United Cities - Issue 3

viewpoint

www.pfdmedia.com July/August 2011 • United Cities 5

Issue 3 • July/August 2011 A PFD Publicationwww.pfdmedia.com

Access to waterWhy local governments need to do more

X Free public transport: a solution for congested cities? X The devastating cost to India of poor sanitation X How African mayors are leading the fight against HIV

Climate Alliance


VIEWPOINT

3 Water in an urbanizing worldJens Berggren , Director, World Water Week (Stockholm)

5 Rethinking health for cities of the futureAndré-Jacques Neusy, Executive Director, Training for Health Equity Network

COVER STORY

WATER AND SANITATION

6 Water and sanitation: how can we increase access in cities?An expert panel talked to William Thorpe

12 France spurs water projects through innovative lawEleanor Wragg

17 New report reveals devastating cost of poor sanitation in IndiaJake Rollnick

INTERVIEW

21 Gérard Collomb, Mayor of LyonJonathan Andrews

FEATURES

24 Singapore: the challenge of housing a nationDr. Cheong Keen Hean, CEO, Singapore Housing Board

28 How African local governments are leading the campaign to tackle HIV and AIDSHelen Watson

32 Can free public transport help cities tackle urban congestion?Sarah Marks

37 Mogadishu’s rise from civil warKirsty Tuxford

CUTTING EDGE

42 The transformation of Phnom Penh’s water supplyNick Michell

ROUND-UP

46 News from UCLG Regional Sections

REGULARS

20 Calendar Upcoming events

36 People Co-president of UCLG Ilsur Metshin,

Mayor of Kazan

62 Conference reportUCLG Executive Bureau Meeting, Rabat International Transport Forum, LeipzigC40 Large Cities Summit, São PauloFostering Learning for Global South, DurbanICLEI Resilient Cities, BonnCarbon Expo, Barcelona

68 My Life, My City José Forunati, Mayor of Porto Alegre

Managing editorRichard [email protected]

Editor, AmericasJonathan Andrews [email protected]

Editor, Europe and Middle EastNick Michell [email protected]

Editor, Asia-Pacific and AfricaKirsty Tuxford [email protected]

Staff writersSarah MarksWilliam Thorpe

ReportersJake Rollnick Helen WatsonEleanor Wragg

Production editorJonathan Kutnowski

Sales executivesPaul [email protected] Brown [email protected] [email protected]

PublisherPeter [email protected]

Sales directorWillem [email protected]

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Cover image: iStockphoto/Bartosz Hadyniak

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Issue 3 • July/August 2011

2 United Cities • July/August 2011 www.pfdmedia.com

VIEWPOINT


Water in an urbanizing world

What separates a city from a slum? Is it paved roads and well-kept houses?

Green parks and striking architecture? The answer is something much more basic than that: safe drinking water and proper toilets. According to UN-HABITAT, three out of the five indicators that define an urban settlement as a slum are directly connected to water and sanitation. If the residents in your district are forced to defecate into plastic bags because there is nowhere else to go – you are in a slum. If you and all your neighbours can find clean water in the tap – you are probably not.

This distinction is much more than semantics. Having access to water and sanitation is central to human well-being. It brings dignity, ensures health and boosts economic growth. These things are so easy to take for granted. Several decades of proper water and sanitation services have made many people forget that only a hundred years ago the world’s modern metropolises all struggled with the dirt, the diseases and the economic losses that come with the lack of these basic services. Beautiful buildings may look better on a postcard but towns without toilets do not attract tourists. To transform cities, going back to basics is the way forward. Water to drink, a toilet to visit and shelter that is safe from storms and floods.

This August, the 2011 World Water Week in Stockholm will bring thousands of participants from over 100 countries to the Swedish capital under the theme Water in an Urbanising World. More than half of humanity now lives in cities, and two more people are moving to join them every second. Ninety-five percent of this predicted urban expansion will take place in developing countries. Serving all urban residents with clean water and sanitation services is the

most critical challenge for emerging and expanding cities.

Clean water and sanitation is the foundation for sustainable urban growth, but it is only the start. Basic water services are the most cost effective measure to keeping people healthy, which is necessary to be productive. But water is also indispensible for almost all industrial production. In the US, it takes about 100 litres of water to produce one dollar worth of industrial products. Even a mobile phone takes 1,000 litres

of water to produce. As most cities expand, the available volume of water to draw upon does not. Finding new sources of water becomes both more expensive and difficult to tap.

While this is hardly news to city planners, location matters. And most people like to live near water bodies, often in areas that are extremely vulnerable to flooding and landslides. Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of storms and drought, making proactive water management necessary. Building resilience to cope with bursts of more and less water into the urban fabric is more urgent than ever.

One might go as far as stating that water management is the key to better living in cities. Fix this and you transform urban ills into opportunities for social and economic development. Investments in water management, infrastructure and services means avoiding costs related to water pollution, contamination and disasters. The returns on this investment are overwhelmingly positive. The World Health Organization estimates that every dollar put into water and sanitation stimulates somewhere between US$3 and US$34 dollars in future economic growth and prevented losses for local governments.

From August 21-27, leaders from government, business, and civil society will come together in Stockholm to meet with water experts and urban planners to find solutions for cities. They will meet to identify the strategies that stimulate improved coordination, innovation, integrity and investment in urban water management. We hope you join us, but the conversations should not take place in Stockholm alone. In all cities, in any part of the world, institutions, urban planners and academia should pick up on the challenge, sit down together and talk water. n

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IJens Berggren, Director, World Water Week (Stockholm)

To transform cities, going back to basics is the way forward. Water to drink, a toilet to visit and shelter that is safe from storms and floods

EPA.878.APCS 2011 United Cities ad - outlines.indd 1 18/03/11 11:15 AM

VIEWPOINT


Rethinking health for cities of the future

Professor André-Jacques Neusy, Executive Director of the Training for Health Equity Network

Since retiring from the UK government in 2006, Sir Nigel Crisp, a former Chief Executive

of the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), has been involved in a range of global health initiatives – a topic to which he has also contributed a series of stimulating arguments.

One of his key points is that rich countries’ health models – such as the UK model he knows so well – will be limited in their ability to teach emerging economies how to respond to the massive shift in health demands that will accompany their large scale economic growth. This is particularly true of the so-called BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India, China) as well as Mexico, Turkey, Indonesia, Pakistan and dozens of other emerging market countries in Latin America, Asia, Europe and Africa.

These countries, as we know, are not mimicking the West’s growth trajectory. Their paths are unprecedented both in terms of speed and scale. They are both subjected to – and central actors of – a shifting, evolving and uncertain new global economic context.

In his recent book, Turning the World Upside Down, Sir Nigel has this straightforward bit of advice for policymakers from rich countries: “Stop telling people what to do and start listening to them. The truth is that there is a great deal rich countries can learn from poorer ones.”

This is the central message of the Training for Health Equity Network, the organization I lead, which seeks to source best practices in training health workers in under-served communities, and share it amongst an expanding global network of health profession

schools, many of which are located in the ‘Global South’.

We select these schools for their proven commitment to working with vulnerable communities. Through the network, both schools and communities share and implement radical new approaches to training a new generation of health workers.

As our network steadily grows, I can see the seed of the innovations pioneered by our partner schools turning into a tangible paradigm, which I believe is full of promise for emerging economies. And it starts with cities.

Looking to citiesMore than half of the global

population lives in urban areas – and over 1 billion live in slums and other low-income areas. The global picture is one of increasing pressure being put on already overstretched urban infrastructures. And by 2050, it is predicted that 80 percent of the population will be urban – living on about 3 percent of the Earth’s landmass.

According to the UN, in most emerging market cities, at least a third of the population lives in unsatisfactory and inherently unhealthy conditions. As their economies grow, emerging market cities are being confronted with the growing burden of non-communicable diseases, consequences of unhealthy lifestyles and poverty, with conditions such as obesity, diabetes, heart attacks and high blood pressure reaching epidemic proportions for the urban poor.

Cities also produce 75 percent of global carbon emissions. Globally, outdoor urban air pollution kills 1.2 million people every year. These are just some examples of how urban health also needs to factor in a series of related issues, requiring responses across all areas of government as well as long-term planning.

But urbanization is not all bad news. Providing public transport, energy,

infrastructure and basic services creates economies of scale which can greatly reduce carbon emissions. Low-income areas are always hotbeds of social and economic entrepreneurship. The Zabaleen, traditional trash collectors living in Cairo’s slums, have transformed their deprived conditions and improved their lives by converting waste into marketable products. Close to 20 percent of India’s GDP is generated in Mumbai where half of the population lives in slums. Slum dwellers, frequently not registered and who, therefore, do not enjoy the benefits of a legal identity, have created important innovations such as grassroots savings groups that invest in public toilets, new housing and basic services.

These were some of the points made at the Emerging Markets Symposium on Urbanization, Health and Human Security, organized by Green Templeton College, Oxford University – a forward thinking initiative seeking to gather experts to identify key urban health challenges and place them high on governments’ agendas at international, national, regional and city level.

As Jaime Lerner, the former mayor of Curitiba, Brazil, said in a recent interview to CNN: to change a city you need political will, good strategies, solidarity and a feeling of co-responsibility. We should do more to tap into these sources of knowledge and build upon them as part of an urban health knowledge network focused on the experiences of the emerging world.

This was actually a point made again and again at the Symposium, not least by former mayors of Karachi, Bogota and Budapest, who all stressed the need to learn from each other’s experiences. They emphasized the need to learn from successful efforts globally but reinvent locally. And if they can do that the potential of emerging market cities is astounding. n

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Water and sanitation: how can we increase access in cities?



