Donovan Storey Chief, Sustainable Urban Development, Environment & Development Division

National Workshop on Sustainable Urban Development in the Philippines, Manila, 10-11 September 2014

Toward Sustainable Urban Infrastructure in the Asia-

Pacific Region

The Asia-Pacific: Urban growth & its fragile resource base

In 2014 the Asia-Pacific region has over 2 billion urban citizens

Since 2000 an astonishing increase of 630 million people in cities in the ESCAP region

A region of megacities - yet largest urban population & fastest growth is in small-medium size towns & cities

Mix of migration, population growth & reclassification

Economic transformation correlated with urbanization

Cities disproportionately contribute to economic growth relative to population … but they also consume vast resources

The Asia-Pacific region utilizes three times the energy input required for proportionate GDP growth than any other region

Growth underpinned by inefficiency and resource waste

The Asia-Pacific urban challenge – and opportunity

The region’s urban areas have spatially large consumption, production and resource footprints: it is an urban growth pattern defined by inefficiency and waste

The region’s urban areas are increasing vulnerable to climate change and disasters, which threaten to ‘set back’ the region’s development gains

What solutions and strategies can be implemented at the city, national and regional level to close the gaps between urban growth patterns, sustainability , quality of life and inclusive development?

How can meeting critical infrastructure gaps, particularly public infrastructure and housing contribute to a greener and more resilient urban and national future?

Cities as resource consumers

1 billion new consumers in emerging market cities by 2025

Annual consumption in emerging cities is set to rise by $10 trillion by 2050

Infrastructure challenges for Green Economy

• Infrastructure is a critical determinant of energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impact in general

• It has a long life span, which can create a lock-in effect (energy intensity, physical structure etc) for decades

• Need then to transition now to green economy based upon eco-efficient infrastructure design and approaches for future generations

The Increasing Carbon Footprint of Urban Asia

Cities increasingly dominate & drive economic and development transformation

But this ‘development’ has a high cost Globally, cities account for 67% of all

energy use and emit 71% of all GHG The carbon footprint of Asian cities is

rapidly increasing, several factors: Urban expansion & ‘suburbanisation’ Rising consumerism & changing

lifestyles Poor urban planning, management

and governance Lack of effective institutional

relationships

Climate Change Vulnerability of the Region

Climate Change Vulnerability Index 2013

Source: www.preventionweb.net

Manila is the second highest city which are at risk

caused by climate change

The World’s Infrastructure Gap

Closing Gaps for a Sustainable Urban Future

Through new thinking & commitment such gaps can be closed which support inclusive, sustainable and resilient cities

– Ecology: Infrastructure development should contribute to greening cities

– Green economics: Infrastructure development should strengthen & deepen urban economies, and livelihood opportunities

– Governance: Through a more engaged civic involvement, through greater cross-sectoral coordination and planning

– Socio-cultural: Outcomes should build upon and enrich cultural norms and values, and create benefits for society as a whole through the built-environment

– Resilience: Through strengthening cities but also communities, and providing greater capacity & resources to recover from disaster

Adapted from Paul James, University of Western Sydney

Understanding urban systems, vulnerability &

climate change

• Meeting the region’s infrastructure gaps, need for resilience, eradicating poverty and dealing with projected impacts of climate change require holistic & integrated approaches

Source: Sam Kernaghan & Mark Vassarotti

9 Essential transformations

1. Change the way we design cities: a paradigm shift in which sustainability moves from the periphery to centre of planning

2. Change the way people move: from private cars to public transport, from road to rail, mitigating need for movement

3. Change the way we design and operate buildings: from energy wasting to energy creating

4. Change the way we produce, transport and consume energy: improve the efficiency of the energy system and diversify to renewable energy sources

5. Change the way water resources are managed: develop eco-efficient approaches to water resources

6. Change the way solid waste is managed: from a cost to a resource 7. Address patterns of exclusion so that investment in people becomes

the next driver of growth 8. Change the way cities are governed and broaden the stakeholders 9. Change and strengthen the financing sources for urban

development

Challenges and Opportunities

Sustainable urban development

Energy-water efficiency in

industry

Enhancing industrial

competitiveness

Reducing negative

environmental impacts

Improving public health

Improving resource

accessibility – basic needs for

life

Greening Industries

The Philippine Context

Urbanization in the Philippines

• Urban population in the

Philippines:

- 37% of total population (1980)

- 46% of total population (2030)

(Source: UNDESA, 2014)

Natural Disaster Vulnerability of the Philippines

Source: www.preventionweb.net

The Economic Cost

Source: www.preventionweb.net

Infrastructure ‘Gaps’ in the Philippines

• Infrastructure focus for the government’s development plan. In 2014/15 15 major projects worth a total US$14 billion

• A tripling of public spending as % of GDP to 5% over Aquino’s term: most to transport, energy and airports

• Financing: Govt; ODA & emphasis on PPP

• A housing gap of 3.6 million units in 2010 – to 5.8m in 2016 (NHMFC, 2013)

• Natural disasters are increasing this gap & vulnerable areas limit land available (HUDCC)

• DepEd to build & repair 50,000+ classrooms from 2014

• There are opportunities to close gaps through green, resilient and pro-poor responses: to build better & more sustainable cities

Urbanization

Lack of Natural Resources / Infrastructure

(energy/water)

Climate Change Impacts

(natural disasters)

Sustainable

Urban

Infrastructure

(Resilient and

Eco-Efficient)

Source: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Theo KÖTTER (2004), World Bank (2005), UN-HABITAT (2007)

Importance of Integrated Sustainable Urban

Infrastructure

Urbanization results in

informality & vulnerability to

disasters, larger consumption

footprint which contribute to

climate change

Lack of drainage infrastructure

led to larger flood damage.

