Are we building competitive and liveable cities.pdf

Guidelines for developing eco-efficient and socially inclusive infrastructure

Are we building competitive and liveable cities?

E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y

page 1

The guidelines for the development of eco-effi cient and inclusive urban infrastructure have been developed by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacifi c (ESCAP), the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-HABITAT), in partnership with the Urban Design Lab (UDL), the Earth Institute, at Columbia University in the City of New York, in the context of the project “Eco-effi cient and Sustainable Urban Infrastructure in Asia and Latin America”.

The objective of the project is to promote the application of eco-effi ciency as a key criterion for economic competitive, socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable urban development and for expanding fi nancing opportunities.

Activities included expert group meetings, case studies, pilot projects and training of urban managers and planners.

The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The content and views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily refl ect the views or policies, or carry the endorsement of any of the co-publishing organizations. Reference to a commercial entity or product in this publication does not imply endorsement.

The co-publishing organizations do not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this publication and accept no responsibility for any consequence of their use.

Reproduction and dissemination of material in this publication for educational or non-commercial purposes are encouraged, with proper acknowledgement of the source. Reproduction of material in this, or associated information products for sale or for other commercial purposes, including publicity and advertising is prohibited without the written permission of the copyright holders. Applications for such permission, with a statement of purpose and extent of reproduction, should be addressed to the Director, Environment and Development Division, United Nations, ESCAP.

Core team:ESCAP: Rae Kwon Chung, Masakazu Ichimura, Lorenzo Santucci, Joris OeleECLAC: Joseluis Samaniego, Ricardo Jordan, Beatriz ValenzuelaUN-Habitat: Raf Tuts, Bernhard BarthUDL, The Earth Institute, Columbia University: Richard Plunz, Morana M. Stipisic

This publication was printed with vegetable oil based ink on green series paper

made from 100% EcoFiber, utilizing Ecological type which uses 50% less ink.

Increase your city’s competitiveness and quality of life through environmental improvements:

Responding to the challenges posed by rapid urbanization, globalization and climate change requires an urgent shift in the way urban infrastructure is planned, designed and managed: it must be eco-effi cient and socially inclusive.

Eco-effi cient and socially inclusive infrastructure can:• be a driver of economic growth and competitiveness• increase employment opportunities• contribute to poverty alleviation• improve quality of life• enhance energy security• improve the environment• avoid future costs and risks.

Do more with lessEco-effi ciency is a management philosophy that encourages municipalities, businesses and communities to seek environmental improvements that generate parallel economic and social benefi ts. Doing this in an inclusive way guarantees equal opportunities for all people.

Deliver services to all Applied to infrastructure, the concepts of eco-effi ciency and inclusiveness are concerned with expanding the access to and quality of services, such as housing, transport, energy, water and waste treatment, while reducing costs and environmental problems, such as pollution, ineffi cient energy use and traffi c congestion.

Achieve win-win situationsInfrastructure systems need to be rethought and redeveloped according to eco-effi ciency and inclusive principles and criteria. Essential strategies for cities to achieve win-win situations and develop into attractive, competitive and liveable places are leadership, long-term vision, integration across sectors and institutions, public participation and building the business case for eco-effi cient solutions.

United Nations publicationST/ESCAP/ – ISBN 978-974-680-292-5Copyright © United Nations 2011Clung Wicha Press Co., Ltd. Thailand

Guidelines for developing eco-effi cient and socially inclusive infrastructure

Are we building competitive and liveable cities?

page 2 page 3Executive summary Developing eco-efficient and socially inclusive infrastructure

“Cities in Asia-Pacifi c already suffer from severe environmental problems, while the basic needs of millions of citizens are yet to be met. The rapid urbanization of the region poses an even greater challenge for providing services to all. We need to urgently promote eco-effi ciency and social inclusiveness to make our cities competitive, vibrant and liveable.”

“Urban regions consume 75% of the planet’s resources. In Latin America and the Caribbean today, the challenges of development and equality are linked to those of urban management, including infrastructure, housing, transportation, and access to water and sanitation. The adoption of eco-effi ciency as a core urban value will require a thoroughgoing change in the way cities function and develop. Making eco-effi ciency a main criterion for decision-making on these issues represents a step towards the development of sustainable cities.”

Dr. Noeleen Heyzer Under-Secretary-General of the United Nati ons

and Executi ve Secretary of theUnited Nati ons Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacifi c

(UN-ESCAP)

Alicia Bárcena Under-Secretary-General of the United Nati ons

and Executi ve Secretary of the United Nati ons Economic Commission for Lati n America and the Caribbean

(UN-ECLAC)

“A new strategy based on more effective urban planning, strengthened local institutions and governance processes as well as the enhanced economic contribution of cities is needed. Only Infrastructure that is energy and eco-effi cient, that serves the economic development of cities and supports the betterment of all citizens can be sustainable.“

Dr. Joan Clos Under-Secretary-General of the United Nati ons

and Executi ve Director of theUnited Nati ons Human Sett lements Programme

(UN-HABITAT)

Forewords


70%

30%

45 million

20%80%

rural urban%20%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%80%

3.5 million20 x 12 x

Adding a new city nearly the size of Singapore every month for the next 20 years

80% of people in Latin America live in cities

30% of citizens in Asia live in slums

45 million people in Brazil live in slums

CITIES OF HOPE, CITIES OF DESPAIR

Urbanization: towards a global

city

Social issues: urbanization of

poverty

In 2030, about 2.6 billion people will live in

cities in Asia and the Pacific.2 This growth is equivalent to

adding an entire new city of 3.5 million people, every month for

the next 20 years.

