The mayor of València, María José Catalá, highlighted yesterday in a forum with businessmen, unions and leaders of her party the two great strategic objectives of the city for this 2024. The first - common to many other administrations and cities - is the "serious problem of access to housing and that especially affects young people", and, the second, ensuring that the Green Capital that Valencia holds this year can be "a lever for the transformation of the city."
The commitment to give an image of a City Council concerned about sustainability and the environment is evident despite the existence of some contradictions on the issue of mobility and the discourse of its Vox partners.
In fact, this commitment to green allows the PP to mark distances with its obligatory traveling companions who, it must be remembered, that the Vox councilors have already voted against recognizing the public interest of this capital to promote fiscal measures and support for the event. Sources from the PP tell this newspaper that the Executive they preside over is going to focus on the celebration of the Green Capital.
The intention to convey this image to public opinion generates a certain contradiction with the commitment to expand the lanes for private traffic on Colón Street or the announcement to audit some bike lanes. Even the proposal that the EMT lines reach the same pedestrian plaza as the City Hall. "The so-called 2030 politicians are against public transport. Is it coherent to label yourself sustainable when you criticize public transport? It makes no sense," he defended yesterday in response to criticism from the opposition.
Catalá, at the Forum Europa Tribuna Mediterránea, highlighted the objective of "achieving a greener, more sustainable and better cared for city this year." In this sense, he indicated that València is going "to capitalize on the best sustainability practices in the European Union, from energy efficiency, renewable energies and sustainable mobility." Of course, he clarified, "without ideologies and without radicalism."
In this context, Catalá will inaugurate this Thursday, January 11, the opening ceremony of the capital at the Palau de la Música. An event in which national and international experts will participate, as well as representatives from other European green capitals. The extensive program foresees the holding of different panels on, for example, the challenges of Nature and Urban and Metropolitan Biodiversity and Gardening and Sustainable Food or the debate and exchange of experiences on the challenges of Public Space, Mobility and Climate Mission (both planned for the more technical and less political day on Friday).
This Thursday Catalá will also sign the solemn Letter of Intent at the opening ceremony of Valencia European Green Capital 2024. The Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, Diana Morant, will also participate in this event.
