Action 21 programme. They also have the largest share of the mobilized budget of 10 M€. The projects are carried out through working closely together with partners. Open house approach is actively used in linking with partners.

Other important methods are co-operation and external networking in various forums. UBC is also actively involved in the European policy issues and at the Baltic Sea region through various working groups.

In these processes, the UBC, as a democratic and representative local government organisation, is representing its 100 member cities, i.e. 100 democratically elected local governments. The policies and positions carried out are guided by the UBC Agenda 21 Action Programme 2004-2009 – Roadmap for Sustainable Baltic Cities, as approved by the General Assembly (2003), and updated and evaluated by the EnvCom and the UBC Executive Board.

Policy Processes
Globally, the UBC is co-operating with the Local Authorities of Lake Victoria Region in Africa. This co-operation is part of a large Swedish-lead co-operation initiative and is funded by the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA). The wide partnership between the UBC and the Lake Victoria Region Local Authorities Co-operation (LVRLAC) covers several fields of development of network activities. Similar to UBC, LVRLAC also consists of member cities situated around a shared natural resource. Additionally, since many of the municipalities and local authorities face common environmental, economic and social challenges, there is much to be gained from collaborative efforts and shared experiences. In addition to be involved in LVRLAC´s concrete environmental and sustainable development pilot efforts, like the creating of a pilot environmental demonstration center, UBC EnvCom is involved in the capacity building of LVRLAC as a network organization. This allows LVRLAC not only to gain from the processes that UBC EnvCom uses to mobilize collaborative efforts with local authorities in the Baltic Area, but also allows for direct linkages and information and experience sharing between the Baltic Region and LVR. UBC EnvCom is also creating linkages between LVRLAC and other UBC commissions for expertise in other areas.

The major European level initiative, where we are strongly involved, is the European Sustainable Cities and Towns Campaign. This initiative currently involves over 1.650 European local authorities and ten leading European local government organisations, the UBC being one of these. The UBC President Per Bødker Andersen is representing the UBC at the Political Board of the Campaign, and Head of Secretariat of the UBC Commission on Environment Mr. Björn Grönholm in the Steering Committee.

In the Baltic Sea Region, we are contributing to Baltic 21 (Inter-governmental and multi-stakeholder Agenda 21 for the Baltic Sea Region) by active membership in the coordinating body (Senior Officials Group, SOG) and by being the Responsible Actor for implementing Baltic 21 in cities (Joint Action 4, City co-operation and sustainable development issues in cities and local communities).

Another, as important, political process in the Baltic Sea Region is the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM, Commission for the Protection of the Baltic Sea Marine Ecosystem). In HELCOM, we are representing our members in the Program Implementation Task Force (PITF), as well as in the overall commission with an observer status. In both Baltic 21 and HELCOM, we have also contributed with many projects and other activities.