In Latin America 80% of people live

in urban areas. This figure will grow to 85% by

2030.1

Approximately 30% of urban

residents in Asia and the Pacific live in slums,3 without basic services. The

number of people living in urban slums in India4

now exceeds the entire

population of the Philippines.5

In Brazil 45 million people live in urban

slums.6 This is almost 3 times the entire population

of Chile.7

Why do we need eco-effi cient and socially inclusive urban infrastructure development?

Why focus on cities?


?

75%75%

Cities use 75% of the Earths resources

We need more than one planet Earth

Asia needs US$10 trillion over 10 years for infrastructure

LAC needs 3% of annual GDP for infrastructure

80% of Asia’s GDP is produced by the cities

GDP of Buenos Aires is larger than GDP of Paraguay

ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT

CITYECONOMIES

Environment: enormous footprint

Finance: need for investment

Economic issues: engines of growth

Cities occupy 3% of the Earth’s land surface, house half of the human population, use 75% of the resources,8 and account for approximately 2/3 of all used energy and greenhouse gas emissions.9

The Ecological Footprint measures how much of the Earth or how many planet Earths it would take to regenerate the resources we use and to absorb the waste we produce. In 1990, our humanity started demanding more than one planet Earth to support our current lifestyle.10

Carrying capacity is defined as the maximum population that can survive indefinitely in a given environment. It depends on the available resources and the consumption habits.11

In Asia and the Pacific over 80% of the region’s GDP is produced in ci-ties and

towns.15 Bangkok alone accounts

for 38% of Thailand’s GDP.16

Infrastructure investment

requirements in Latin America and the Caribbean are are an estimated US$1.3 trillion to keep up with consumption and

construction needs.14

The GDP of Buenos Aires outsizes

some of the region’s national GDPs like those of Ecuador and

Paraguay.17

Infrastructure investment in Asia

and the Pacific must reach an

estimated US$10 trillion over

the next 10 years to keep up with its consumption and construct-

ion needs.12 This enormous

investment requirement

is comparable with two times the whole Latin America and the

Caribbean region’s yearly GDP.13

Why focus on cities?Why focus on cities?


??

?

Traffi c congestion: sign of economic growth or low competitiveness?

Building construction: good investment or long-term cost burden?

Business-as-usual:

leads to:

Eco-effi cient and inclusive

urban development:

Infrastructure has key implications for urban development. It is diffi cult and costly to modify. Once built, it locks cities into specifi c consumption patterns for decades. Constructing, operating and maintaining infrastructure is resource intensive: taking up energy, water, materials and land thereby causing major environmental impacts.

Choices made today will determine the competitiveness, quality of life and environmental sustainability of cities for decades to come. Cities in Asia and Latin America are at a crossroads in developing and expanding infrastructure in support of fast economic growth and rapid urbanization.

• cities for cars

• more traffi c congestion

• more pollution

• health problems

• high energy bills

• higher costs on the long run

• less competitiveness

• less jobs

• decreased quality of life

leads to:

• cities for people

• fast, safe, affordable transportation

• vibrant streets and green areas

• clean and healthy environment

• lower energy bills

• more value for money

• attraction of foreign investment

• more jobs

• increased quality of life

SHAPING OUR

CITIES

CHOOSINGOUR

FUTURE

Along their life-cycle, buildings alone are estima-ted to consume up to 40% of all energy use and cause up to 30% of GHG emissions.20

Traffic congestion costs can be as high as 10% of a city’s GDP.18

Traffic congestion in Bangkok is responsible for 2.1% loss of the whole country’s GDP.19

Traffic congestion in Lima, Peru contributes to the loss of approximately 10% of GDP every year.18

Cities will grow. There is no ques-tion about that.

How we build them, though, is up to us.

“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created

them.”Albert Einstein

Are traffi c congestion and high energy costs eating up your competitiveness? Cities are at a crossroad

Why focus on infrastructure? Why focus on infrastructure?


urban infrastructure

eco-

ef

ficient and sustainable

input:

water

economic return

goods and services employment

quality of life

water pollution

waste disposal

impact on biodiversityemissions

land

energy

raw materials

lessoutput:

more

less

redu

ce c

onsu

mpt

ion

of re

sour

ces

incr

ease

va

lue

for s

ocie

tyre

duce

im

pact

on

natu

re

envir

onmental sustainability

competitiveness

$

quality of life

$

eco-efficiency

EE =

Economic and social value

Environmental impact

The quality of life of our citizens as well as competitiveness and environmental sustainability of cities depend on the effi ciency of this “urban metabolism”.

People dwell in cities to have access to jobs, education, health, goods and services. Resources like raw materials, land, water and energy are the inputs required to deliver these goods and services that present a value for the society, while producing waste and emissions in the process.

