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““Cities Can Save the Earth” : The City of Cities Can Save the Earth” : The City of Gwangju and Its Urban Environment PolicyGwangju and Its Urban Environment Policy

Mayor, Gwangju Metropolitan City, Rep. of Korea

Co-Chairperson, UEA Members Alliance

Un-Tae Kang

World Bank Speech

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South KoreaSouth Korea’’s 5s 5thth largest city, with largest city, with population of 1.5 millionpopulation of 1.5 million

Introduction to Gwangju

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The Driving Force of Korean Democracy

- Gwangju’s May 1980 Democratic Movement

Archives:

listed on the UNESCO Memory of the World in May,

2011

The city of Culture and Art

- Home of Gwangju Biennale and Gwangju Design Biennale,

global art festivals

The city of cutting-edge science industry

- Government - designated R&D specialized zone and

International Science Business Center

- Light-related industries: LED, optical

communication, solar energy

- Global companies located in Gwangju: KIA Motors,

Samsung Electronics, others

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※ Cities are major causes of global warming and climate change. Cities have a responsibility to address global warming

Climate Change and Cities - The pace of climate change: faster than what we expected - Time to need Decision for Our Common Future

The 5th IPCC report : 2050 Climate Estimation - Precipitation : 30% Increase - Temperature : 2.3 ℃ Increase - Sea level : 34cm Increase in elevation

2050 Climate estimation of Korea - Summer : four -> five months - Winter : three -> two months - Abnormal climate : scorching heat, heavy rainfall

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Create an environment-friendly green city

- Citizens are the key decision makers on carbon reduction

- Each citizen, the main actor of GHG reduction

- Grant carbon points to households with lesser energy (electricity, gas, and water) use compared to previous two years use

- Participation: 44% of 540,000 households in Gwangju -> 100% by 2015

○ Carbon Reduction Effects- GHG Reduction: 26 thousand tons reduced in 2011

- Equivalent to planting 9.18 million pine trees

○ Carbon Bank System

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The icon of citizens’ green-life practices’

○ Further direction

The range expanded to:

- Increase in the use of public transport and bicycle

- Food waste reduction

- Environmental protection work

- Food mileage campaign, etc

Securing Additional Administration Funds

- Green Fundraising : Participation from central government,

cities, and companies

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Policy Directions

- A synergistic organization of each field - urban planning, transportation,

forestry, housing, promotion of industry

- Urban planning focused on control of commuting distance, cost of

traffic congestion, and excessive energy use from a long-term

perspective

- More focus on city rehabilitation, instead of sprawl to city outskirts

Examples of Gwangju - Re-development of old flats into housing for 2015 Gwangju Summer

Universiade

※ unprecedented case in the history of international sports

- urban improvement project in 22 residential sectors

- Completion of Asian Culture Complex [$600 million budget] at the previous government facility

Implementing Policy on Land Use comprehensively

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Fostering and Spreading Green Industry

Directions

→ Virtuous cycle between the environment and economy - Fostering Green Industry: Investment in environment

· Drive for job creation and economic growth

- Creating public demand toward “Greenness”

Examples of Gwangju - LED Products made locally replace existing public and private

light fixtures. Public100% and Private 60% replacement by 2020

※ 134 LED-related companies in Gwangju

- The major production facility of KIA Motors, a global automobile producer

· All public buses: natural gas replacement in 2011

· Electric vehicles encouraged: 300 units by 2014

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1th Strengthening Exchange and Cooperation on Environmental Policies among Worldwide Cities

Purpose

- To share problem-solving ability through mutual exchange

among cities

- To establish resourceful circulation in all cities throughout

the world

Examples of Gwangju [Technology Export]

- Conclusion of an environmental technology exchange agreements (waste disposal, etc)

ᆞwith Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), with Luanda (Angola)

- Installation of a waste-using power generating facility

ᆞ to be installed in Luanda, Angola, September 2012

Proposal to enhance urban environment

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2th Developing Standardized Urban Environment Evaluation Index

Purpose of Enactment

- to provide a guideline for urban environment Evaluation and green

cities

- to foster worldwide cities to become low-carbon green cities

※ Co-development with UNEP from 2011 to 2013

Characteristics of the index

- Commonly applied to cities of both developed and developing

countries

- Considering the current status of a city and outcome of current

policies

- An index that can be certified and standardized internationally

Future Plan

- Awarding “International Low Carbon Green City” from 2014

ᆞ Apply index to the world cities

ᆞ Select cities of excellence

ᆞ Organization in collaboration with UNEP

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3th An urgent need to introduce a new financial incentive to cities for carbon reduction such as urban CDM

The Existing CDM

- limited in technology and scale approaches (single project-based)

Urban CDM

- Make wide-ranged access available in Urban Planning, Land-use, and Green Governance

- UN Green Climate Fund supported for GHG reduction annually compared to BAU

- At the 2011 Gwangju Summit of UEA, 120 cities and international

organizations have agreed on the international application of urban CDM

○ UN Green Climate Fund

- $ 100billion to be created every year by 2020

- It should be prepared sooner to reduce carbon emission

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Proposals to the World Bank

World Bank’s Project Direction

- Contribute to rebuilding and country development of 188 member countries around the world ᆞ Help developing countries grow and fight poverty

- Support- low carbon green-city development in developing countries ᆞ Improve international competitiveness according to execution of low-carbon green city plan

ᆞ Provide financial opportunities for reducting of global greenhouse gas

World Bank’s Contribution to the World

- Solve and support member countries economic development and poverty issues ᆞ Participated in 1,800 projects(rebuilding Haiti, road maintenance in Vietnam, etc.)

- Project to counter worldwide threats such as climate change ᆞ Preserve diversity of organisms and improve climate change counter capability

World Bank’s Contribution to Korea

- Since 1962, World Bank has carried out 219 projects in Korea.

ᆞ Gwangju Projects: Participated in project including the construction of dams

to water supply of our city. Youngsan River Irrigation Project

Record Due to World Bank Support

- Protect world environment through support of environmentally friendly city

development leading to reduction of CO2 emission.

The reduction inversely proportional to economic development .

- Establish comprehensive management system for effective utilization of

resources so that cities development activities have positive effects on natural

ecology

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Proposal 1 : Urban CDM Joint Development

Urban CDM Pilot Test

(5 Selected Cities) Develop Methodology

(2012)

Registration to UNFCCC

CERs Secured by Participating

Cities

PartnershipJoint Execution

UEA∙UNEPThe World Bank

Urban CDM methodology development, Pilot Test participation, and KTF support

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Proposal 2 : Global Low-Carbon Green City Award Joint Mgmt

Development of Urban Environment Evaluation Index - UNEP - UEA (Gwangju Metropolitan City)

Apply to world cities

Bestow Global Low-Carbon Green City award in 2014 then every second year

Expend development of low-carbon green city worldwide

Management of Global Low-Carbon Green City Award- Sponsor: Gwangju, WB, UNEP- Evaluation: World’s reputed expert (8 judges)- Fund: Sponsor and sponsoring companies

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□ Conclusion

○ Cities, the cause and the victim of climate change

○ Peril of the Earth: Challenges and Opportunities

- Cities actively commit themselves to solve the environmental problems

- Work together for the common good

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Thank you for your attention