Mark Smith, Director, IUCN Global Water Programme

We should indeed be asking ourselves what it will take, locally or globally, to find solutions to the water crisis. How can we lower water risks for people and business, for nations and nature, to build a resilient water future? We all depend on getting these answers right. By focusing on the following three principles, we would be going in the right direction:

1. Water has an economic value. Many of the world’s big cities have understood that protecting natural ecosystems to secure their water supplies makes economic sense. Rather than chopping down forests or draining marshlands, keeping water catchments healthy saves billions of dollars by not having to pay for costly urban infrastructure to store water, clean it or bring it from elsewhere.

2. Protect water resources. Cities are often dependent on surrounding rivers, upstream wetlands and groundwater aquifers. These forms of natural water infrastructure,

together with engineered infrastructure, pumping and piping systems, help guarantee water supplies to urban areas as cities grow. Yet, many cities are losing precious water resources through leakage or pollution. There is also growing evidence that water resources are significantly affected by climate change, particularly through the impact of floods and droughts.

3. New investments that are cost-effective. Ensuring healthy watersheds improves cost-effectiveness. When basins are part of urban water management, it benefits rural and urban people.

Protecting and conserving healthy watersheds is essential for many of the world’s biggest cities and saves billions of dollars. For example, Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, relies on the Guatopo and Macarao rivers for its freshwater provision. Those rivers continue to supply a constant flow of freshwater to the city’s five million inhabitants. By protecting the forests of China’s Miyun watershed – an IUCN project site - water benefits worth US$2 billion a year are secured, whilst supplying 70 percent of Beijing’s drinking water. Healthy wetlands provide natural wastewater treatment services too, such as the Nakivubo wetland in Uganda, which saves the capital city Kampala US$2 million a year in terms of sewage and treatment facilities.

Most of the water we use, some 70 percent globally, we use to grow food. More is used to keep business and

industry productive and profitable. The idea that we need water to keep us healthy and clean is familiar.

However we easily forget that it is also fundamental to keeping us nourished, to the economy, to jobs, to wealth and security. We need water flowing in rivers for energy, for trade and for enjoyment.

The private sector can assist in improving efficiency within agricultural and industrial sectors, as well as investments in solutions. Another way forward is in working with others to manage their resources in ways that strengthen water security for all (for example investing in healthy watersheds).

Looking towards the future, the IUCN Water Programme will continue working through the Water and Nature Initiative (WANI) and projects with IUCN members and partners, governments and communities, to drive innovation in water management and build consensus on coordinated action to meet the needs of both people and nature.

Protecting and conserving healthy watersheds is essential for many of the world’s biggest cities and saves billions of dollars – Mark Smith

On World Water Day this year, 22 March 2011, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged governments to invest more in water and sanitation services noting that in the past decade, the number of urban dwellers without access to water in their home has risen by 114 million and those without basic sanitation facilities has risen by 134 million.

William Thorpe asked a panel of leading industry experts to propose solutions to tackle the threat to health and economic productivity from the decline in access to water and sanitation.

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Ensuring the Millennium Development Goals are achieved requires that adequate investments are made, with a focus on good governance, technologies that are efficient, and a holistic approach to cities and basins.

Olcay Ünver, Coordinator of the UN World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP)

As the World Water Development Report (WWDR) has established, drinking water and sanitation targets enshrined directly in the Milllenium Development Goals (MDG) Declaration do not sufficiently reflect the role of water in the achievement of all eight of the MDGs, which include reducing extreme poverty and hunger, promoting gender equality, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, combating diseases and ensuring sustainable development.

Due to a combination of poverty, vulnerability to drought and crop failure, a lack of safe drinking water, and other environmentally related ills, millions of people die each year. Although there are discrepancies among different regions, the figures clearly show that at the current rate of investment, meeting water and sanitation-related targets of the MDGs will not be possible in all regions. Even if we could meet all of the MDGs, more than one-quarter

of the world’s people would still not have access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation infrastructure. Consequently, 2015 should be considered as the first critical step in a much longer process that is required to combat poverty in all its shapes and forms.

Since the 1970s, freshwater resources have been on the international agenda, yet top-level political commitment to water in the real and practical sense is still missing. Municipalities and local governments are well aware of the need to provide water services to every increasing urban population. National governments, together with other decision-making bodies, must now make water a priority – with robust national strategies, sound legal frameworks, well-functioning institutions and adequate financing to promote local water management and the provision of water related services. In addition, increased financial commitments, both at the national and international level (in the shape of ODA) need to be made to address the full range of water needs. It should be recognized that funding for water generates and sustains benefits in all key developmental sectors, such as health, education, gender equity, economic growth and environmental sustainability.

The 4th edition of the World Water Development Report Managing water under uncertainty and risk will be launched at the World Water Forum in March 2012, and drives home the point that all water users are – for better or worse – change agents that affect and are affected by water. The report will highlight that by improving water resource management and more effectively addressing risks we can create benefits and reduce vulnerabilities to people and the environment. Leaders and financial decision-makers must not let water resources and the benefits they provide suffer through lack of finance; rather, funding opportunities can be created and all water stakeholders actively

encouraged to participate in the investment of a more secure water infrastructure, and a more secure future for all water users. One of the key messages of the WWDR4 is that more responsible action by all water users has enormous potential to lead to better outcomes.

Dr Ania Grobicki, Executive Secretary, Global Water Partnership (GWP)

Rapid urbanization means that cities and towns often cannot expand their infrastructure fast enough to provide new residents with clean water and sanitation facilities. All over the developing world there are large and growing informal settlements, more commonly known as slums, without proper services. Recognizing that the residents are there to stay and providing services to them in situ is the fastest way to reducing the number of people without access to water and sanitation facilities. However there are many bureaucratic and planning constraints (as well as physical and financial constraints) to providing such services.

The challenges are manifold. First, in many informal settlements, physical access can be difficult. These areas are typically densely packed, with little land left in between dwellings where services can be laid. Second, cost recovery is a major issue: if there is little prospect of recovering costs and organizing payment systems, it is not easy for the government to finance the services. Finally, particularly where infrastructure is already overburdened, some authorities view these areas as a nuisance. Strong and far-sighted

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local government as well as active civil society involvement is needed to enable such settlements to be serviced. Where this is lacking, access to water may only be possible from tankers and small entrepreneurs (unregulated in many places) whose water is very expensive, while the quality may be less than adequate. The urban poor, buying water in small quantities, can end up paying many times the rate for water than that paid by those with piped water connections.

That’s why it’s not just an engineering problem but also one of governance. Building the capacity of people and institutions that have to plan and manage these services is part of the urgency. The challenges have more to do with strengthening local government, utilities and urban residents to ensure proper service provision, than with the technologies involved, which are well known. That said, there are innovative technical approaches which can be used, for example, remote sensing (satellite imagery, for instance) to track growth and plan services in settlements which do not appear on the formal cadaster. Decentralized (small-scale) treatment systems and grey water recycling and reuse can ease conditions in dense settlements, and make service provision more feasible.

GWP includes Urban Water Partnerships, such as the Karachi Water Partnership, which works with local governments, utilities, industries, the media, civil society and local

residents in this city of 18 million people, in order to reduce household water demand and inform people (especially women) about how to make the available water go further.

There’s no doubt about the urgency of supplying water and sanitation, whether for urban or rural people. But equally important is to improve how water is managed. In recent years many political and corporate leaders have taken up the water cause. They now need to make tough decisions about trade-offs, pricing, corruption, lack of human and financial capacity, and special interests. Ultimately, good water management is about good governance: making policies, laws, financing, and institutions that deal with water transparently and coherently. Creating that environment requires government [at all levels], civil society, and the private sector to work together, one of the reasons that GWP exists.

Because water is the basis of human life and prosperity, improving its management and use is a prerequisite to poverty reduction. When governments invest in water management and infrastructure, they are investing in the economic and social development of their country. Every effort to reduce poverty may be commendable but investing in water management is indispensable.

Gerard Payen, President of AquaFed, the International Federation of Private Water Operators

Despite numerous efforts, public policies to develop water and sanitation services in cities in developing countries are being outpaced by demographic growth and urbanization. There are more people without access to tap water in cities today than at the end of the 1990s.

In September 2010, AquaFed, launched a global alert on the ‘Urban Regression’ in water. Evidence was drawn from publicly available UN statistics which had remained unnoticed. Comparing the latest figures from 2008 with 2000, the initial year of the Millennium Development Goals programme, shows a clear deterioration. Over those eight years, in cities, and towns of all sizes, the number of people without access to tap water at home or in the immediate vicinity increased by 114 million and the number of people without access to private sanitary toilets (basic sanitation) increased by 134 million. In both cases, this means an increase of 20 percent in the number of individuals living in cities who lack access to these basics of life. The number of people in urban areas without access to ‘improved water sources’ (for example sources that are protected more or less from direct contamination) and the number of people obliged to defecate in the open has also increased.

Despite all the efforts, in the urban half of the world, these domains that are essential to life and to social and economic development are losing ground. The world is regressing with water and sanitation services in cities.

Many newcomers to cities settle where they can find a place for their families, even if there is no pre-installed public infrastructure. In many cases they join illegal settlements where public authorities have been unable to plan and provide for them and where their illegal situation hinders connecting them to existing water networks.

The challenge is to accelerate the rate of expansion of access to water services to match the growth of new urban residents. This seems possible in many parts of the world.

When governments invest in water management and infrastructure, they are investing in the economic and social development of their country –Dr Ania Grobicki

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Current efforts are already very significant and effective. Results are impressive: within the same eight years, the number of urban residents with access to tap water grew by 400 million, for instance 135,000 more people every day! If these efforts had been increased by 30 percent, the urban situation would have been stabilized.