Principles of eco-effi cient and sustainable urban development:• maximize quality of life• maximize competitiveness• maximize environmental sustainability

Eco-effi ciency is expressed as the creation of more value with fewer resources and less impact, or doing more with less.

Eco-effi ciency is a management philosophy that encourages municipali-ties and businesses to seek environmental improvements that generate social as well as economic benefi ts. It promotes innovation, growth and competitiveness while protecting our environment.21

URBAN METABOLISM

MOREWITH LESS

“A moral point of view is compatible with efficiency.” Antanas Mockus, former mayor of Bogotá, Colombia

Reducing the consumption of resources and the impact on nature is critical for achieving sustainable development with increased value for society.

These principles are not in

conflict, but can reinforce each

other. The concept of eco-efficiency seeks to develop synergies, rather than just balance

trade-offs.

E C O - E F F I C I E N C Y

Cities as living organismsEco-efficiency: a driver for competitiveness and liveability

Why focus on eco-efficiency? Why focus on eco-efficiency?


Roads are congested• Why not build more roads or fl yovers?Expanding roads has proven to be ineffective and even counter-productive in easing congestion because it attracts an even higher volume of cars.

Waste is increasing• Why not plan more landfi lls?Landfi lls bury waste that could be recycled or reused, contaminates ground water, releases greenhouse gases, and uses up valuable land.

Water demand is growing• Why not utilize more fresh water reserves?Waste water treatment and reuse can greatly enhance water supply, as well as reducing contamination.

Energy demand is growing• Why not build new power plants?Building new power plants is much more expensive than reducing demand and, in many cases, using renewables on the long run.

Roads are congested• Build the city for people, not cars. Develop walkable and bikeable cities and invest in public transport.

Waste is increasing• Invest in Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (3R) measures.

Water demand is growing• Invest in wastewater treatment and rainwater harvesting.

Energy demand is growing• Invest in energy effi ciency and conservation.

Guidance on choosing and prioritizing appropriate policies and policy instruments is further elaborated in the complete publication of the Guidelines for developing eco-effi cient and socially inclusive infrastructure.

WHAT DOES NOT

WORK

WHAT DOES WORK

“Trying to solve traffic problems by building bigger roads is like putting out a fire with gasoline” Enrique Peñalosa,former mayor of Bogotá, Colombia

Counter-intuitive examples of bad policies: Focus on the basics:

What can we do?Prioritize the right policies

What can we do?Prioritize the right policies

page 15page 14 Executive summary Developing eco-efficient and socially inclusive infrastructure

$

$

$

$

?

$

Integrate across sectors and between institutions.

Link short-term goals to long-term vision.

Drive the change you wish to see in the city. Put sustainable infra-structure on top of your agenda.

Eco-effi ciency can be used as a driver to promote win-win soluti ons that maximize competi ti veness, quality of life and environmental sustainability. To guarantee eco-effi cient outcomes, the following strategic principles are criti cal.

Consider all values (monetary and non-monetary) of natural resources and the environment. Take a life-cycle approach.

Sustainable outcomes can be achieved only through broad-based participation.

Build the business case for eco-effi cient solutions.

STRATEGICPRINCIPLES

STRATEGICPRINCIPLES

“There is no ideal system except integration.”Jaime Lerner,former mayor of Curitiba, Brasil

“If we are facing in the right direction, all we have to do is keep on walking.”Buddhist proverb

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”Mahatma Gandhi

“A good city is a good social event.

What interests people the most

are other people. Build cities for

the people.”Jan Gehl, architect

“The concept of incentivizing

clean energy so that it’s the cheaper, more

effective kind of energy is one that is proven to work and is actually a market-based

approach.”Barack Obama

“Our waterways and reservoirs should

do more than meet our water

needs. They should enhance our living

environment and lifestyle.”

Lee Hsien Loong,Prime Minister of Singapore

3. Link sectors and actors page 21

2. Bridge the gap page 19

1. Lead the change page 17 4. Recognize the value of sustainable infrastructure page 23

6. Build the city for people together with the people page 27

5. Turn “green” into a business opportunity page 25

How can we prioritize the right policies?Integrate eco-effi ciency into decision making

How can we prioritize the right policies?Integrate eco-effi ciency into decision making


Seoul, Republic of Korea CheongyecheongThe historic waterway had to make place for an elevated expressway. In 2003, however, Seoul City embarked upon the restoration of the 5.8 km waterway by peeling back pavement to make this public space tho-roughfare a part of the citywide eco-friendly initiative.

Curitiba, BrasilURBS Rapid Bus SystemOff-board fare collection, along with the bus lane, is the key innovative strategy in “Metronizing” the Bus Transit System and is making it indeed rapid. The most important element in urban planning was a linear growth pattern, which served to protect both density and green public spaces. A combination of land-use zoning and public transport improvement led to a decrease of traffi c in the city centre and the development of services, housing, and industries along vertical axes.

Being the one to walk the unpaved road towards changing your city’s future requires courage because of potential initial resistance from a number of stakeholders who doubt the benefi ts of the new intervention. Experiences such as those in Seoul, Republic of Korea and Curitiba, Brazil however, show that in spite of initial resistance sustainable infrastructure development projects can be very successful, not only in eco-effi ciency and sustainability outcomes but also in increasing the popularity of the mayor or politician pushing the agenda.

