The Reference Framework for European Sustainable Cities (RFSC) is an online toolkit designed to help cities promote and enhance their work on integrated sustainable urban development. It is available free of charge to all European local authorities and offers practical support in integrating sustainability principles into local policies and actions. Find out more at www.rfsc.eu Click through this general presentation to find out what RFSC is, how it was developed and what can you expect from it!

1. Getting started with the RFSCGetting started with the RFSC
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2. The Reference Framework for Sustainable Cities
2Information provided by

3. What is the RFSC?
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What is the RFSC?

4. A toolkit for cities
• an interactive web-tool
• facilitating the dialogue about sustainable
and integrated urban development
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– within cities
– between cities
– with local stakeholders
– across sectors
– at different political levels (local, regional, national,
European)
– within different levels of governance

5. The content of the tool
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The content of the tool

6. Three main sections of RFSC
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7. Your city/institution profile
− describe your city
− add documents, photos
etc
− you can use existing
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− you can use existing
documents
− choose what is useful for
other cities to stimulate
exchange and learning

8. Networking/sharing experiences
- Search engine to find other
cities to start sharing and
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learning with
- Directory of cities and
institutions
- Catalogue of showcases

9. Three evaluation tools
1. check list tool to help
developing a sustainable
strategy
2. qualitative evaluation tool to
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2. qualitative evaluation tool to
assess the integrated approach
3. a quantitative evaluation tool
with a library of indicators
Choose what suits your needs!

10. 3 main tools
Checklist to develop a sustainable urban
development strategy
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Check whether a strategy or project is
developed in an integrated manner
Build a monitoring system to evaluate a
strategy or project

11. The “core” of the 3 tools
25 objectives on sustainable urban development
• covering European objectives and principles
• inspired by practices in some 200 European cities
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• inspired by practices in some 200 European cities
• grouped by the 4 pillars of sustainability
– economy
– social affairs
– environment
– governance
• each objective specified with sub-objectives to go into
details and to stimulate further debate

12. Tool 1: Develop strategy or project
Helps to develop a sustainable urban development strategy
with a checklist
… in line with:
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… in line with:
− the city’s own priorities
− European objectives and
principles
− general and detailed
objectives

13. Tool 2: Check the integrated approach
Helps to check the integrated approach of an urban strategy
or project
−by checklist of questions
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−by checklist of questions
− based on a vision of a European
sustainable city
− stimulate discussions
− positive or negative impacts?
− conflicts or synergies in objectives?
− visualise the results

14. Tool 3: Build a monitor system
Helps to monitor the progress over time
Including:
– 33 recommended key indicators
(e.g. EU 2020)
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(e.g. EU 2020)
– some targeted values
– a broad collection of other useful
indicators
– possibility to add own indicators
– a spreadsheet to build own
monitoring systems

15. The functionalities of the RFSC
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The functionalities of the RFSC

16. Evaluating, checking and monitoring
All kind of urban and regional (integrated) strategies
– E.g. urban and spatial planning, integrated city plan, municipal plan
of sustainable development, strategic development plan, integrated
city development plan
– Also with a focus on strategies in deprived neighbourhoods (if
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– Also with a focus on strategies in deprived neighbourhoods (if
needed)
All kind of urban and regional projects
– E.g. develop/evaluate/update Agenda 21, development of Eco-
district, plans of urban regeneration/redevelopment, revitalisation
of urban streets/areas, environmental action plan, bicycle project,
development of technology centre, et cetera
– Also with a focus on project in deprived neighbourhoods

17. What are the benefits of the RFSC?
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What are the benefits of the RFSC?

18. Better communication
• about sustainable and integrated strategies and projects
• amongst and between different groups
– technical departments in the city administration
– elected representatives
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– elected representatives
– planners, practitioners and experts
– citizens and stakeholders
– at different political and multi governance levels (local, regional,
national, European)
• through illustrating and explaining decision-making processes
– compare the impact and results for different alternatives
– improve coordination
– give reasons for the choices taken

19. Better results
• making urban strategies and projects more sustainable
• fostering integrated thinking and actions
– raising awareness about potential synergies
– warning about possible gaps and conflicts
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– warning about possible gaps and conflicts
– creating cost-savings in the long run
• assessing progress over time
– identifying the potential need for adjustments
• building capacity in urban management
– learning step-by-step with a strong focus on the process
– finding useful examples and show cases from other cities
– exchanging with peer-cities and learning from each other

20. Background of RFSC
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Background of RFSC

21. Background and political context
Decisions of EU Ministers for urban development
• Leipzig Charter on Sustainable European Cities (2007)
– Promote the integrated approach
– Pay special attention to deprived neighbourhoods
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– Pay special attention to deprived neighbourhoods
• Marseille Statement (2008)
– Create a tool for cities to implement the Leipzig Charter
– France initiated the “Reference Framework”
• Toledo Declaration (2010)
– Prototype of the RFSC
– Test the RFSC with a larger group of cities (66)
• Poznan (2011)
– Improve and then diffuse among European cities

22. A joint European initiative
• Cities and local authorities networks (CEMR, Eurocities, ICLEI)
• Member States of the EU
• European Commission (DG REGIO)
• Multi-level working structure
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Multi-level working structure
– Urban Development Group (political monitoring committee)
– Member States and Institutions group (MSI group)
– National Support Groups
– Management Team (joint leadership: France, DG REGIO, trio presidencies)
• Expertise and support
– CSTB (technical expert, webmaster)
– National Support Groups
– Platform31, ICLEI and CEMR (RFSC secretariat, information, training)

23. A common European platform
No evaluation or judgement of cities
but critical self-assessment of cities and conscious decision-
making
No standardisation of urban development
but creating a space for debate
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but creating a space for debate
adaptable to the national context and the local situation
No measuring or ranking of cities
but comparing different approaches and results
No obligation for cities, no precondition for funding
but cities contributing to common European objectives
No fees for cities, no financial support
but e-learning, exchanging and capacity building

24. How to start using the RFSC?
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How to start using the RFSC?

25. Contact secretariat info@rfsc.eu
Access to RFSC and
RFSC-secretariat
rfsc.eu
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As visitor
• easy to explore the RFSC
• all tools and user guides available
• no sharing and networking
• no safeguard of work
As RFSC city
• sharing, networking and learning
• all your strategies and projects later
available for further developing/checking
• all kind of support of RFSC-secretariat