Can private operators contribute? Certainly they can. Water operators, public and private, are contributing actively to implementing water and sanitation policies. They are the tools used by governments to develop access to water. Formal private operators have been mandated by governments to

serve 7 percent of the urban population in developing countries and the World Bank estimates that within a decade they have succeeded in increasing the number of people with access to safe drinking water, in the areas they serve, by 50 percent in these countries.

A surge is necessary to reverse the trends in the urban half of the world. Obviously, current efforts in rural areas should continue while efforts in urban and peri-urban areas should be stepped up to prevent the situation worsening further.

We certainly do not want to leave our children an urbanized planet where living conditions are worse than today. This is why I advocate a

clear acceleration of drinking water and sanitation programmes in cities. The race between infrastructure and demographic growth must be won by responsible authorities organizing the infrastructure and services that are needed so urgently.

Mr Loïc Fauchon, President, World Water Council

The challenges faced by local authorities are becoming increasingly complex and require long-term solutions with mayors and water managers required to tackle both the issue of water quantity and quality.

Local authorities and heads of utilities must try to guarantee the right to water and access to water for all, hold dialogue with consumers and citizens, manage tensions and conflicts between different uses, facilitate innovation, capacity building and transfer of solutions, and organize a better governance of water services and sanitation.

This issue of water and sanitation cannot be addressed without establishing a link with solid waste, energy, and local land management policies. All this implies a constructive dialogue between policy makers, water professionals and citizens.

In reality, the problem, particularly in the poorest countries, is quite different. In rural areas one usually tries to improve access to latrines,

without being able to deal all the time with the impact on groundwater pollution.

In urban areas, the question arises on a completely different scale and relates to the entire purification cycle. This means collecting, then treating for domestic and industrial effluents, which is both complex and expensive.

We are now shifting towards a world of regulatory policies to manage the demand for water: satisfying the needs while controlling consumption; this is what today and tomorrow’s decision makers will have to deal with.

After the 5th World Water Forum, held in Istanbul, 2009, the World Water Council ensured the promotion of the Istanbul Water Consensus which saw an increase from 60 to 700 signatory cities and regions from 33 countries in May 2011. The implementation is being supported by around 20 champion cities acting as drivers and guides of the implementation on particular challenges (for example adaptation to climate change in coastal areas, ageing infrastructure, water safety and health).

We are convinced today that producing energy and making water more accessible is part of the same battle. When energy is missing and when the price of oil is skyrocketing, access to water suffers. This is why the World Water Council, throughout the climate negotiations, will continue to advocate that the water-energy package be taken into account.

The World Bank estimates that within a decade they [private operators] have succeeded in increasing the number of people with access to safe drinking water, in the areas they serve, by 50 percent in these countries. – Gerard Payen

This issue of water and sanitation cannot be addressed without establishing a link with solid waste, energy, and local land management policies – Loïc FauchonPh

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We need this water-energy package just like the world needs climate negotiations on a brand new basis. This negotiation must strike a better balance between the necessity of fighting against poverty and the imperatives of ensuring a rigorous protection of biodiversity.

Anders Berntell, Executive Director, Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI)

Political will and financial support from the international community is needed to help stem the trend [which Ban Ki-moon highlighted]. It is about prioritising for local municipalities, cities and the decision makers in those cities, including mayors. We know that many of those cities have the capabilities but need to prioritise more. On the other hand it goes to the entire community, where we see that some donors have decreased their support in water infrastructure over the last few years.

The trend is quite dramatic. It seems that there are a number of cities, mostly in developing countries, that are increasingly lagging behind. More often than not it is the mid-sized cities, of around 1 million people, that are falling behind. That is where growth is happening and will happen in the future.

It cannot be blamed on a lack of technology. It isn’t a technical challenge

as the technology is there. In extremely dry areas of the world, with very scarce water resources, citizens are, nevertheless, able to be supplied with adequate drinking water. Technology has developed so rapidly over the last decade that it really is not the issue any longer. The issue now is getting our act together.

It is a challenge for many developed countries, where it is more about how to do this in a more sustainable way then what we are currently doing. We

know that cities consume a lot of water and there is competition between the use of water in cities and in other parts of society, like food production and industry production. There is a water and energy nexus, but also one that links into food production.

Cities also use a lot of energy; to produce, distribute and then collect, and treat their water. We really need to address this facet in a much more integrated and holistic way than we have done so far. In water and energy use, but also utilizing the synergies between the urban side and the rural side.

Rural areas produce food that is consumed in cities, but we also need to make sure that the waste from cities is returned back to farmland in a better way than what we are doing now. The other link is with organic

waste that is produced in cities, from wastewater treatment plants and organic waste from households, which can then be converted into energy like biogas.

We have all these potential synergies that can help cities become more energy efficient in water and wastewater management. We can produce energy from organic waste and put the nutrients back into farmland where it comes from.

One of the key challenges is to address these issues in a more integrated and holistic way. This goes for both developed and developing countries. We need to get out of our ‘silos’ and different sectors that we usually find ourselves in and work more together.

It is a joint challenge between developed and developing countries, and to some extent this is a matter of leadership. City mayors need to take the initiative to get people from different disciplines and different parts of their administrations to sit down and try to find the synergies. I believe very strongly that they exist and if we just sit down together we can find them, and we can find ways to make our cities much more efficient in water and energy. n

We need to get out of our ‘silos’ and different sectors that we usually find ourselves in and work more together – Anders Berntell

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The challenge is one of governance not technology

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Paris has contributed €2.8 million to 40 projects benefitting 1 million people

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Not many Parisians are aware of this, but by turning on the tap or taking a shower, they are

helping to provide water and sanitation access to populations in the developing world. Admittedly, their individual contribution, at around €0.60 a year for a family of four, is not huge, but by adopting a recently passed law, the City of Paris has been able to contribute an impressive €2.8 million to 40 projects in 20 countries over the last 5 years, benefitting a million people.

Passed in 2005, the Oudin-Santini law permits French local authorities and water agencies to contribute up to 1 percent of their budget to international cooperation actions in water and sanitation. They can then use these new budgets to create a direct solidarity link between water users in France and those in the South.

“The law has contributed to progressively position regional and local authorities as key and essential actors in water and sanitation access in developing countries, particularly through decentralized cooperation,” says Pierre Schapira, Deputy Mayor of Paris.

International action by local and regional authorities has a long history in France, beginning after World War II by twinning with German towns as a way to build mutual knowledge and respect, and continuing after independence in Africa as a way to exchange culture and promote

development. That foundation phase lasted until European integration in the 1970s, when France’s communes, départements and régions became actors in European cooperation, driven by the interest of locally elected officials in participating in development assistance and international solidarity. In 1992, an act was passed, authorizing French local and regional authorities to sign cooperation agreements with their counterparts in other countries, a piece of legislation which underpins all French decentralized cooperation action.

In 2002 the French Court of Audit condemned decentralized cooperation by water agencies as being contrary to their objectives. In response, Member of Parliament, André Santini, President of the Council of the Water Agency for Seine-Normandie and President of SEDIF, the utility in charge of Paris’ water supply, introduced the law, named after himself and former Senator Jacques Oudin.

“Water is a rare and precious global resource,” said Santini at the time. “France’s temperate location ensures abundant water resources which are not subject to fluctuations. It is not the same for large parts of the world: water-scarce areas represent over 40 percent of the earth’s land surface. Therefore, we must enter fully in aid missions to developing countries to provide these countries with technical

France spurs water projects through innovative lawFrance has introduced an innovative law enabling water companies and local governments to fund projects in the developing world through contributions from their own consumers. Eleanor Wragg reveals how the initiative works and why local governments in other countries are following suit

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skills, expertise and resources in the areas of water supply and sanitation.”

Today, all regions of the world are on track to achieve the Millennium Development Goal on access to drinking water, with the exception of sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania. With regard to sanitation, without an immediate acceleration of the mobilization of financial resources, the world will not reach half the target in 2015.

“Faced with this situation, local authorities have a role to play in providing practical solutions and promoting access to water and sanitation in developing countries,” says Schapira. “The Oudin-Santini mechanism has much to do with this, and more and more French local authorities have implemented it since the passage of the law in 2005.”

Since the law was introduced, the City of Paris has been engaged in activities to promote access to water and sanitation in developing countries through decentralized cooperation and grants to NGOs for development projects and emergency actions.

By mobilizing both its financial resources and the technical skills of its management company, Eau de Paris, the city’s projects make it possible to acquire drinking water and purification equipment, carry out population hygiene awareness campaigns and increase the skills of local players.

“This kind of practice motivates and enables French local elected representatives, local managers and local decision makers to face new

challenges, through international cooperation with local governments and local authorities in very different economic, social, environmental and cultural conditions,” says Jean-Louis Oliver, Secretary General of the French Water Academy.

So far, Paris’ international cooperation has had very convincing results. For example, the €134,234 subsidy granted to the NGO SOS Sahel by the City of Paris between 2007 and 2010 allowed the construction of 655 latrines and the training of 17 local masons in the town

of Nasséré, in Burkina Faso, benefitting 6,500 people. Accompanied by hygiene training, diseases related to sanitation have decreased by more than 50 percent in three years.

Between July 2009 and February 2011, the City of Paris was involved in a cooperation project with the Municipality of Jericho, for the implementation of a Water Master Plan. This project, which was co-financed by the French Development Agency, paired the experience and know-how of a local NGO with the technical expertise of the City of Paris.

“The final study presents both a detailed diagnosis of water resources and a clear analysis of the operation of the domestic and irrigation networks by the Municipality of Jericho,” says Schapira. “A true dynamic of cooperation in the sustainable management of water resources was initiated.”

The City of Paris’ cooperation also touches on emergency response initiatives. Immediately following the earthquake which hit Haiti on 12 January 2010, the City granted €50,000 to the NGO Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED) to provide access to drinking water and basic sanitation for more than 2,000 people.