Lee Myung BakPresident of the Republic of Korea

Jaime LernerThree-times Mayor, two-times Governor, architect, planner

Curitiba, Brasil

Lee Myung Bak, President of the Republic of Korea, started his political career as mayor of Seoul in 2002. Mr. Lee owes much of his electoral victory to two large-scale sustainable urban development projects he successfully completed as the mayor of Seoul: the restoration of the Cheonggyecheon waterway and the reformation of the public transportation system in Seoul. These sustainable infrastructure initiatives immediately made Mr. Lee a top presidential contender.

Following his three mayoral terms, Jaime Lerner won election twice as governor of Paraná State after which he retired from his political career to devote himself to the practice of architecture, planning and worldwide lecturing on sustainable urban design. Among many sustainable initiatives that Mr. Lerner initiated the “Metronizing” Rapid Bus System stands out as an example of a successful practice that made many cities follow. Mr. Lerner is a visionary leader and a strong advocate of the liveable city designed for people.

THE POWER OF

LEADERSSTRATEGIC

PRINCIPLE1

“When the best leader’s work is done, the people say: ‘We did it ourselves!’.”

Lao Tzu, Chinese Taoist Philosopher

“Anyone who has never made a

mistake has never tried anything

new.”Albert Einstein

“The city is not the problem, it’s the solution. And it’s a solution

for the problem of climate change.”

Jaime Lerner, former mayor of Curitiba, Brasil

Lead the change


?

Bogotá, Colombiashows that different short-term political agendas can be harmonized along one long-term vision, in this case the rebirth of a city based on the principles of inclusiveness and quality of life. Two mayors, Antanas Mockus and Enrique Peñalosa, built on each other’s achievements and ma-naged to transform Bogotá from a degraded city into one of the most competitive and liveable cities in Latin America in just one decade, while becoming very popular in their own right.

Seoul, Republic of KoreaThe reform of the bus system in Seoul shows that ambitious reforms can be carried forward through the short-term political cycles thanks to proper planning and stakeholder participation. In 2004, after a series of failed reform attempts, a consensus-based long-term plan was de-veloped. Today, the Seoul bus system forms the backbone of an integrated multi-mode transit network. It enjoys broad biparti-san political support as well as record levels of patronage across the board; yet also signifi cantly more manageable levels of traffi c congestion, improved safety and commuting time, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

One of the main reasons why sustainable approaches are often not prioritized is because of the time gap between costs (mainly in the short-term) and benefi ts (mainly in the long-term). Short-term results are important. They are important for citizens, who need to see interventions improving their daily lives. They are also important for politicians, who need to show tangible results within their mandates in order to be re-elected.

But competitive and liveable cities are not built overnight through quick fi xes. They are built though actions that produce long-term and sustainable benefi ts. Infrastructure has a long time span. Therefore, sustainable urban infrastructure solutions need to be thought and implemented decades in advance in order to anticipate needs. This requires undertaking not only policies that provide short-term solutions (e.g. expanding roads to ease traffi c congestion) but also those that provide long-term solutions (e.g. changing land use and developing a public transport network). How to reconcile short-term costs and long-term benefi ts, as well as different time horizons? How to “bridge the gap”?

First of all, with a shared long-term vision based on sustainability. A vision based on sustainability will help prioritize policies and projects that provide long-term solutions. Moreover, it will bring together and motivate citizens, businesses and bureaucrats around a common purpose. Second, by translating this vision into action and linking short-term goals with medium and long-term objectives through proper planning.

What does this mean for the city and its people? • The city will be able to embark in the long-term projects required to make it liveable, attractive and competitive in the international arena, ready for future challenges.

• Creating a shared vision to establish a liveable future will make people embrace change. Temporary inconveniences will be accepted if people see where the city is going and they had a say in it.

BRIDGE THE GAP

STRATEGIC

PRINCIPLE2

“In our personal ambitions we are individualists.

But in our seeking for economic and

political progress as a nation, we

all go up or else all go down as one people.”

Franklin Roosevelt

Link short-term goals to long-term vision


dynamics of urban infrastructure

communicationsinfrastructure

blue/greeninfrastructure

transportationinfrastructure

sewage infrastructure

waterinfrastructure

waste infrastructure

energyinfrastructure

Ulsan, Republic of Korea Eco-industrial-park (EIP)The eco-industrial-park in Ulsan demonstrates how linking-up various actors can promote eco-effi ciency and generate win-win situations. In an eco-industrial park, the waste generated by one company can be used as a resource for another one, thereby improving eco-effi ciency. In Ulsan, for example, an investment of US$5 million to exchange steam between the Sung-am municipal waste incineration facility and Hyosung Company generated profi ts of US$7.1 million per year, with a payback period of less than 9 months, allowing hiring 140 new employees.

An eco-industrial park (EIP) is a community of businesses that cooperate with each other and with the local community to effi ciently share resources, leading to economic gains, gains in environmental quality, and equitable enhancement of human resources for the business and local community.