Natural disasters degrade

natural resources

Urbanization entails increased

demand of resources and

infrastructure.

Integrating Resilience into Urban Infrastructure

Resilience “The ability of system and its component parts to anticipate, absorb, accommodate, or recover from the effects of a hazardous event in a timely and efficient manner, including through ensuring the preservation, restoration, or improvement of its essential basic structures and functions (IPCC 2012).”

“Infrastructure plays an important role in the development of countries. In many developing countries, evolving infrastructure can be particularly climate-sensitive and therefore highly vulnerable to the destruction that occurs due to natural disasters. (UNDP 2010).”

• Various efforts for integrating resilience into infrastructures have been placed :

- Climate-Resilient Infrastructure by UNDP - Critical Infrastructure Resilience Strategy by Australian Government - Climate Resilience Infrastructure Development Facility (CRIDF) by DfID - Climate Resilient Infrastructure Services (CRIS) by USAID

Integrating Resilience into Urban Infrastructure

• Means of integrating resilience into Urban infrastructure

For Informal Settlement Upgrading

Source: Adapted from ADPC

(2013)

1) Integrating Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and green building materials into the work programs of organizations dedicated to informal settlement upgrading.

2) Strengthening connections between the informal and formal sectors, between rural and urban communities.

3) Advocating for the revision of shelter policy to include green and resilient materials

4) Sustained programs for capacity building of informal settlement communities.

• Case for informal settlement upgrading

“Bang Bua squatter community, in northern Bangkok, Thailand”

The Baan Mankong National Collective Housing Program aims at addressing physical and socio-economic vulnerabilities and providing housing security to urban slum dwellers whose tenure is insecure or not legally recognized. Bang Bua community has over time reduced vulnerability by:

1) Factoring risk information into layout and decisions. The community sought to ensure that design and layout considerations included risk information.

2) Implementing structural strengthening. Structural measures focused on establishing a resilient structural housing design in compliance with building codes and in response to risk assessment findings.

3) Ensuring housing security. An affordable long-term leasing agreement was reached with the Treasury Department, and the existing community savings groups successfully mobilized the community fund reserve to ensure consistent payment.

During the 2011 floods, the Bang Bua community was not as affected as other informal settlements in the Bangkok area.

Integrating Resilience into Urban Infrastructure

Source: ADPC (2013)

Affordable, Green & Resilient Housing

Joint ESCAP & Hilti Foundation project in the Philippines to develop local sustainable value chains & social enterprises producing affordable, green (i.e. resource & energy efficient, pollution min.) building materials & disaster resilient & climate sensitive building systems

Increased use of affordable & green building designs & technologies & related site & infrastructure development supporting sustainable urban development (retrofitting, upgrading, reducing housing backlog, holistic settlement planning, green infrastructure) through increased capacity

Integrating Eco-efficiency into Urban Infrastructure

Eco-efficiency

“The concept of eco-efficiency seeks to develop synergies between the economy and the environment rather than just balance the trade-offs. An eco-efficient approach to urban infrastructure development can help governments save precious financial resources. Eco-efficiency can drive green growth and green economy. (UNESCAP, 2011)”

Source: UNESCAP (2011)

Integrating Eco-efficiency into Urban Infrastructure

Strategies for integrating eco-efficiency into urban infrastructure

1. Driving Change: Leadership and political commitment

- Political commitment and leadership are essential for moving

beyond ad hoc decision-making and sector-specific policies,

allowing governments to respond to challenges and creating

opportunities for the long term.

2. Bridging the gap: Long-term vision and transition

management

- Only governments can bridge the time gap between short

-term costs and long-term benefits of eco-efficient

infrastructure.

3. Building the business case: Leveraging financing

- Governments need to build the business case for eco-efficient

infrastructure. Governments need to tilt the balance in favour

of sustainable practices and channel private sector investment

into eco-efficient infrastructure project (e.g. PIMAC in Republic of Korea).

Source: UNESCAP (2013)

Integrating Eco-efficiency into Urban Infrastructure

Strategies for integrating eco-efficiency into urban infrastructure

4. Reshaping governance: Integration and coordination

- Promoting eco-efficient infrastructure requires looking at

infrastructure networks as a whole system, adopting a

life-cycle approach and prioritizing policies with multiple

returns (economic, social and environmental).

a) Vertical integration: Coordination between central

and local governments

b) Horizontal integration: Coordination among relevant actors

5. Leveraging public support: Public participation

- While strong leadership is required to steer cities in an

eco-efficient direction, public participation in planning and

designing infrastructure can drive change.

Source: UNESCAP (2013)

The Opportunities

Fundamentally the shift is about how cities are to develop Cities that embark on a resource efficient and low carbon

transformation will become more livable, competitive, sustainable and ultimately more successful

Change requires breaking away from ‘brown growth traps’ A quantum shift in thinking and action: governance, innovation,

technology and enablers (esp. fiscal policy) Regional cooperation mechanisms: enhancing institutional

strengthening & development; technology transfer; mobilization of finance: new normative frameworks for low-carbon urban development based on regional platforms of exchange

THANK YOU