Paris also gives its support to restoring drinking water networks in Bethlehem, and subsidizes the low-income connection policy of the Phnom Penh Water Company in Cambodia. In three years, more than European Union

European Regional Development Fund

DISCOVER OUR PROJECTS AND RESULTSwww.urbact.eu

AFCCREThe French Association of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (AFCCRE) was one of the key organizations behind the implemention of the Oudin law. “AFCCRE has been lobbying for several years so that the powers achieved by the French local authorities in terms of water management could also benefit their international partners,” says AFCCRE president Louis Le Pensec. “In parallel, we are willing to actively participate in the major international conferences aiming at empowering local authorities in the framework of the action defined by the strategy of UCLG and CEMR.”

AFCCRE is already involved in the preparation of the 6th World Water Forum through its National Organization Committee, working with states, NGOs and the national networks of local authorities. The Commission on Local Authorities, set up by the Committee, met on 30 and 31st March 2011, on the initiative of the Urban Community of Lyon. “The goal is clear: it is now time, after the Mexico Forum in 2004 and Istanbul in 2009, to make sure that the final ministerial declaration acknowledges the responsibilities that local and regional leaders must assume in the management of the common public good,” says Le Pensec.

WATER


3,700 Cambodian households have been given access to drinking water as a direct result (see Cutting Edge page 42).

The Oudin-Santini law is extremely ambitious. According to an estimate by PSEau (Programme Solidarité Eau), if all French local authorities took advantage of it, an extra €100 million a year could be mobilized for development projects. In the year immediately following its implementation, an estimated €8 million was mobilized in France, with figures growing year on year.

“The first challenge is to raise awareness of the law and inform local and regional authorities of the existence of this tool,” says Schapira. “In 2009, I tried to bring together cities, NGOs and associations with water agencies benefiting from this law. But, at that time, many of them had not implemented the law, or did not even know of its existence. Since then, the situation has changed and the tool is now increasingly being implemented. We hope that the upcoming Marseille World Water Forum [see box] will also help to raise awareness.”

Another challenge has been the mobilization of human resources to monitor and produce projects over

the long-term. “Water and sanitation projects can only be planned over several years. They require support through the mobilization of complex expertise for the whole duration of the project. For local authorities, it is sometimes difficult to have the

human resources needed to implement such projects. The challenge is also to always involve the technical and administrative expertise of the cities in the south in the definition and implementation of projects,” says Schapira.

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Re-establishing basic sanitation in Haiti is one of many efforts that Paris has assisted in

6th World Water Forum – Marseille 2012The five World Water Forums organized since 1997 have placed water on the international political agenda.

One of the main outcomes of the 5th World Water Forum was the Istanbul Water Consensus (IWC), launched by the Mayor of Istanbul Kadir Topbas, when Co-President of UCLG in 2009. Nearly 800 mayors have signed the IWC so far, committing to prepare action plans to analyze water-related challenges and implement strategies to cope with them.

Organized jointly by the French State, the World Water Council and Marseille, the 6th World Water Forum, running from 12th to 17th March 2012, will be the “Forum of Solutions”, seeing mayors and local authority leaders reporting on their progress so far.

“Together, we can enable knowledge exchange; we can talk and see how things are progressing,” says Martine Vassal, Deputy Mayor of Marseille, president of the 6th World Water Forum Roots and Citizenship Process. “Then, we can make governments aware that if they don’t implement legislation to put water at the top of the agenda, nobody will be obliged to do a thing. We aim to advance the dialogue. There are many wonderful ideas in many places and we want to bring them all together. The increasing urbanization of the world means that without sanitation and best practices being implemented, we will face many problems in having good quality water – even in developed countries.”

The 6th World Water Forum aims to unify industry players to achieve solutions to water access and quality. “During the last forums, every commission, from the political to the domestic, was working on its own,” says Vassal. “With this forum, we will connect the water actors, the political sector, private sector, NGOs and citizens to put water at the top of everybody’s agenda. If we want to achieve real solutions, we need to involve everybody at every level.”

Martine Vassal


16 United Cities • June 2011 www.pfdmedia.com

WATER

Cités Unies France (CUF)Cités Unies France and the French government have been active withIn the framework of the intergovernmental cooperation memorandum related to water resources management signed on 6 June, 2007 in Vietnam. This year the French Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development, in close liaison with the Water International Office, and several French firms and agencies, will be launching a pilot project on the river Dong Nai, the third biggest river of Vietnam.

Even though this cooperation programme will begin on the Dong Nai river, the aim is to set up efficient governance in the field of water for the whole country, including by revising the Vietnamese legislative framework. The pilot project will be co-managed by Vietnamese and French local authorities.

Inspired by this, and in support of the Istanbul Water Consensus, many other cities have expressed their commitment to developing decentralized cooperation partnerships.

The Walloon government in Belgium has created an international solidarity fund for water which will dedicate €0.0125 per cubic metre of water consumed by its citizens to international development, which will generate €2 million every year.

In Italy, a tradition of decentralized cooperation has also led some regions to take a special interest in water, connecting the issue of water at home to the issues faced by those in the developing world. The region of Emilia Romagna combines a campaign to save water at home with donating funds to their decentralized cooperation projects.

And in January 2011, the Dutch government made it possible for water utilities in the Netherlands to spend 1 percent of their budget on achieving the Millennium Development Goal on drinking water, helping 50 million

people in developing countries to access safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.

“This initiative is making Dutch people think more about development, despite an ongoing political discussion about if it is prudent in times of economic crisis to spend part of the drinking water tariff on international development projects,” says Kenneth Comvalius, Managing Director of World Water Net, a foundation launched by the Amsterdam water board.

Now, Schapira, and the City of Paris, are thinking up new ways to harness the power of decentralized cooperation, with a particular focus on

the immigrant communities that have made the city their home over the past few years. “We can encourage them to pursue projects of water and sanitation in their countries of origin. They know the local conditions and have shown to be viable and appropriate actors,” he says.

The City has implemented a "Paris Co-développement Sud" label to finance these migrant projects, supporting six water and sanitation projects in Africa since 2006. “Such projects are the future of decentralized cooperation projects where local officials, representatives of civil society and international donors work together in a concerted manner,” says Schapira. n

SANITATION


SANITATION

Mahatma Gandhi once said sanitation is more important

than independence so he would be appalled that, as a thriving independent economy, India leads the world in open defecation.

Fifty-five percent of the Indian population still defecate in the open, generating more than 35 million metric tonnes of human excreta per day – enough to fill 14,000 Olympic swimming pools. And the health

and other impacts costs the country dearly: around US$53.8 billion per year (6.4 percent of GDP — more than double their education budget), according to The Economic Impacts of Inadequate Sanitation in India, a report released in December 2010 by the Water and Sanitation Program, a global partnership administered by the World Bank.

The Program’s report categorizes four elements which are most harmful to the economy: health-

related impacts, domestic water-related impacts, access time impacts (absence of children - mainly girls - from school, and women from workplaces), and tourism impacts.

“For decades we have been aware of the significant health impacts of inadequate sanitation in India,” says Christopher Juan Costain, Water & Sanitation Program Regional Team Leader for South Asia. “This report quantifies the economic losses to India, and shows that children and

New report reveals devastating cost of poor sanitation in IndiaA lack of adequate sanitation in Indian cities is costing the country a staggering US$53 billion a year in terms of the health and social impacts. By Jake Rollnick

SANITATION


poor households bear the brunt of poor sanitation.”

The health-related impacts are critical: premature deaths and the costs of treating diseases and the loss of productive time due to people falling ill costs the Indian economy US$39 billion each year. In terms of water-related impacts, the household treatment of water, use of bottled water and time costs of fetching cleaner water from a distance cost US$10.8 billion. The absence of children (mainly girls) from school and women from their workplaces costs US$4.24 billion (although this last figure has a much more damaging long-term effect). And finally, it costs India US$268 million annually in lost tourism.

The problem is not India’s alone. Globally, 2.6 billion people are deprived of sanitation facilties, 980 million of which are children. Of these 2.6 billion people, the vast majority live in developing countries, which means that half the people in the developing world do not have a proper toilet. About 90 percent of sewage and 70 percent of industrial waste in developing countries are discharged without treatment, often polluting usable water supplies. The result? More than 2.2 million people, mostly in developing countries, die each year from diseases associated with poor water and sanitary conditions: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever. Diarrhea is the second biggest killer of children under five - 5,000 die every day.

In Mumbai, 54 percent of its 18 million residents are slum dwellers, with little or no access to sanitation facilities, exposing themselves to diarrhea, malaria and dengue fever. Every morning, 6 million people use the public trains, packed in like sardines, exposing themselves to a cocktail of communicable diseases.

In Dhaka, Bangladesh’s capital, the water-logged state of the city makes it almost impossible to keep the clean and the dirty water separate. With

an official population of 12 million (unofficially 20 million), the city has only 48 public toilets – one for every quarter of a million residents. People do their business in primitive, open toilets, and as the monsoon rains come, water levels rise, and their raw sewage goes straight back into the water supply.

But it is India which is bearing the biggest economic costs. A study, carried out in 2007 in East Asia found that the annual per capita losses were lower in other countries: US$9.3 in Vietnam, US$16.8 in the Philippines, US$28.6 in Indonesia, to a high of US$32.4 in Cambodia. “In contrast, India lost US$48 on a per capita basis, showing the urgency with which India needs to improve sanitation,” says Costain.

India loses more money through poor sanitation than Tamil Nadu earns - the fifth largest contributor to India's GDP.

The issue starts with poor management of the water distribution system: none of the 35 Indian cities, with a population of more than 1 million, distribute water for more than a few hours per day, despite generally adequate infrastructure.