Infrastructure development is still driven mainly by sectoral policies and multiple actors are involved, including national and local governments and the private sector. But most gains in eco-effi ciency can only be made by fi nding integrated solutions among sectors, such as transport and land-use planning. This calls for integrated policies and appropriate institutional arrangements and coordination mechanisms to be in place.

An integrated approach to urban development that is refl ected in urban management stands on four pillars: Assets based assessment – as opposed to needs assessment. Starting with assets and opportunities enables “development from within”, promotes partnerships to collaboratively address issues of importance to the community and creates development opportunities. Horizontal integration – between sectors. This enables to address development challenges that are crosscutting, and to identify new opportunities for development arising from the interfaces between the sectors. Vertical integration – between institutions and actors. This is required for the design and implementation of policies and strategies derived from the decentralized, multi-actors arena. Implementation and management platforms – to upgrade local capacities to initiate, lead and sustain local development.

What does this mean for the city and its people? • Better solutions that address people’s needs.• Cost savings that can be invested in social policies and job creation.

URBANSYNERGIES

STRATEGIC

PRINCIPLE3

An integrated and sustainable

approach to urban development

enables cities to respond to current

challenges of urban expansion,

resource depletion,

quality of life and increased

competitiveness.

“If you don’t understand the structure of

the city, it is difficult to work

on it.”Jaime Lerner,

former mayor of Curitiba, Brasil

Link sectors and actors


Singapore Active, Beautiful and Clean (ABC)

Waters Programme “Water for All: Conserve, Value, Enjoy”• Shift from cost to value• Shift from economic necessity to social relevance• Shift from mono-use to multi-functionality

Bogotá, ColombiaTransmillenio Rapid Bus System combined with walkable and green areas. Enrique Peñalosa won prizes for his efforts related to transportation, land use, housing for the poor, pollution abatement, the critical need for public spaces and their environmental benefi ts and overall contributions to the quality of urban life.

Current infrastructure approaches are generally biased towards unsustain-able approaches because environmental and social costs and benefi ts are not factored into decision-making. One of the major planning concerns of today is to do justice to the specifi c value that people associate with the city. In this regard, “green” has become more valuable in the city, not only from an environmental point of view but increasingly from a social and economic point of view.

Public transport, for example, has numerous co-benefi ts, such as reduced air pollution, improved road safety, reduced congestion, or increased land value. Similarly, developing blue-green infrastructure (i.e. parks and waterways), cleans the air, improves quality of life, provides employment and increases property value. The multiple values of sustainable infrastructure need to be integrated into policy-making in a holistic manner.

The case of Singapore shows a re-orientation of policy and thinking. From the historically grounded engineering approach that regards infrastructure resources as an economic good, water is now seen as a means to improve the quality of life of people and the attractiveness of the city as a whole. Water infrastructure management has been integrated as part of the planning and design of the city, so that the local community can begin to embrace its waterways as attractive and positive features in the urban landscape.

The case of Bogotá, Colombia shows that cities can be reborn by redesigning them not primarily on economic principles of profi t, but on those of social equity and quality of life. Developing infrastructure that all citizens, especially the poor, could benefi t from, such as developing public transport, sideways and bike lanes, improving parks and building new ones, and upgrading slums, turned Bogotá into one of the most competitive and liveable cities in Latin America.

What does it mean for the city and its people?• Local people as well as international business will embrace the city because of its aesthetic, healthy and dynamic living and work environments. The city will become a place to not only live and work but also enjoy life to the fullest.

VALUESFOR

SOCIETYSTRATEGIC

PRINCIPLE4

Developing infrastructure is not an objective

itself. It’s purpose is to

improve the lives of citizens.

Recognize the value of sustainable infrastructure


$

$

Suncheon City, Republic of Korea

Suncheon City has demonstrated

how investing in ecosystems can

stimulate economic growth that

is green and sustainable. Instead

of reclaiming its tidal wetlands

to host major petro-chemical

complexes and steel mills like

neighbouring cities, Suncheon

City turned its tidal ecosystem

into a source of competitive

advantage. The city government

and its citizens worked to restore

the ecosystem of Suncheon Bay,

enabling the city to emerge

as a centre of eco-tourism,

attracting more than 2.3 million

visitors (more than 10 times its

population) and creating 6,400

jobs and economic benefi ts

amounting to US$100 million.

Dushanbe, Tajikistan

A study on energy savings in public buildings in Dushanbe shows

the clear business case for green buildings. Public buildings in

Dushanbe are subject to high levels of energy losses due to the

poor thermal insulate on and heating systems. Energy consumption

could be reduced by an estimated 30-50% through energy effi ciency

measures. The thermal insulation for wall structures of a nice-storey

building, for example, can provide savings of US$900,000 a year

with a payback time of only 4 years, making such an investment a

clear business opportunity.

Investing in eco-effi cient and sustainable infrastructure contribute to economic growth, create jobs and generate profi ts. But governments (both national and local) need to create the condition for this to happen. Infrastructure projects generally have large spill-over costs and benefi ts, but these are not refl ected into market prices and, thus, into business cases. Moreover, business cases usually consider only the construction phase of infrastructure while operation and maintenance are neglected. However, a great share of the cost of unsustainable choices is incurred during these phases. This requires a life-cycle approach to infrastructure development.

