What we do
GOJA Consulting has carried out a wide range of projects for different contracting organisations. Below is an overview of our main activities. Our expertise is in fact much wider. Read the activities on the page "who we are" and be inspired.
Peer Review / Deep Dive
A significant strand of our work involves peer review processes with cities, towns and regions throughout the European Union.
GOJA Consulting offers intensive peer review processes where a group of cities assess their own policies as a team. GOJA Consulting has developed a methodology for small scale reviews, ("deep dives") with smaller teams and shorter visits, in cases where the review theme is clearly defined.Read more
A new product of GOJA Consulting is the review of individual cities undertaken by an external team of experts. No other partnership with other cities is needed; GOJA consulting proposes a team of renowned and experienced experts from European cities, who will assess the city
- GOJA Consulting is using the Peer Review method, which we helped to develop as part of the LIFE funded PRESUD project which focussed on the development of a Peer Review method for sustainable development of cities.
- For the "EcoCities Network in South East Asia" the Peer Review methodology has been adapted to an Peer Support Methodology and is in 2013 and 2014 being implemented in Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and China.
- The IEE funded CASCADE project has asked GOJA to implement the Deep Dive methodology in the first round of the project. Six cities have been visited and analysed with support of the GOJA Peer Review.
- In 2011 and 2012 we have been contracted to support the PLUS project (Public Lighting Strategies for Sustainable Urban Spaces) in developing a PLUS Deep Dive Method. We have trained the experts from the 10 partner cities and supported all Deep Dive visits. GOJA has written the Mainstream Guide of the PLUS project. (See publications.)
- The base line study for the CASH-project
- In close cooperation with
- In 2009 GOJA Consulting introduced the concept of Peer Review at a dedicated seminar for Indian cities in the India Habitat Center in New Delhi, India in 2009.
For more information on our Peer Review or Deep Dive offers, feel free to contact us.
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Sustainable Development in practice
Sustainable Development is not an easy concept. At the best it is interpreted as a compromise between economic, social and environmental interests. Because the "next generation" is far ahead and its needs are mostly unknown, some cities tend to make midterm plans, and avoid necessary choices.
We have developed a method where the characteristics of Sustainable Development play a crucial role. The more a policy or a project has the same characteristics as Sustainable Development, the more this policy or project contributes to a sustainable city. The method (Sustainability Values/Principles) prevents semantic discussions that often can block practical action.
Sustainability Values were used to develop the Environmental Vision of the City of Vienna. Sustainability Principles are being used as a reference framework for EcoCity Zenata in Morocco. In 2016 the innovative methodology with the Six Principles was HQE-awarded (Haute Qualité Environnementale) as model for EcoCity-development. Zenata was granted with the EcoCity label.
Values and Principles can be used for strategy development, but also for assessment of small and big projects.Read more
Sustainability Values were used to develop the Environmental Vision of the City of Vienna. They can be used for strategy development, but also for assessment of small and big projects. Jan Dictus was leading the project for the Environmental Vision of the City of Vienna, 2006
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Conference support
GOJA Consulting have a proven record of expert support for international conferences and seminars. We can help in focussing the subject and theme of your conference. We can supply you with up-to-date background information (state-of-the-art report). And we can help you find the right international expert speakers. Naturally we can also supply moderation and reporting of the event.Read more
GOJA supports the exchange between cities, organisations, governments, etc. We have acted as or supplied Moderators, Chairs and Key-note speakers at many international seminars and conferences. Below is a list of activities we have executed in this field:
- Jan Dictus has chaired many international seminars and conferences; examples are: most of the international seminars Held in the Framework of the CASH Project; as well as comoderated the final conference in Brussles in 2012; the international Meeting in Brussels of "Cities for a Nuclear Free Europe" and "Nuclear Free Local Authorities"; the CITEAIR II workshop in Ljubljana Slovenia, from 1-2 June 2010, etc.
Jan has organised and moderated the UNIDO side event at the Future Cities Conference in Kitakyushu, Japan, in October 2013. - Jan has moderated the first three meeting of the European Green Capital Network in 2014. GOJA has for Copenhagen organised this network of former and short-listed European Green Capital Cities.
- GOJA coordinates the network activities of Cities for a Nuclear Free Europe, and is leading in "EcoCities Network in South East Asia".
- GOJA Consulting has co-organized the Forum: Developing Sustainable Urban and Human Settlement Construction, Wujin, China, July 2010, including supplying 3 key-speakers for this international conference.
- The City of Vienna has contracted us to act as Technical Chair of EUROCITIES Environment Forum in 2009 and 2010.
- On behalf of UNIDO, and working closely with the Government of Jordan and with USAID, we co-organized the International Forum “Eco Cities of the Mediterranean“ 19 - 21 October 2008, Jordan. We researched and wrote the Background paper for the conference “Environmental challenges and policy for urban areas in Middle East and Northern Africa”. We identified and organized 6 international speakers for the conference, and helped to produce the final conference report.
- For the UNIDO Forum: Cleaner Technologies for Economic Development, 2-4 February 2009 Manama. Bahrain GOJA Consulting wrote the background paper “Green investment as an environmental and development challenge”.
- For the Arab Round Table “Investing in Green Business” at the UNIDO General Conference 9 December 2009, Vienna, GOJA Consulting wrote the background paper “Financial tools for Green investments in the Arab Region”, and made a key note presentation at the UNIDO General Conference.
For more information on our “Conference Support” offers, feel free to contact us.
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