Yet the solution to this problem is not beyond us. It is not even expensive. The cost of meeting the sanitation Millennium Development Goal per year until 2015 is US$9.5 billion. To put this into perspective, this sum is one-third the estimated amount spent on bottled water. Yet the effects are huge.

Better sanitation has a major impact on health, education and mortality (see box). A study by the Government of Bangladesh and UNICEF (DPHE-DPE-UNICEF) revealed an 11 percent increase in girls’ enrollment in schools due to the provision of sanitary latrines. The WHO estimates that 194 million school days, resulting from fewer incidents of diarrhea, would be gained annually if the MDGs for sanitation were met.

A package of comprehensive sanitation and hygiene measures can result in a 45 percent reduction in

Separating girls’ and boys’ toilets at school increases girls’ enrollment by around 11 percent

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More than 2.2 million people, mostly in developing countries, die each year from diseases associated with poor water and sanitary conditions

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adverse health impacts, and avoid all the adverse impacts of inadequate sanitation related to water, welfare, and tourism losses. As a result of comprehensive interventions, the report study estimates India would have potential gains of US$32.6 billion, which was the equivalent of 3.9 percent of GDP in 2006.

In broader terms, for every dollar spent on sanitation, India would achieve a US$9.1 return, and for every dollar spent on water, the return is US$4.4.

This study underlines that not only are substantial investments needed but that these can become effective only when they result in reducing the incidences of death and disease, mitigating impacts on drinking water, improving welfare, and reducing impacts on tourism. The study recommends a new monitoring framework at the national and local levels — one that measures not just toilet coverage and use, or coverage of sewerage and number

of wastewater treatment plants, but also the improvements in the overall health, water-related, environmental, and welfare indicators that are caused by inadequate sanitation.

It is difficult to expand sanitation services in pace with rapid population growth but there is a fundamental reason for these impacts: decision makers are reluctant to speak publicly about sanitation and, as long as sanitation is stigmatized, the crisis will continue. We urgently need public education, targeted policy and, above all, the political will to tackle this challenge.

“Conservation of national sanitation is Swaraj [self-rule] work

and it may not be postponed for a single day on any consideration whatsoever,” said Gandhi. Access to proper sanitation is India’s most important challenge. n

Better sanitation means better learning and retention among schoolchildren

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Diarrhea is the second biggest killer of children under five — 5,000 die every day

Impacts of Improved Sanitation • Lower morbidity rates in the population.

• Lower mortality rates due to diarrhoea.

• Better nutrition among children.

• Cleaner environment.

• Safer food and increased impact of improved water supplies.

• Better learning and retention among school children.

• More dignity and privacy for everybody especially women and girls.

• Increased awareness of the importance of sanitation and hygiene and the need to develop a more permanent strategy.


Upcoming EventsUrban Development• Shelter Academy (UN-HABITAT,

Arcadis), 15-17 August 2011, Amsterdam, Netherlands

• Montréal 2011 Ecocity World Summit, 22-26 August 2011, Palais des Congrès de Montréal, Canada

• 2nd Intercessional Meeting for UN Conference on Sustainable Development Rio +20, 14-15 November 2011, New York, USA

• 10th World Congress of Metropolis, 23-26 November 2011, Porto Alegre, Brazil

Technology• Promoting Quality Educational

Outcomes through Mobile Technology, International m4Ed4Dev Symposium, 18-19 August 2011, Washington DC, USA

• Bilbao-FLACMA: XII Meeting of Digital Cities, 28-30 September 2011, Bilbao, Spain

Transport• Urban governance: Getting People

on Board! (UITP, International Association of Public Transport), 5-7 October 2011, Gothenburg, Sweden

Water• Responding to Global Challenges

– Water in an Urbanizing World, World Water Week, 21-27 August 2011, Stockholm, Sweden

Governance• FCM-FLACMA: Meeting for

legislative and local authorities of Latin American and Caribbean, 25-27 August 2011, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia

• VI Latin American Forum of Local Governments, 27-29 September 2011, Asuncion, Paraguay

• UCLG ASPAC Council Meetings, 3 October 2011, Melbourne, Australia

• UCLG-MEWA Symposium on Local Government Ombudsman, 20 October 2011, Düzce, Turkey

• 31st AIMF (International Association of French-speaking Mayors) General Assembly, 25-27 October 2011, Yerevan, Armenia

• Eurocities 2011: Planning for people, 2-5 November 2011, Genoa, Italy

• The Cities Alliance Council Meeting, 7-9 November, 2011, Maputo, Mozambique

• 4th Global Forum on the Alliance of Civilizations and Cultural Diversity, 4-9 December, 2011, Fez, Morocco

Environment• Local Government Latin American

Forum on Environment and Sustainable Development, 14-16 September 2011, Manaus, Brazil

• 17th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties, COP 17, 28-29 December 2011, Durban, South Africa

Aid• 4th High Level Forum on Aid

Effectiveness – Making Aid Work, OECD, 29 November – 1 December 2011, Busan, Republic of Korea

CALENDAR

United Cities and Local Governments World Council DATE : 9-11 December 2011DESTINATION : Florence, ItalyWEBsItE: www.cities-localgovernments.org DESCRIPTION: The next UCLG World Council will take place in Florence (Italy) on 9-11 December 2011. All members of the Council are invited to participate.

To feature your event in the Upcoming Events section, please send details to [email protected]

INTERVIEW


Lyon is widely renowned as the first city that pioneered the bicycle share scheme. Is it flattering to know that many cities around the world have copied this? It is always flattering to see something born in Lyon taken up elsewhere. But we are modest in Lyon. I think that every city has strong potential for innovation and can spread its good practices throughout the world and other cities. Each municipal team can then do everything possible to bring

such innovations into the public eye. I do everything I can to make Lyon a hotbed of innovation.

What have you learnt from this scheme and can the model be introduced into other aspects of city life?Vélo'V has taught me above all that you have to be bold to suggest pioneering solutions, even when there is no guarantee of their success. At the time it was a real gamble. Only a few diehards rode their bicycles in Lyon. Vélo'V has since won over all generations, not just students. We have thus extended the concept of Vélo'V to car-sharing which operates on the same principle.

More broadly, with the demands for sustainable development, I think that the economics of the functionality – hiring rather than buying a product – promise a good future.

What else do you hope the rest of the world will imitate from Lyon?

I think that Lyon is proof of an original development model, which deserves attention. This model of

sustainable development blends economic excellence, social integration and urban quality of life for all. For economic excellence, we have stimulated cooperation between the research and business worlds through world-renowned competitiveness clusters in biotechnology, transport and green technologies. For social integration, we have made huge efforts to bring our suburbs closer to the city through public transport links. In terms of urban quality of life for all, we set out to build superb public spaces with major architectural statements. The Rhone banks and the Confluent district are both huge urban projects held up as examples the world over.

Apart from the bicycle share initiative, the city has also developed new metro and tramlines. What is next for the city’s transport developments?

We have expanded public transport tremendously to the east of the urban area with extended tramway lines. More broadly, we are constantly expanding the network so that a tram or metro stop is on every street

Lyon took a gamble in 2005 by launching the world’s first bicycle-hire scheme, which led to a global trend for mayors to adopt such schemes in their city. Jonathan Andrews talked to the Mayor of Lyon, Gérard Collomb, about the latest projects that might inspire other cities

BIO: Gérard CollombBORN: Chalon-sur-Saône, 1947STUDIES: Graduates from the Lycée du Parc of Lyon and then at University after studying classics in 1970.1987: City councillor of Lyon.1999: Senator for the Rhone Department, Member of the Commission for Cultural affairs.2001: Elected Mayor of Lyon and President of the Lyon Urban Community (Greater Lyon).2008: Re-elected as Mayor of Lyon.

Gérard Collomb, Mayor of Lyon, France

INTERVIEW

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corner. But the most important thing, in my view, is making a success of the challenge of intermodality. We must be able to change our means of transport very quickly. Moving from the car to the metro, from the metro to the tram, from the tram to the self-service bicycle in record time. We are therefore tackling the challenge of synchronizing the various means of public transport as much as possible.

The main theme for this issue of United Cities is water. What must we do to urgently fix the growing number of people without access to clean water and adequate sanitation facilities?

Greater Lyon is committed to helping to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, and has mobilized 0.4 percent of its water and sanitation budget (an annual figure of €600,000) in support of 99 global projects since 2003. There have been 920,000 beneficiaries under the Water Fund framework, building up the capacity of our Lebanese and Madagascan partners and counterparts in water management under our decentralized cooperation.

At the end of May, Lyon hosted a meeting among international local and regional authorities to launch the political process of the 6th World Water Forum. What were the main points to come out of this meeting?The elected representatives defined their priority strategic goal with a view to the 2012 Forum which is to ensure that states recognize their fundamental role in providing access to water and sanitation and in managing water resources.

Four policies have been adopted to achieve this goal:

1. Requesting states to adopt legislation decentralizing this service to local and regional authorities, including with the financial means to carry out this function.

2. Creating a club of local and regional authorities, which have signed the Istanbul Consensus, in order to mobilize

the greatest number of elected representatives to make commitments on water and sanitation.

3. Strengthening international cooperation between local and regional authorities to exchange good practices and set up pioneering financing mechanisms (similar to the Oudin Law, see article page 12),

4. Bringing together populations and all international players in the various water and sanitation related projects.

Concrete results we have achieved so far include almost 60 new local and regional authorities announcing their commitment by signing the Istanbul Water Consensus in Lyon at the 30-31 May meeting.

What can other cities learn from Lyon’s own water experience?The experience of Greater Lyon as a reference in the area of water can be taken from our water policy. Greater Lyon has defined a water policy based on a sustainable and integrated approach to managing water and sanitation. This includes protecting the water supplies, ensuring a drinking water supply for residents, combating all types of pollution and controlling rainwater run-off.

