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Cities Development Initiative for Asia
Building Urban Resilience and Green Cities
CDIA Concept Note December 2011
CDIA
Asia-Pacific in theEra of Climate Change
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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 2030.3
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.
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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).
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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).
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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. 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
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
Energy1. Reduced energy consumption
through less use of fossil fuels2. Reduction of CO2 emissions
through improvement in energy efficiency
1. Environmental improvements and improved health conditions in low-income areas through upgrading of water supply facilities
Slum Upgrading1. Improved living conditions of
informal/vulnerable communities through enhanced basic infrastructure provision
1. Improved living conditions in low income areas through reduced flooding
2. Environmental improvements through expansion of waste-water treatment facilities
1. Environmental improvements and enhanced health conditions through expansion of waste-water treatment facilities
Urban Transport
Urban Renewal
Flood & Drainage
Wastewater
Solid Waste
Water Supply
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.
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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 2011‐12.
10 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. 11 http://carbonn.org/carbonn‐cities‐climate‐registry/
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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 2012.
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.
12 http://www.g20.org/Documents2010/11/seoulsummit_declaration.pdf 13 http://www.siemens.com/entry/cc/en/greencityindex.htm
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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.
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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 2012.
(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.
Cities Development Initiative for Asia
Suite 202‐203 Hanston Building, Emerald Ave., Ortigas Center, Pasig City 1600,
Metro Manila, Philippines Phone: +63‐2 631‐2342 • Fax: +63‐2 631‐6158
Website: www.cdia.asia
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