Zürich Strategies 2025 (PDF, 52 Pages, 2 MB - Stadt Zürich

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Challenges
Today, Zurich is a prosperous city whose qualities are recognised far and wide. Continued
successful development of the City is not a given, however, because of a wide range of
challenges. It is certainly true that global problems such as migration, climate change,
limited natural resources or terrorism must first be addressed at international level, but local
early-warning systems and measures are also necessary in terms of «thinking globally –
acting locally». Every city faces its own specific challenges, which can be tackled only
locally, and dealing with them can uncover opportunities for innovation .
Scenarios for the possible development of the City were first drafted when the strategy
paper of 2007 was being drawn up. These scenarios indicated desirable development
perspectives, as well as those to be avoided, and helped to identify the major challenges for
Zurich.
According to the current level of awareness, Zurich will be primarily faced with the following
challenges in the next few years:
� Changing economic conditions
With tax revenue difficult to calculate in advance, how can an adequate financial budget be
ensured, one that will enable the continued financing of infrastructure, social services,
security and education at today's level of quality ?
� Limited environmental and energy resources, and a shortage of space
How can a sustainable approach to the environment, energy and other limited resources be
found? What challenges are presented by the increased inward densification that will
become increasingly necessary due to lack of space?
� Accentuated competition between cities
How can Zurich survive as a global city in the face of the competition between cities, which
will be accentuated by the increasing globalisation and transnational mobility?
� Demographic change, social trends towards segregation and individualisation,
as well as immigration
How can Zurich guarantee social cohesion in an urban society in terms of an integration of
different social and ethnic groups and the interplay of generations?