Secondly, Greater Lyon has developed a very strong research and development culture with its

partners. The city helped to create the Rhône-Alpes Research Group on Infrastructures and Water (GRAIE), a network which unites local authorities, businesses and academics in developing concrete actions like the Urban Hydrology Field Observatory, a joint venture of 12 research laboratories, publishing a guide on rainwater in town planning.

Thirdly, Greater Lyon is strongly committed to International Solidarity and Decentralised Cooperation. We do this through our Water Fund and projects in decentralized cooperation, with the example of the AGIRE project carried out with the Haute-Matsiatra Region in Madagascar. Here the partnership covers three objectives as part of the local implementation of the Madagascan water code: improving water resource management, expanding access to water and sanitation by building infrastructures, and building up the capacities and autonomy of local authorities. Between 2006 and 2010 the programme was carried out at six sites, representing an investment of €240,000, and trained six municipalities in project ownership and water management.

Finally, Grand Lyon was declared a "water and health pilot city" during the 2009 World Water Forum in Istanbul. Our priorities are to put urban water management back into a logic of well-being for residents and to expand eco-development around water.

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Lyon has mobilized €600,000 from its water and sanitation budget in support of 99 global water projects

INTERVIEW


Lyon, and yourself as mayor, played a pivotal role in the development of the Global Digital Solidarity fund. How important is it for cities to play a role in helping less developed cities, especially in breaking down the digital divide?

Cities have a decisive role in combating the digital divide, for they are home to the main resources of the information society and its key players – businesses, universities and non-governmental organizations. Through decentralized cooperation agreements they can provide considerable support for their partners in this new development sector: through digital education, remote medicine, e-farming and e-banking.

In your role as Co-Chair of the UCLG Committee on Decentralised Cooperation (that aims to promote relationships internationally between different cities) what successes have you seen from this programme? And what is the potential for future success?The City of Lyon was behind the creation of the UCLG Decentralised Cooperation Committee and chaired it from 2005 to 2010. In November 2010, during the 3rd UCLG World Congress in Mexico, the Decentralised Cooperation Committee merged with the City Diplomacy Committee to form a single committee – the Development Cooperation and City Diplomacy Committee, run jointly

by Lyon and VNG (the Association of Netherlands Municipalities).

Local authorities in all regions of the world are intensifying their discussions and their commitment to development aid; to reduce poverty and advance the peace process. I believe in that role, for they are at the right level to be real levers for concrete action.

Despite lobbying for increased recognition, local and regional authorities are still relatively inconspicuous to international agencies and lending institutions. It is important to improve lobbying and insist on recognizing their added value. We have to produce reference documents, genuine communication tools, which will be carried by every member of the Committee. UCLG has a duty to be the first organization to produce such a document, with the potential to help local and regional authorities achieve recognition on the international stage.

Another Lyon first has been developing a cultural partnership with Dubai. How authentic will the reproductions of Lyon’s neighbourhoods in Dubai be and can the ‘Lyon-Dubai City’ initiative ever really be authentic?

The Lyon development model was picked up by Dubai, which is seeking to create a 300-hectare district expressing a type of urbanity and convivial atmosphere previously unknown in Dubai. This district will take its inspiration from

contemporary Lyon and the emphasis will be on the human dimension through its low-rise buildings and the chance to stroll peacefully through the streets. The quality of life will be promoted by the arts, achieving excellence, and the culture and elegance specific to France.

Lyon has launched an ambitious ‘metropolitan vision’ of the city in 2020. What are the main goals and how would you like to see Lyon in 2020 and beyond?

With Lyon 2020, we have tried to prepare the future of our urban area better with a clear ambition to turn Lyon into a competitive, responsible metropolis and a seat of innovation.

We have therefore identified three major focal points: health – making innovation serve life; gastronomy – showcasing conviviality as an art of living; and the rivers – making our city an urban and human laboratory in relation to the river.

The Part Dieu business district, for example, is the second largest in France and we have conceived its development as a genuine ‘living lab’, with the business and cultural worlds interacting together in the service of creativity and innovation. We will continue with the development principles we have been applying for ten years: a dense, green city, with extensive use of public transport, and with major architectural character. n

Lyon’s 2020 vision aims to bring a focal point back to its two rivers

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HOUSING


HOUSING


Singapore – the challenge of housing a nationIn February 1960, Singapore set up its Housing and Development Board (HDB) to tackle the chronic housing problem and to deliver on the vision of a nation of homeowners. Today, more than 80 percent of Singapore’s population live in public housing and 95 percent of HDB flat dwellers own their flats. Dr Cheong Koon Hean, CEO of the Housing and Development Board, reveals how the city state moved from slums and overcrowding to a model of subsidized housing for its citizens

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Today, looking at Singapore’s gleaming skyscrapers and pristine streets, few people

would realize that 50 years ago, Singapore faced a housing crisis. With a booming post-war population and a shortage of proper housing, living conditions were wretched. Many people lived in slums and overcrowded squatter housing.

“A home-owning society was just a gleam in my eye when I first announced the home ownership scheme in 1964,” said Mr Lee Kuan Yew, then Prime Minister. “Few thought a home-owning Singapore possible. More than half our people were living in crowded shop houses or cubicles and squatter huts.”

Aware that without proper housing infrastructure, progress and development would be impeded, Singapore’s newly-independent government set up the Housing Development Board and charged it with the mission to tackle the crisis.

Rising to the challenge, HDB built 50,000 flats in a short span of five years. This was more than double the 23,000 flats that its predecessor, the Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT) had managed to complete in 30 years. In addition, Singapore adopted an innovative financing model to allow citizens to access the new housing.

In many cities round the world, social housing comprises mainly rented housing but Singapore took a different path and encouraged home ownership instead. To achieve this policy goal, a major challenge was to find a way for families to pay for a flat.

The Home Ownership Programme received a boost when the Central Provident Fund (CPF) eased the rules in 1968 to allow its members to pay for their HDB flats from their CPF savings. The CPF is a social security savings plan where both workers and employers set aside a portion of the worker’s monthly income to help build up their retirement savings. By allowing a portion of the CPF to be used for housing, this has helped to bring home ownership within the reach of most Singaporeans. In fact,

some 80 percent of the buyers do not need to use any cash per month to pay for their flat as the mortgage can be paid through their CPF.

Generous subsidies and grants further ensured that ownership of an HDB flat would remain affordable and continue to be within reach of their target groups.

Prices of new HDB flats, sold on a 99-year lease by HDB, are priced below their market value through a market subsidy. First-time buyers have the choice of buying a flat directly from HDB at a subsidized rate or receive a S$30,000 to S$40,000 (US$24,000 to US$32,000) CPF housing grant from the government if they choose to buy from the resale market. In addition, for lower income families, they are given extra grants to help them buy their flat.

As public housing is heavily subsidized by the government, eligibility conditions ensure that only deserving applicants enjoy the subsidies — such as setting an income ceiling. At the current ceiling of S$8,000 (US$6450) a month, about 8 in 10 Singaporean households are eligible to buy a subsidized HDB flat. A proper family nucleus is also required.

Different needs, different schemes Singaporeans who qualify for an

HDB flat can find a housing scheme that fits their different needs and pockets. From the less well-off to young couples and singles buying their first home, to the elderly, carefully calibrated schemes help to prioritize housing allocation to meet the needs of these different groups.

Young couples buying an HDB flat for the first time enjoy better chances of getting an HDB flat so that they can set up home earlier. At least 90 percent of flats are set aside for first time applicants who are given twice as many

chances under a balloting system over other applicants.

As family is a key building block in Singapore society, enhanced chances are also given to married children who wish to live together with their parents or in separate flats near each other through The Married Child Priority Scheme (MCPS).

As society evolves, some elderly flat owners prefer to maintain their independence while still living in close proximity to family and friends. The HDB provides smaller and more affordable studio apartments with a shorter lease of 30 years for such elderly Singaporeans. The elderly can sell off their existing flat, buy a smaller studio apartment and still enjoy some cash proceeds from the sale of their previous flat. This is a way of monetizing the existing flat which has appreciated in value over the years.

Building communities in well-planned towns

As the public housing authority in Singapore, HDB recognizes a higher, overarching need to create a strong sense of belonging among residents and goes beyond building flats to house Singaporeans.

While a typical HDB town houses some 100,000 to 300,000 residents, the town is divided into precincts with 400 to 800 flats each. Each precinct shares a common cluster of facilities and activities which foster greater interaction among residents, and in

Original housing blocks erected by HDB in the 1960s

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For a small island like Singapore where land and space are scarce resources, HDB faces the challenge of balancing the requirements for housing, growth and preservation of the environment

Punggol eco-town, Singapore

turn promotes a stronger sense of community. The facilities can include wet markets, food centres, clinics and banks to meet residents’ daily needs.

The Singapore government continually invests to upgrade its housing estates. As a home-owning society, such continuous rejuvenation of the HDB towns protects the citizen’s stake and asset. Older towns that start to show signs of age are upgraded through various programmes to

maintain their worth and value and to ensure a good living environment.

The Upgrading Programme was an ambitious plan to rejuvenate the older HDB estates. New playgrounds, sheltered pedestrian linkways, landscaped gardens and open spaces for residents to mingle were constructed. Within the flats, a utility room or balcony was added, and old plumbing replaced. A total of S$820 million was spent upgrading over 150,000 flats between 1993 and 2001.

In 2007, the government introduced HDB’s Remaking Our Heartland (ROH) programme where selected towns will undergo major transformations. One of the first towns identified was Punggol.

Located at the north-eastern part of Singapore, Punggol is one of the oldest settlements in Singapore. Poultry and vegetable farms which used to thrive in the area now make way for plans to develop Punggol into Singapore’s first sustainable eco-town.

