National Association of Metropolitan Mayors Delegation Visits Austria to Inspect Daily Life Facilities
Exploring Ways to Transform Unpopular Facilities into Expected Ones, Considering Application to Local Policies such as Incineration Plants
Pohang Mayor Lee Kangdeok visited Vienna, the capital of Austria, from the 27th to the 28th together with members of the National Association of Mayors of Major Cities, to explore ways to resolve social conflicts and improve public acceptance by examining facilities closely linked to daily life.
On the 27th, Lee Gangdeok, mayor of Pohang, along with a delegation of mayors from the National Council of Large Cities, visited the Spittelau Energy Center in Austria to learn about cases of overcoming local opposition when constructing waste incineration plants.
On the 27th, the group visited the Spittelau Energy Center, one of Austria’s most famous tourist attractions with 600,000 annual visitors, and listened to a case study on how public opposition was overcome during the construction of a waste incineration plant, typically considered a “not-in-my-backyard” facility.
The Spittelau Energy Center, which has become a local landmark by combining the artistic inspiration of renowned Austrian architect Hundertwasser with eco-friendly construction methods, is a successful example of transforming a waste incineration plant into a work of art. It now attracts many tourists and government officials alike.
After touring the Spittelau incineration plant, Mayor Lee Kangdeok said, “Seeing so many citizens and tourists visiting a facility located in the heart of the city, despite its name as a waste incineration plant, has inspired me to incorporate even more ideas into Pohang to make essential urban facilities both attractive and safe.”
On the 28th, the mayors visited the Waste2Value pilot plant, which produces eco-friendly upcycled products from residual waste as part of decarbonization policies. They examined the pre-treatment process that turns waste materials into eco-friendly fuel, and considered ways to integrate this fuel into public transportation.
Prior to this, on the 22nd, Mayor Lee Kangdeok, along with Pohang City Council Chairman Baek Ingyu and other members of the Pohang delegation visiting Europe, toured CopenHill, a waste incineration plant located in the center of Copenhagen, Denmark.
CopenHill is a world-renowned architectural landmark that serves not only as an incineration plant but also as a recreational space for the city. It features facilities such as a grass ski slope and a climbing wall, making it a popular destination for both locals and tourists.
On the 28th, a delegation of mayors from the National Association of Large Cities visited the pilot plant Waste2Value in Austria, which produces eco-friendly upcycled products from residual waste.
Mayor Lee Kangdeok stated, “From advanced examples of essential urban facilities that are often considered undesirable, we saw how trust in technology enabled these facilities to be located in city centers and transformed into local tourism resources without public opposition. Pohang’s Memorial Park, Eco Village, and Green Bio Park projects will also be developed as exemplary cases that go beyond their original roles to enhance citizens’ quality of life and transform the city’s image.”
The National Association of Mayors of Major Cities was first established in 2003 and was officially registered as an administrative council in 2017 under the Local Autonomy Act. Membership is open to cities with a population of 500,000 or more, and currently 18 cities nationwide are members.
This visit included Mayor Lee Kangdeok, Lee Sangil (Yongin Mayor and chairman of the association), Shin Sangjin (Seongnam Mayor), Lee Donghwan (Goyang Mayor), Joo Gwangdeok (Namyangju Mayor), and Kim Byungsoo (Gimpo Mayor).
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