Building Urban Resilience and Green Cities CDIA

Transcription

1 Asia-Pacific in the Era of Climate Change Building Urban Resilience and Green Cities CDIA Concept Note December 2011 CDIA Cities Development Initiative for Asia

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. BACKGROUND... 1 II. KEY TOPICS EMERGING IN ASIA PACIFIC... 2 III. CDIA S CLIMATE CHANGE FOCUS... 3 IV. INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS... 4 V. WAY FORWARD: TOWARDS AN INTEGRATED APPROACH FOR CLIMATE CHANGE... 7 I. BACKGROUND Two overarching phenomena progressively inform Asia s development trajectory in the 21st century, namely rapid urbanization and climate change. Climate change has become a global reality and is now being regarded as one of the world s top challenges while its impact is being felt in all countries around the globe, though with different impacts and on different scales. The Asia Pacific region stands to be one of the most affected by climate change. While the region s urban population is growing faster than ever before, climate change will have a significant impact on the future development of Asia s cities. 1 Asia s urban growth takes place at an unprecedented pace. Every year, around 41 million people are being added to the population of Asian cities and towns, continuously diminishing the number of people living in rural areas. According to the United Nations, Asia currently accounts for 60% of the world s population, 46% of it being urban citizens. By 2020, 2.2 billion people or 52% of Asia s population will live in urban areas. The increase in Asia s urban population in the current decade will amount to 60% of the world s urban population growth. 2 The region s rapid urban growth is closely linked to the increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that is considered as being the major driver for global warming and climate change. Occupying only 2% of the earth s surface, cities consume 75% of the planet s resources and currently generate around 70% of GHG in sectors such as industry, transport, housing and waste. Over the next two decades, Asian cities are likely to account for more than 50% of the rise in GHG emissions, increasing to 76% of the world s GHG emissions by Cities not only produce a large share of global GHG emissions, but also severely experience the adverse effects of climate change. Negative consequences include, among others, landslides, increasing temperatures and rising sea levels. The latter particularly threaten more than 50% of urban residents in Asia living in low lying costal zones or flood plains especially in countries like India, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Indonesia, the Philippines and the islands of the Pacific. 4 This includes many of Asia s largest cities, like Bangkok in Thailand, Chennai in India, Dhaka in Bangladesh, Jakarta in Indonesia, Manila in the Philippines and numerous medium sized cities that are located on or near the shore across Asia Pacific. 5 Extreme weather events such as storms and associated flooding highly affect the poor population living in informal or poor quality settlements. 1 UN Population Division (2010): World Urbanization Prospects The 2009 Revision. 2 UN HABITAT (2010): The State of Asian Cities 2010/11. 3 Giant Footprints and IEA (2008): World Energy Outlook. 4 UN HABITAT (2010): The State of Asian Cities 2010/11. 5 Asian Development Bank (2011): Green Cities Livable and Sustainable Cities in Asia. 1

3 The environmental degradation and destruction of natural habitats such as swamplands and forests, both being associated with urban expansion in Asia, also have a strong impact on climate. It becomes evident that rapid urbanization has brought along severe environmental problems, putting pressure on available resources and infrastructure. Climate change related natural disasters doubtless threaten urban habitats and aggravate urban poverty. But, at the same time, cities are the main location for economic production, trade and productivity growth and have taken a leading role in the promotion of innovative approaches to sustainable urban development, improving living standards and continuously reducing poverty. A key challenge, therefore, is to maintain these achievements, while also tackling environmental degradation resulting from industrial activity, consumption of resources and waste generation. Urban management will therefore play a key role in both, minimizing the negative impacts economic development and urban growth have on the global environment and finding appropriate response mechanisms to tackle the risks and disasters related to climate change. Cities should also try to unlock manifold opportunities which arise within the framework of tackling climate change and building urban resilience. The promotion of the green cities agenda will play an important role in this regard in trying to build livable and sustainable cities in Asia. II. KEY TOPICS EMERGING IN ASIA PACIFIC (a) Urban Resilience in the context of adaptation The reality of many Asian cities being situated in geographic locations prone to extreme weather conditions, especially those along coastal zones and river flood plains, calls for new urban governance approaches and massive investment in adaptation measures to build urban resilience and to avoid investment which will be at risk of environmental disaster related to climate change or even increase the risks of such disaster. The latter still seems to be a major challenge as can be observed in many Asian cities, such as Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta and Metro Manila. Making cities as climate resilient as possible requires more capital spending, but especially smart and forward looking investments in urban infrastructure. (b) Mitigation As illustrated above, the great majority of global GHG emissions come from urban areas and cities. Therefore, cities play a crucial role in leading the fight against global warming. Energy efficiency and saving measures include the promotion of low carbon transport alternatives, energy efficient buildings and industrial processes, and new approaches to wastewater treatment and solid waste management to reduce GHG emissions. To reduce energy demand, new ways of managing urbanization, city form, design, development density, and logistics systems are required. Solid waste and waste water can be used as a resource for energy, as demonstrated in several Asian cities. (c) Urban Governance Strengthening urban governance will play an important role in addressing climate change. New governance challenges for cities are arising as a result of new risks and vulnerabilities associated with climate change. 6 Institutional aspects of cities, local governance and leadership, urban management practices, inter governmental cooperation, spatial planning and land use management, monitoring and evaluation systems, inter municipal cooperation, metropolitan and regional 6 Climate Change and Cities: First Assessment Report of the Urban Climate Change Research Network (Cambridge, 2011). 2