The private sector can be the main driver for the development of eco-effi cient and sustainable infrastructure and for green growth in general, but this cannot happen as business-as-usual practices are more profi table that the eco-effi cient and sustainable ones. Governments need to tilt the balance in favour of sustainable practices and channel private sector investment into eco-effi cient and sustainable infrastructure projects. In other words, governments need to build the business case for eco-effi cient and sustainable infrastructure. This requires a mix of policy instruments, such as:Regulatory instruments – such as building codes, labeling of building energy performance, restricting parking and car ownership or imposing recycling regimes for specifi c materials.Economic instruments – such as fi scal incentives to developers, fuel taxes, congestion charging, subsidies for public transport or taxes on waste disposal. Information instruments – such as public campaigns on energy savings potential in buildings, marketing for public transport or waste recycling/reduction competitions among neighborhoods.

What does it means for the city and its people? • New and more sustainable sources of growth, profi t and employment.• Better goods and services and a more healthy and liveable urban environment.

GREEN AND

PROFITABLESTRATEGIC

PRINCIPLE5

To make an impact on society, eco-efficiency must go beyond simply

improving existing processes. It

must also involve changing existing

processes, creating new policies and changing or influencing

markets with new ideas and rules.

Turn “green” into a business opportunity


Surabaya, Indonesia

Waste generation reduction

This city achieved a reduction of

more than 20% in waste genera-

tion over a period of four years by

actively promoting composting of

organic waste and successfully

involving communities in solid

waste management activities.

Morón, Argentina

Participatory budgeting

This popular participation mechanism in which the community of

Morón can actively make decisions on how to spend part of the public

resources has resulted in improving public information access to the

executuion of more than 163 urban, cultural, sport, environmental,

sanitary and housing initiatives in fi ve years. Based on the

implementation of the various methodologies of civic participation,

the inhabitants of the district were able to determine the priorities of

their neighbourhoods and to suggest proposals.

Public participation should be understood as a process in which all concerned parties, including the affected people, are involved in the decision-making. While strong leadership is required to steer the process, broad-based public participation in planning and developing infrastructure is essential in order to guarantee win-win outcomes and the overall sustainability of solutions.

The prime element of any infrastructure system is its users, the people. Public participation can help ensure that action taken and services provided more adequately refl ect the needs of the people and that the benefi ts of development are more equally shared.

Participatory approaches can provide an institutional framework for such an integrated planning that can help to address the cross-cutting issues and deal with the problems of confl icting objectives of development. Participation of all stakeholders, including the community, can improve the quality of planning and decision making and facilitate the implementation of actions. In fact, without participation of all concerned actors it may not be possible to explore all available options and implement “diffi cult” policy choices, such as demand management measures in a transport development strategy.

What does it means for the city and its people? • Greater ability to deliver within budget, faster implementation, less public resistance. • Better response to local needs, increased community cohesion and increased understanding of problems.

CITY FOR THE PEOPLESTRATEGIC

PRINCIPLE56

Public Private Partnerships (PPPs)

need to focus on increasing the local

responsibilities and attracting

the private sector through transparency

of planning and budgets.

Build the city for people together with the people


STAGE B

STAGE C

STAGE A

STAGE D

GET STARTED

ESTABLISH A

VISION

SET OBJECTIVES

SELECT ACTIONS

IDENTIFY ACTIONS &

STRATEGIES

IMPLEMENT ACTIONS

MONITOR &

EVALUATE

ADJUST &

MODIFY

IDENTIFY STAKEHOLDERS

ANALYSE &

ASSESS

1 23

4

5

67

8

9

10

Where are we now?

Where

do

we

wa

nt

to g

o?

How do we get there?

Are

we

ge

tting

there

?

OF ECO-EFFICIENCY

STRAT

EG

IC PLANNING PROC

ESS

$

To integrate eco-effi ciency principles and criteria into current planning and urban development activities, these guidelines are organized around a four-stage strategic planning approach.

The planning process has four stages that entail ten steps. Each of the ten steps is broken down into more detailed tasks in the complete guidelines.

STAGE A: Where are we now?Step 1 GET STARTED Get organized and secure commitment, form an executive committee and a planning team, evaluate capacities, plan the process.

Step 2 IDENTIFY STAKEHOLDERS Identify stakeholders, establish the stakeholder group, ensure smooth communication, make a plan for engagement.

Step 3 ANALYSE & ASSESS Create a profi le of the city, identify legal frameworks and drivers of infrastructure development, conduct and eco-effi ciency assessment.

STAGE B: Where do we want to go?Step 4 ESTABLISH A VISION Review main challenges, collect ideas, formulate a vision.

Step 5 SET OBJECTIVESIdentify and organize issues, restate issues as objectives, ensure they are eco-effi cient, select indicators. STAGE C: How do we get there?Step 6 IDENTIFY ACTIONS & STRATEGIESGenerate action ideas to achieve your objectives, organize, screen, rank actions, develop strategies.

Step 7 SELECT ACTIONS Assess consequences of actions, prioritize best actions and strategies, assess mainstreaming opportunities and refi ne actions and strategies.