As a ‘living laboratory’, Punggol eco-town is set to test out new ideas and technologies in sustainable development, integrating urban

solutions to create a green living environment and to promote sustainable living.

For a small island like Singapore where land and space are scarce resources, HDB faces the challenge of balancing the requirements for housing, growth and preservation of the environment. With HDB flats occupying a large part of Singapore, HDB’s commitment in reducing Singapore's carbon footprint is significant for the country’s sustainability.

Braving new challenges Fifty years on, HDB continues

to face the challenges of providing new flats for different groups of Singaporeans, rejuvenating towns and forging communities. HDB will continue to find innovative solutions to ensure that we optimize land use whilst providing a sustainable and high quality living environment for our residents. It must also help our greying population to age in place, and work towards better integration of our existing and new residents for greater social cohesion. n

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How African local governments are leading the campaign to tackle HIV and AIDSHaving seen first-hand the devastation wrought on their communities by HIV/AIDS, local government associations, mayors and municipal leaders in Africa have mobilized to confront the AIDS epidemic. By Helen Watson

Being close to the communities they serve, local government leaders are arguably best placed to take action on AIDS, and help close the implementation gap

HEALTHCARE

Sub-Saharan Africa has been hit harder by HIV/AIDS than any other region in the world. An

estimated 22.5 million people are living with HIV in the region, representing over two-thirds of the global figure. In 2009, 1.8 million people died from HIV/AIDS and another 2.6 million people were infected with the virus. 14.8 million African children have already lost one or both parents to the disease, and because it affects people during their most productive years, HIV/AIDS also hampers Africa’s economic progress.

Although many African countries have developed comprehensive national strategies to try to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS and provide access to treatment, an “implementation gap” exists between planning and action at the local level. Being close to the communities they serve, local government leaders are arguably best placed to take action on AIDS, and help close the implementation gap.

This explains the origins of The Alliance of Mayors and Municipal Leaders on HIV/AIDS in Africa (AMICAALL) which was launched in 1998 during the 10th International Conference on HIV/AIDS and STDs in Africa.

The Alliance now has national chapters and programmes in 13 countries: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Malawi, Mali,

Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.

“We believe the programme has contributed to the creation of an enabling environment where fear and stigma can be overcome and access to appropriate services can be achieved, through mainstreaming HIV and AIDS responses into local government operations,” says Terry Parker, Regional Adviser for the AMICAALL Regional Secretariat. “The programme has also been instrumental in local governments seeing HIV and AIDS as a developmental as well as a health issue.”

UCLG and its predecessors provided moral and technical support to the establishment of the organization, and so far it has held special sessions on HIV/AIDS and Local Government at Africities meetings in 2000 in Windhoek (where

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the AMICAALL Secretariat was established), 2003 in Yaoundé and 2006 in Nairobi.

AMICAALL’s national chapters and programmes improve capacity development and local governance on HIV/AIDS, coordinating mayors, councillors, bureaucrats, local leaders, local government associations and volunteers to work together at the local level to mitigate the impact of the disease.

AMICAALL’s engagement with local authorities begins with a sensitization workshop where officials are introduced to ideas about what they might achieve in their capacity as municipal leaders. Municipal initiatives are then launched, accompanied by a programme development process and resource mobilization. Then attempts are made to find ways of strengthening the municipal framework for multisectoral response.

“We are developing a framework to bind all urban councils in the country to plan for HIV/AIDS,” says Dr John Mugisa, AMICAALL, Country Director for Uganda. “In addition, we conduct skill-based training for urban leaders, in planning, corporate governance, HIV mainstreaming, HIV workplace programmes, as well as providing skills in management and capacity building. In every urban council, we help to establish

an HIV focal point. Because of their commitment to us, every single town council in the country has introduced a budget line to tackle HIV/AIDS.”

The Ugandan chapter has gone a long way toward stimulating urban local leadership to lead the response to the disease.

“Everywhere you go in Uganda now the urban leaders and the mayors are key advocates. They are influencing behavioural change at the individual and the community level,” says Mugisa.

A particular achievement that symbolizes the success of the programme is where local authorities have taken genuine ownership by including budget lines for HIV and AIDS responses and applying their own source revenues for response

activities based on their local realities. This is a tangible outcome of mainstreaming and strategic planning advocated by AMICAALL; and HIV and AIDS responses are becoming part of the core business of councils,” says Parker

Because of AMICAALL’s work, a growing number of local government authorities in Africa have initiated actions to deliver services within their communities.

In Swaziland, AMICAALL’s in-school health clubs reached 20,244 young people in 2008/09 and 10,423 in 2009/10. Namibia has seen HIV/AIDS impact assessments and strategic planning carried out in 10 municipalities, with a Community Capacity Enhancement (CCE) programme in 23 local authorities, with 13 new roll outs in the past year. Between 2009 and 2010, groups were trained in Cameroon on registering non-profits/cooperatives and business operation and 50 micro-projects / business operations were funded. In Uganda, 352,954 condoms have been distributed by peer educators to most at-risk groups.

In Zambia, the AA4 Initiative – a joint US$300,000 programme involving ZNP+, ZCSMBA and AMICAALL – has created a unique partnership between civil society, local government and the business sector, establishing links between 84 support groups and business development

The Central African Republic is one of 13 countries where the alliance operates

Local governments are now key players with the UN and national governments in the fight against HIV/AIDS

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services to create viable enterprises. The programme represents a sustainable mitigation strategy through employment and income generation. And, in Kenya, 135 local authorities have established AMICAALL committees so far.

“We go out to every municipality, every county, and work out a basket of the resources that are available from the people’s point of view, and then from what is available, which could be land or natural resources or skill-sets, we find out what can be exploited, and look at areas where we can generate employment or local economic development,” says Margaret Jobita, Country Director for AMICAALL Kenya.

Through projects that incorporate income generating activities, AMICAALL addresses several issues.

Low-income people affected by HIV and AIDS are often caught in a downward spiral of sickness and poverty. Poverty fuels the epidemic: limited access to health care and education, minimal economic options, and lack of sexual rights for women are all contributing factors to the vulnerability of poor people to HIV infection and the development of AIDS. “The epidemic exacerbates poverty,” says Parker. “Furthermore, the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly Goal 6, cannot be attained without addressing the economic impacts of HIV/AIDS. AMICAALL is helping to work towards achievement of MDG 1 and 6 through the response programmes to HIV and AIDS.”

The AMICAALL programmes have raised the profile of local government as a key actor in national responses to HIV/AIDS. Local government now participates actively in national policy dialogue and decision making and is regarded as a valuable entry point for response interventions.

However, AMICAALL, in common with most development programmes, is not without its challenges.

“It takes time and effort to institutionalize the concept of local

government involvement in HIV and AIDS responses, particularly when local government has so many competing priorities to address with limited resources,” says Parker. “Convincing them to include such non-traditional functions takes time, however when politicians and officials witness the impact HIV and AIDS is having on their workforces, communities and economies, they realize that the responsibility rests with them to do something, as they are the level of government closest to the people.”

A high demand for AMICAALL’s services, coupled with a very limited funding base, has meant that some programme activities have been restricted. Nevertheless, the organization has been extremely successful in advocacy and community mobilization – both of which can be achieved on a tight budget.

“We have aggressively mobilized resources, we have attracted about US$2 million in funding from the donor consortium, and we are also enhancing internal resource mobilization from the local governments to ensure more money is put into HIV/Aids,” says Mugisa.

Despite financial restrictions, AMICAALL, due to its strong community linkages and volunteer networks, has been able to replicate its programme cost effectively both regionally and nationally. However, much more needs to be done to support its initiatives and to ensure

that more resources reach those most vulnerable to the spread and impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

“We want to scale up to reach more urban councils, and to mainly focus on the most at risk populations, which are mainly in urban centres, the commercial sex workers, the truckers, the motorcycle delivery men and the police,” says Mugisa.

For Parker, of the AMICAALL Secretariat, it is important to expand the initiative to more countries which have requested intervention by launching new chapters and programmes. “It is important to maintain the momentum and consolidate achievements, then move forward in areas where comparative advantage and opportunities exist,” says Parker. “We at the Secretariat will also be concentrating on documenting the wealth of experience and learning accumulated by the programme over its ten year existence.”

In 2000, about a third of the sub-Saharan Africa population lived in cities. By 2020, this will increase to half of the population. This rapid rate of urbanization means that urban leaders’ influence will grow – indicating that local governments are, and increasingly will be, the most appropriate government level for mobilizing an effective response to HIV/AIDS. The AMICAALL programme illustrates that mayors, municipal leaders and local authorities are committed and are ready to do more. n

The focus of the Alliance now is to raise awareness to the most at risk populations

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Free public transport: a solution for city congestion?There are many ways to reduce congestion in cities: walking and cycling initiatives, new metro and BRT systems, carpooling, car rentals and smart technology are all being used. One argument states that simply making public transport free is the most effective solution to reducing car use. By Sarah Marks

Free public transport may seem too simplistic a means to reduce emissions by reducing car traffic in cities but as well as being used in parts of Belgium and the US, there are European political parties and NGOs arguing for a new approach to funding municipal transport.

Hasselt in Belgium is part of the Cities For Mobility network, which is coordinated by the Chair of UCLG Committee on Urban Mobility, the city of Stuttgart. Since 1 July 1997, there have been zero fares on the city’s buses (called H-lijn). Additional bus routes are free for Hasselt residents and there are free bikes and scooters available too.

The city’s buses cover 500,000 kilometres per year. Their use increased between 800 and 900 percent as soon as the zero-fare policy was introduced. In 2006, 4,614,844 passengers used the free buses, representing a growth of 1,319 percent and 4,516,611 were still using the buses by 2008. The mobility policy is a result of cooperation between the bus line, the government and the city authorities.