4 governance among others would need to be addressed and geared to effectively foster adaptation and mitigation efforts. (d) Climate financing Access to finance for climate change related action remains to be a major challenge for local governments and cities across the region. Numerous financing sources are available from global funds and national priority programs to private sector initiatives but local governments still face major obstacles in accessing them. 7 Increased financing will be necessary to drive required investments for both, mitigation and adaptation efforts. Potentials for cities to tap into carbon finance, for developing and emerging Asian countries mainly through the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) or the Voluntary Carbon Markets, but potentially also the Green Climate Fund, need to be further explored. Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs), dedicated Carbon Facilities of International Financial Institutions (IFIs), Global Environment Facility (GEF) etc. hold some additional opportunities to be seriously looked at. Furthermore, there is a strong need to generate additional resources outside of the public finance cycles which has its serious limits, especially in developing and emerging countries in Asia Pacific. Potentials for private sector funding would need to be more seriously looked at. Available public funds will need to be used in a catalytic way to leverage major additional funding from the private sector to be able to cope with the volume of funding needed. (e) Green growth and green cities The green growth agenda has become more prominent in the context of urban development and has actively been promoted in various countries across the region. Since cities have made the major contribution to Asia s economic growth, as centers of innovation and green industries they will also have to play a key role in promoting sustainable development and green growth in the future. This is of particular importance if cities want to remain and still become more competitive, viable, healthy and livable places in the future. Defining clear linkages between climate change and the emerging green cities agenda will be critical for sustainable urban development in Asia. III. CDIA S CLIMATE CHANGE FOCUS CDIA is a regional initiative established in 2007 by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Germany, with additional support of the governments of Sweden and Austria and the Shanghai Municipal Government. The Initiative provides assistance to medium sized Asian cities to bridge the gap between their development plans and the implementation of their infrastructure investments. CDIA uses a demand driven approach to support the identification and development of urban investment projects in the framework of existing city development plans that emphasize environmental sustainability, pro poor development, good governance, and climate change. CDIA has been active through various city interventions and Pre Feasibility Study (PFS) work focusing on key sectors with relevance to climate change, such as water and sanitation, urban disaster and risk management, slum upgrading (adaptation) and energy efficiency, public transport, solid waste 7 A good overview of local and national financing instruments for mitigation measures is being provided in the case of Indonesia, GIZ PAKLIM and CDIA (2011). 3

5 management etc. (mitigation). 8 However, CDIA needs a more clearly defined approach to support cities in tackling the challenges of climate change and in building urban resilience on the one hand and addressing the causes of climate change on the other hand. While still focusing on its core mandate, an initiative like CDIA should refocus some of its attention to enable cities to better formulate and structure needed investments and access finance for these within the emerging international and national climate change architecture. An overview of the sector distribution and anticipated impacts of CDIA s city interventions is shown in the graphic below. CDIA support and its relevance to climate change (per sector): 1. Environmental improvements and improved health conditions in low-income areas through upgrading of water supply facilities 1. Reduced CO2 emissions through recycling and composting processes to reduce volume of solid waste in landfill 2. Environmental improvements through proper collection, transportation, recycling and disposal of solid waste 3. Incorporation of low income labour (informal sector) practices related to SWM Slum Upgrading 1. Improved living conditions of informal/vulnerable communities through enhanced basic infrastructure provision 1. Environmental improvements and enhanced health conditions through expansion of wastewater treatment facilities Water Supply Solid Waste Wastewater Energy 1. Reduced energy consumption through less use of fossil fuels 2. Reduction of CO2 emissions through improvement in energy efficiency Flood & Drainage Urban Transport Urban Renewal 1. Improved living conditions in low income areas through reduced flooding 2. Environmental improvements through expansion of wastewater treatment facilities 1. Reduced pollution, CO2 emissions and improved energy efficiency of public transport through environmental friendly transportation solutions 2. Improved access to services and employment for the urban poor by improving accessibility and affordability of public transport 1. Improved living conditions for low income groups through urban rehabilitation, water supply, sanitation, sewerage, drainage and solid waste collection IV. INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS The role of cities in tackling the impacts of climate change and the importance of building greater urban resilience have recently gained great momentum within the international development discourse. A number of international organizations have embarked on dedicated initiatives to address climate change related issues in the region. Numerous climate change activities addressing urban development have been championed by various organizations international, regional, national and it will be important to share existing lessons learnt, good and failed practices, and to develop modalities for joint activities in order to shape CDIA s climate change focus in 2012 and beyond. CDIA should tap into the existing knowledge of these organizations and, where beneficial, enter into partnerships with them, both at strategic and implementation levels. 8 It is acknowledged that overlaps exist between climate change mitigation and adaptation actions and a clear cut distinction is not always possible and desirable. Above groupings try to assist in better refocusing CDIA s interventions within the framework of climate change. 4

