

26/11/2024
João Vieira shares vision on energy efficiency at the 2nd Cidade Azul Conference
Original Publication: O Público
Cidade Azul Conference: this Wednesday, health and climate will be discussed in Coimbra
Climate change represents a fundamental threat to human health, making the debate on cities, the challenge of environmental sustainability and health urgent. PÚBLICO, the Coimbra City Council and the University of Coimbra are organising the annual Blue City Conference this Wednesday, at the Convent of São Francisco, this year dedicated to the theme of Climate and Health.
The event will bring together experts in round tables and workshops dedicated to topics such as urban planning, pollution, energy efficiency and approaches of various entities to the nexus between health and climate. The programme can be found on the Blue City Conference website
The morning starts at 9 am, with the opening session led by the director of PÚBLICO, David Pontes, and the mayor of Coimbra, José Manuel Silva. The president of the Portuguese Council for Health and Environment (CPSA), Luís Campos, will speak about The Challenges of the Climate-Health Nexus, followed by a conversation with journalist Ruben Martins, in a live recording of the P24 podcast. The closing session of the conference, at 1 pm, will be led by the Secretary of State for Health, Ana Povo.
The morning will feature three debate panels. At 9:45 am, the conversation The Importance of Heat Refuges in Cities will begin, with the participation of Ana Terra Amorim-Maia (Basque Centre for Climate Change), António Carmo Gouveia (University of Coimbra) and Hélder Lopes (University of Minho). The second panel, Urbanism Challenges in the Face of Climate Change, will bring together Ana Teixeira Mesquita (National Association of Green Roofs), Anabela Ribeiro (University of Coimbra), João Pedro Costa (University of Lisbon) and Paulo Barbosa (European Commission).
At noon, the third panel, The Impossible Pollution to Escape: PFAS, Light, Sound and Microplastics, will begin with Susana Fonseca (Zero) and Paula Sobral (Centre for Marine and Environmental Sciences), followed by a commentary by Isabel Henriques, from the Centre for Functional Ecology at the University of Coimbra.
During the morning, there will also be space to talk about sustainability projects in the city of Coimbra. The Vice-Rector of the University of Coimbra for Heritage, Education and Tourism, Alfredo Dias, will dedicate his speech to the theme of The Campus in the City, while the Councillor for Environment and Sustainability of the Coimbra City Council, Carlos Matias Lopes, will present the GOLL project – Green Olympic Living Lab, developed within the scope of the European programme Sport, People and Planet.
Three workshops are planned for the afternoon: How to Transform Our Home for Energy Efficiency?, led by architect João Vieira, Eco-anxiety, moderated by psychologist Teresa Pereira, and A Garden Anywhere: Is Permaculture Possible in the City?, led by André Maciel, from the HortasLX community.