Step 8 IMPLEMENT ACTIONS Identify and address institutional and governance gaps, identify lead agency, mainstream actions into established plans, programmes and processes, develop an action plan.

STAGE D: Are we getting there?Step 9 MONITOR & EVALUATE Prepare a monitoring and evaluation framework and a work plan, decide whom to involve, when and how to document and report, evaluate results.

Step 10 ADJUST & MODIFY

Big changes come in stages.

Specifi cs in the

complete guidelines.

How to put the strategic principles into practice?


The need for inclusive and sustainable citiesCities are fast-growing concentrations of people, economic growth, develop-ment and poverty and enormous footprints calling for investments to keep up with consumption needs.

Infrastructure has key implications for urban developmentConstructing, maintaining and operating infrastructure is very resource inten-sive and once built, infrastructures lock cities into specifi c consumption pat-terns for decades. Choices made today will determine the competitiveness, quality of life and sustainability of cities for decades to come.

Eco-effi ciency: a driver for competitiveness and liveabilityDoing more with less means maximizing the quality of life, competitiveness and environmental sustainability of cities.

A new way to build competitive and liveable cities By initiating change, linking sectors and actors and identifying the multiple values of natural resources, we can turn green into a business opportunity and start to (re)build infrastructure that will be embraced by people, the city, the planet and our shared future.

The guidelinesBy refl ecting on the key principles and criteria of eco-effi ciency in detail, by giving best practice examples and by paving the path forward, the guidelines provide crucial lessons and steering in developing infrastructure and cities in a sustainable way. With tools and methods to apply eco-effi ciency principles to infrastructure development, you will be able to prioritize appropriate policies and interventions and develop strategies and plans for implementation. The guidelines inform and guide inspired politicians and planners who believe that cities are crucial for improving the quality of our lives.

WIN-WIN SOLUTION

Keep the holistic view:

think globally, act locally!

Towards eco-effi cient and socially inclusive cities


1 United Nations, Urbanization Prospects website the 2009 Revision: Percentage of population living in urban areas in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2030: 84.87%. Available from http://esa.un.org/unpd/wup/index.htm (accessed 22 April 2011).2 United Nations, Urbanization Prospects website the 2009 Revision: Urban population in Asia in 2030: 2,598,358. Available from http://esa.un.org/unpd/wup/index.htm (accessed 22 April 2011). 3 UN-HABITAT, State of the World’s Cities 2010/201, Bridging the Urban Divide (2010): Percent-age of urban population living in slums in Asia and the Pacific in 2010: Eastern Asia: 28.2%; South Asia: 35%; South-East Asia: 31%; West Asia: 24.6%; Oceania: 24.1%. Available from www.unhabitat.org/pmss/listItemDetails.aspx?publicationID=2917 (accessed 22 April 2011). 4 United Nations, UnData website, Slum Population in India in 2007: 109,501,151. Available from http://data.un.org/Data.aspx?q=slum+population&d=MDG&f=seriesRowID%3a711 (accessed 22 April 2011). 5 United Nations, UNData website, Population of the Philippines in 2008: 93,617,000. Available from http://data.un.org/Data.aspx?q=population&d=PopDiv&f=variableID%3a12 (accessed 22 April 2011). 6 United Nations, UNData website, Slum population in Brazil in 2007: 45,707,606. Available from http://data.un.org/Data.aspx?q=slum+population&d=MDG&f=seriesRowID%3a711 (accessed 22 April 2011). 7 United Nations, UNData website, Population of Chile in 2010: 17,135. Available from http://data.un.org/Data.aspx?q=population&d=PopDiv&f=variableID%3a12 (accessed 22 April 2011).8 Girardet, Connections (1995) Available from www.ourplanet.com (accessed 19 Octobre 2010)9 International Energy Agency, World Energy Outlook Report executive summary (2008). Available from www.worldenergyoutlook.org/docs/weo2008/WEO2008_es_english.pdf (accessed 06 June 2011)10 Global footprint network online. Available from www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/data_sources/ (accessed 19 Octobre 2010).11 The Sustainable Scale Project online: Available from www.sustainablescale.org (accessed (19 Octobre 2010).12 United Nations: The state of Asian Cities 2010/2011 (2010). Available from www.unhabitat.org/pmss/getElectronicVersion.aspx?nr=3078&alt=1 (accessed 22 April 2011).13 International Monetary Fund, world economic outlook database: nominal GDP list ofcountries, Latin America and the Caribbean. Available from www.imf.org/external/ (accessed 25 July 2011).14 ADB, ADB’s infrastructure operations: responding to client needs (2007, p 17). Available from www.adb.org/Documents/Books/Infrastructure-Operations/ (accessed 25 July 2011). 15 United Nations: The state of Asian Cities 2010/2011 (2010). Available from www.unhabitat.org/pmss/getElectronicVersion.aspx?nr=3078&alt=1 (accessed 22 April 2011).16 United Nations, Environmental Programme: Local Authorities Statement (2010). Available from www.unep.org/civil-society/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=5K38DQP4vg8%3D&tabid=2910&language=en-US (accessed 22 April 2011).17 PricewaterhouseCoopers, Global city GDP rankings 2008-2025: GDP of Buenos Aires 2008: US$362 billion (13 million inhabitants). Available from www.ukmediacentre.pwc.com/Media-Library/Glob-al-city-GDP-rankings-2008-2025-61a.aspx (accessed 05 May 2011).18 Congreso de Transporte de Lima. Organizado por la Municipalidad de Lima (2000)19 United Nations, Sustainable Infrastructure in Asia: Overview and Proceedings. Seoul Initia-tive Policy Forum on Sustainable Infrastructure. Seoul, Korea, September 6–8, 2006. Available from www.unescap.org/esd/publications/st/2448/Sustainable%20Infrastructure%20in%20Asia.pdf (accessed 19-10-2010).20 United Nations, Environmental Programme: Building and Climate Change; Summary for Policy Mak-ers (2009). Available from www.unep.org/SBCI/pdfs/SBCI-BCCSummary.pdf (accessed 22 April 2011).21 World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Eco-efficiency: Creating More Value with Less Impact (North Yorkshire 2000). Available from www.wbcsd.org/web/publications/eco_effi-ciency_creating_more_value.pdf (accessed 22 April 2011).