6 Rockefeller Foundation Rockefeller Foundation initiated the Asian Climate Change Resilience Network (ACCCRN) which is aimed at engaging with city stakeholders on a sustained basis in order to design appropriate strategies and interventions that build climate change resilience. Practical support has been provided to cities with the emergence of reasoned, evidence based urban climate change resilience strategies at the city level, accompanied by a pipeline of specific resilience building intervention proposals for implementation. 9 Through its proposed Urban Climate Change Resilience Partnership (UCCRP) Rockefeller Foundation has proposed a strategic partnership with ADB and other partners such as UK and German International Cooperation agencies and within this framework shows great interest to practically collaborate with CDIA. Both, a strategic level partnership and practical implementation at city level, should be envisaged with Rockefeller Foundation and its affiliated partner organizations in the respective countries. UN HABITAT/UN ESCAP As part of the Cities and Climate Change Initiative (CCCI) UN HABITAT has developed a toolkit Planning for Climate Change, specifically looking at supporting cities in areas related to adaptation and other advocacy and educational material, including a handbook for mayors. The latest Global Report on Human Settlements 2011 focuses on Cities and Climate Change. UN HABITAT has also entered into a partnership with the World Bank to undertake Urban Risk Assessments (URA) in a number of pilot cities including some in Asia. As part of the United Nations Development Account Project Capacity Development for Cities in Asia and the Pacific to Increase Resilience to Climate Change Impacts, UN ESCAP is preparing a Quick Guide for Policy Makers on Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience in Urban Poor Communities in Asia Pacific. Part of this process will be the documentation of good practices on the issue. Since UN HABITAT has already entered into a partnership with CDIA, specific joint activities could be envisaged. ICLEI As an international network of local governments and cities to promote sustainable development, ICLEI has been at the forefront of the climate change and urban resilience agenda. 10 ICLEI has championed a number of initiatives: the annual Resilient Cities Conference and the establishment of the global climate reporting platform which includes a cities climate registry that many cities and local governments have joined. 11 Regional cooperation between ICLEI and CDIA, both in the areas of climate change and green cities, is currently being discussed. Global Green Growth Instititute The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) has been established in Seoul to promote green growth globally. GIZ and GGGI have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding regarding Climate Change and Green Growth. One of the three components of the agreement is to support the promotion of Green City Programs. Within the framework of the partnership agreement GIZ is 9 City Resilience Strategies and Action Plans have been developed in Can Tho, Da Nang, Quy Nhon (Vietnam), Bandar Lampung, Semarang (Indonesia), Gorakhpur, Surat, Indore (India) and targeted interventions are planned in these cities and Chiang Rai and Hat Yai (Thailand) for ICLEI does receive dedicated financial support from the Federal Government of Germany s Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) for its local government and climate change program cities climate registry/ 5