Sources of quotes are not referenced. We kindly ask for the understanding of the authors.

Carbon footprintis a measure of the impact our activities have on the environment, and in particular climate change. It relates to the amount of greenhouse gases produced in our day-to-day lives through burning fossil fuels for electricity, heating and transportation, etc. It is a measurement of all greenhouse gases we individually produce and has units of tons (or kg) of carbon dioxide equivalent. To calculate your carbon footprint, go to: www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspxSource: Carbon Footprint TM. Online: www.carbonfootprint.com (both visited 4-11-2010)

Carrying capacitycan be defined as the maximal population size of a given species that an area can support without reducing its ability to support the same species in the future. Specifically, it is a measure of the amount of renewable resources in the environment in units of the number of organisms these resources can support.Source: Roughgarden (1979)

Eco-efficiencyis defined as the delivery of competitively-priced goods and services that satisfy human needs and bring quality of life while progressively reducing ecological impacts and resource intensity throughout the life-cycle to a level at least in line with the Earth’s estimated carrying capacity.Source: WBCSD (2000)

Ecological footprintis a measure of how much biologically productive land and water an individual, population or activity requires to produce all the resources it consumes and to absorb the waste it generates using prevailing technology and resource management practices. Today, humanity uses the equivalent of 1.5 planets to provide the resources we use and absorb our waste. If everyone lived the lifestyle of the average American, we would need 5 planets. Turning resources into waste faster than waste can be turned back into resources puts us in global ecological overshoot, depleting the very resources on which human life and biodiversity depend.Source: Global Footprint Network. Online: www.footprintnetwork.org (visited 4-11-2010)

Eco-Industrial park (EIP)is a community of businesses that cooperate with each other and with the local community to efficiently share resources (information, materials, water, energy, infrastructure and natural habitat), leading to economic gains, gains in environmental quality, and equitable enhancement of human resources for the business and local community.Source: Chertow: Uncovering Industrial Symbiosis (2007)

Life cycle analysis and thinkingimplies that everyone in the whole chain of a product’s life cycle, from cradle to grave, has a responsibility and a role to play, taking into account all relevant external effects. From the extraction of the raw material through refining, manufacturing, use or consumption to its reuse, recycling or disposal, individuals must be aware of the impact that this product has on the environment and try to reduce it as much as possible. The impacts of all life cycle stages need to be considered when making informed decisions on the production andconsumption patterns, policies and management strategies. Source: UNEP (2003)

Sustainable development The Brundtland Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development defines sustainable development as follows: “Humanity has the ability to make development sustainable – to ensure that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meets their needs.”Source: United Nations (1987)

Endnotes and references Glossary

page 34 Executive summaryA

re w

e bu

ilding competitive and liveable citie

s?

Guidelines for

developing eco-effi cient and socially

inclusive infrastructure

UN

-ESC

AP | UN-ECLAC | UN-HABITAT

UDL EI Colu mbia Univers

ity

Cover: Kibae Park, ESCAP/ page 2: Kibae Park/ page 3: top – ESCAP, bottom – ECLAC/ page 4: Kibae Park/ page 8: Kibae Park/ page 9: left – Fang-zhou Zhou, right – Ulsan Metropolitan City/ page 16: top – Stephanie Vacek, middle right – Morana M. Stipisic, bottom left – Lina Faria/ page 18: top right – Enrique Peñalosa, botoom left – ESCAP/ page 20: Ulsan Metropolitan City/ page 22: top – Flaminia Maietti, middle right – Enrique Peñalosa, bottom left – Public Utilities Board (PUB) Singapore/ page 24: top – Suncheon City, bottom – Kibae Park/ page 26: top – Kibae Park, middle left – ESCAP, bottom right – ECLAC, page 30: Evert Doorn

Cover, design and all diagrams by Morana M. Stipisic, UDL EI CU

Notes

Photographs

Diagrams

$

$

$

UN ESCAP | UN ECLAC | UN HABITAT | UDL, The Earth Institute, Columbia University