7 interested in promoting CDIA for support to Green Cities Programs in Asia Pacific. Worth mentioning in this context is the new policy on climate change and green growth by the G20 agreed on at last year s summit in Seoul. 12 The green growth agenda has been strongly championed by the Republic of Korea within the framework of hosting the recent G20 Summit. CITYNET CITYNET is a network committed to helping local authorities improve the lives of its citizens and create the urban sustainability across Asia Pacific. CITYNET has restructured some of its programs to better address the challenges of climate change. Within the newly established Priority Cluster on Climate Change, CITYNET has consolidated some of its core competencies incl. environment, water and sanitation and solid waste management. The goal of the Cluster is to promote best practices and raise awareness in adaptation measures throughout Asia Pacific. Within the framework of the existing partnership, CDIA and CITYNET should strengthen joint activities in the area of climate change. CAI Asia The mission of the Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities (CAI Asia) is to promote better air quality and livable cities by translating knowledge to policies and actions that reduce air pollution and GHG emissions from transport, energy and other sectors. CAI Asia aims to place efforts to reduce air pollution and GHG emissions in a broader context of sustainable and urban development and climate change. Besides working directly with cities, CAI Asia aims at scaling up its efforts to reach out to a far greater number of cities across the region. CDIA and CAI Asia have embarked on a regional screening process to assess in how far climate change related actions and urban investments have been prioritized by cities in Asia Pacific. A first assessment report and baseline will be available in February Singapore Tapping into Singapore s vast experience in dealing with various aspects of climate change would be of great value for CDIA. Different agencies such as Singapore s Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), Public Utilities Board (PUB) and the National Environment Agency (NEA) have been at the forefront of promoting sustainable development approaches in an urban space like Singapore. The Singapore Environment Institute (SEI) has conducted a number of environmental and climate change related training and capacity building initiatives, one being with GIZ s Cities and Climate Change in Asia working group, and is keen to further collaborate with CDIA (with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Experiences from Singapore s National Climate Change Secretariat (NCCS) are invaluable within the framework of setting up appropriate institutional structures and systems to address the challenges of climate change. Private sector The private sector has championed a number of innovative approaches especially in the area of green growth, Siemens Green Cities Program and Green City Index being one of the examples. 13 CDIA should explore potentials to work with the private sector, specifically in the area of promoting green cities including energy efficiency, renewable energies, innovative building and transport solutions, etc

8 German Development Cooperation (GIZ/Technical Cooperation and KfW/Financial Cooperation) German Development Cooperation has refocused a lot of its attention on climate change related activities. Besides Official Development Assistance (ODA) funding generated through the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), additional commitments have recently come from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU). Germany s implementing agencies GIZ and KfW provide dedicated technical and financial cooperation related support within the framework of mitigation and adaptation in countries in Asia. 14 GIZ has set up two regional sector working groups focusing on urban challenges as well as cities and climate change in Asia. These working groups have generated substantial knowledge and expertise which would be critical to tap into. A regional training program specifically focusing on cities and climate change has been developed and implemented in South Asia and South East Asia. International Financial Institutions The above mentioned initiatives are complemented by a range of work being undertaken by the International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) in the area of cities and climate change. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank have set up dedicated programs to address climate change. This is important as they have significant funds to finance investment and are conduits of climate related finance. V. WAY FORWARD: TOWARDS AN INTEGRATED APPROACH FOR CLIMATE CHANGE To further strengthen CDIA s focus on urban resilience and green cities and to shape the annual topic of climate change in 2012, specific activities are proposed which would be clustered according to three main components, namely regional networking and knowledge exchange; city interventions; and capacity development and training. (a) Regional networking and knowledge exchange An expert group roundtable will be organized by CDIA and co hosted by the Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC) in Singapore on 16 February 2012 to define the main areas of concern with regard to building greater urban resilience and green cities within the framework of climate change in Asia Pacific, to define concrete partnerships between different international partners and regional stakeholders active in the region and to identify priority areas and activities for CDIA to be undertaken in 2012 and beyond. The added value which would be generated by an initiative such as CDIA and its intended niche in the area of climate change should be further defined at the meeting. Based on the outcomes of this meeting, a detailed action plan would be developed. Organizing practical networking and knowledge events in partnership with different international and regional partners could be envisaged. A dedicated seminar focusing on urban resilience and green cities targeting private sector representatives should be organized. (b) City interventions A number of city interventions should be undertaken within 2012 which specifically target climate change, urban resilience and green cities issues, showcasing innovation in terms of mitigation and adaptation. Where possible, these city interventions should be done jointly with international partner organizations, especially Rockefeller Foundation, UN HABITAT, GIZ (e.g. Bangladesh, 14 For example in countries like Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal and Vietnam. 7

9 Vietnam and Indonesia) and ICLEI, and national partner organizations of CDIA in the respective countries, especially India, Vietnam and Indonesia. Possible cities will be identified within the framework of the expert group roundtable on 16th of February (c) Capacity development and training As part of showcasing the annual topic of 2012, a capacity development and training program should be designed. Such a program should be developed based on existing experiences, e.g. in close partnership with GIZ, partners in Singapore (SEI in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), national partner organizations of CDIA and others. Detailed needs for capacity development and training will be further specified after the expert group roundtable. 8

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