Funding comes from the city budget. In 1997 Hasselt paid 11 million Belgian Francs (€270.000) for a period of six months; in 1998 it paid 25 million francs for the entire year. Costs were in the region of 31 million francs in 1999 and approximately 31.5 million francs in 2000. The report Sustainable Mobility in Hasselt states that these

costs amount to less than 1 percent of the total annual city budget.

“The money spent by the city council for this purpose means that more people become mobile,” says a spokesperson for the council. “Just consider how many people – some of whom have now become mobile again – can use public transport thanks to local authority spending. A small expense yielding great pleasure and of considerable social significance for the community.”

Increased mobility for citizens has its advantages and disadvantages: being mobile, citizens will spend more, socialize more and become more integrated with the community, but without fares it is difficult to manage demand and avoid overcrowding at peak times. With a charging system, fares can be made cheaper to incentivize people to travel at off-peak times. To combat this, free public transport systems must ensure that a sufficient service is offered to cope with demand and alternative forms of transport such as bikes and light rail made available.

Hasselt eschewed plans for a third ringroad in the mid 1990s and renovated one of the existing two ringroads, turning it into a pedestrian-friendly and tree-clad Groene Boulevard, demonstrating some shrewd forward-thinking from the local council. “Compare the expense for free public transport to the huge cost of the infrastructure put in place

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on behalf of motorists,” says a council spokesperson. “A single parking place, for instance, will cost €3,718, based on a parking place of 15 square metres and a stretch of road also covering 15 square metres. In other words, the financial contribution of Hasselt to public transport in 1997 would only have sufficed for the construction of 74 additional parking places for at most 170 people (assuming two people per car) and the expense in 1998 would have been enough for roughly 170 parking places for at best 340 people.”

Eddy Baldewijns, the Flemish Minister of Transport, commissioned the Institute of Traffic Studies in Diepenbeek to carry out a first evaluation of the new public transport system at the end of 1997. The findings showed that 16 percent of bus passengers would previously have travelled by car, and, accidents on the inner ring road were effectively reduced to zero. However, a small percentage of bus users said they would previously have walked or cycled, indicating a negative effect of providing free buses – some journeys are now producing more of a carbon footprint.

Other cities offering free public transport

Public buses in Beijing have been free for senior citizens aged 65 or

over (1.9 million people) since 1 January 2009. The city wanted to give the elderly an incentive to move around the city as opposed to staying at home. The hoped-for side effect is that the elderly will contribute to spending.

Citizens in Island County, Washington, in the US, have enjoyed free public transport since 1987. Island Transit is a public municipal corporation that provides 71 fare-free buses and 100 vanshares (for which riders contribute to running costs) to 81,000 residents, ferrying them to and from work, school, to health centres and shopping malls. The philosophy is to encourage less dependence on cars, decreased traffic congestion and improved air quality.

“Typically, for smaller or rural transit systems, collecting a fare generates virtually no usable revenue because of the costs associated with the collection of the fare,” says Executive Director, Martha Rose. “In addition, the fare box imposes an unnecessary inconvenience which is detrimental to ridership, and therefore contrary to the mission. Island Transit is pre-paid with a local sales tax of 9/10ths of 1 percent on every dollar spent in Island County.”

Fare-free transport in Island County saw 161 riders on the first day of service. Today there are

approximately 1.3 million riders per year (with a daily average of 4,237 passengers). But increased passengers numbers can have a down side. “The two negatives associated with fare-free transit delivery is that there are never enough buses and there are not enough parking areas,” explains Rose. “We approached the Washington State Legislature and requested specific funding so that we could construct our own park and ride P&R lots. We were successful. We call our P&R lots ‘Transit Parks’. We have more landscaping than parking areas. We work with community members in each area we’re going to build a Transit Park.”

The bonuses for the local community have been bigger than imagined. “I believe that you would be surprised as to how much we have influenced more livable and sustainable communities,” says Rose. “We’re not just a bus system. We’re an integral component of our island life style.”

Political support for free transportThe Scottish Socialist Party in

the UK is pro fare-free transport, and made the concept central to its political election campaign in 2010 having campaigned for this since 2007. Amongst the benefits of a fare-free scheme, the Party cites: road accident reduction, fewer traffic jams and savings on road maintenance.

In terms of financing, the Party says: “Capital costs can be raised by cancelling, scaling down or postponing at least some highly expensive transport projects.” And in Scotland’s case they say that funding from the roads budget can be transferred to the public transport budget, and that further funding could come from a supplementary local tax.

The Scottish Socialists have several innovative ideas about how finance could be raised, and have looked to other cities for ideas. “An alternative and straightforward way of financing free public transport would be to levy a ‘transport payroll tax’ on

Hasselt’s free buses cover 500,000 km in a year

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all businesses with more than 10 employees,” says a Party spokesperson. “Such a tax is used widely in France to fund public transport. The Paris Metro, rail and bus system, for example is largely funded through a payroll tax of 2.2 percent, which generates well over €2 billion a year.”

Planka.nu, a public transport NGO based in Sweden, is one of many groups fighting for a way to reduce GHG emissions and turn abstract percentages and climate targets into political measures. Their 2008 report, Travel doesn’t have to cost the earth, advocates free mobility options to citizens.

Alex Berthelsen of Planka.nu says that millions of euros are spent just maintaining fare systems. “It is important to remember that the costs of having a fare system are more than just the direct expenses such as tickets, vending machines, personnel, and barriers,” he explains. “Things such as queues, unsatisfied customers and violence are also costs directly associated with having fares, even though they are harder to measure in economic terms.” Planka.nu reports that in Stockholm the cost of the station barriers amounts to €2 million annually, with an additional €5 million per year in reinvestment, and that the loss of productivity due to people queuing at central station adds up to more than €3 million each year.

But Stockholm’s public transport company, Lokaltrafik (SL) refutes this. “I cannot verify those figures; I don’t know how they have come to that conclusion,” says Jesper Pettersson from SL. “All I can say is that the investment we are currently making is 60 million Swedish Krona (€6.67 million) a year, and for the years to come, maybe 140 million Swedish Krona (€15.58 million). We’ll replace all the old gates with new ones. It’s not a big cost to maintain them once they are in place. We have an annual budget of 14 billion Swedish Krona (€1.58 billion).”

Fares are crucial to their business model. “Half of our business is financed by taxes from the city council and the rest is financed by ticket revenues,” says Pettersson. “We

made about 5.1 billion Swedish Krona (€567.38 million) in ticket revenues last year.”

But Planka’s Berthelsen argues that instead of paying people to do menial jobs such as monitoring barriers, they could be employed to do more fulfilling jobs such as providing information and directions or driving buses and trains – which would also make employees better value for money.

Other cities that are proving there is a way to make zero-fare transport viable include Aubagne, France; Hawaii County, Hawaii; Lübben, Germany and Vero Beach, Florida. As cities look to technology and hiring schemes to reduce city traffic emissions, mayors should not discard the possibility of investing in existing networks for fare-free travel. n

Local authorities could levy a payroll tax to subsidize bus transport

Fare-free buses can reduce traffic jams, improve air quality and make savings on road maintenance

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ON THE RECORD


What does it mean to you to have recently been elected a Co-President of the UCLG?It’s a great responsibility. For the first time in history, Russia, represented by Kazan, has become the co-president of UCLG, the biggest international organization of intermunicipal cooperation. And we have to justify the trust given.

What specifically will your role as co-president entail and what do you expect to achieve by 2013 when your term ends?Working as a team with the Mayor of Istanbul Kadir Topbas and the Co-Presidents, we’ll be actively looking to solve the issues of the strategic development of the organization and bringing in new members, so that local authorities from most of the countries that are part of the UN will also be part of the UCLG organization. We are striving at UCLG to become the most representative and reputable source for relaying the interests of the local authorities at the global level and to become a world wide recognized organization. Local authorities have to become the most important figures in world politics as the main characteristic of a civilized country must be an efficient system of the local government.

UCLG represents and defends the interests of local governments on the world stage and encourages knowledge sharing between local governments and cities. How important do you think it is for cities around the world to share knowledge and best practices?Extremely important. Mayors are at the epicentre of problems . Those that are responsible for city administration always have to make a strategic choice, reconciling the citizens’ private interests with political and social ones as well as with the budget priorities. The world changes so quickly and it’s a challenge

to keep the fingers on the pulse of all the innovations in the municipal services. If a best practices exchange system is established among the municipalities at the global level, it will significantly facilitate and accelerate solving the city development problems. UCLG is aiming to be the organizer of such an exchange.Some cities may find it useful to apply the idea realized in the Finnish city Mikkeli, where in sparsely populated areas, postmen collect the paper litter. To renew the connection between the generations in metropolises, some would find it interesting and applicable to use the German experience of having “Grannies for rent” a service that brings together elderly people without families, and people who miss having real grandparents. A local University for the elderly set up the programme, which aims to benefit people from all generations.As for Kazan, we learn a lot from Istanbul where, under the stewardship of Kadir Topbas, the city has gained 100 new roads and 132 road junctions helping solve the traffic jam problems. For Kazan this is a relevant issue, particularly with the city hosting

Universiade 2013, as well as one of the group matches at the football World Cup in 2018.

A central question raised at the 3rd UCLG Conference was what are the biggest challenges facing cities in 2030. What do you think those challenges will be and how can they be addressed?By the year 2030 the cities have to be ready to face all kinds of unexpected natural disasters. The recent events in Japan have shown that humanity faces a dilemma: to keep using technological advancements or find alternatives. Questions about the application of alternative energy sources are important and relevant, but these are issues that we can only foresee today. Closer to the year 2030 the volume of such global problems may increase. This is why we have to develop a programme of united action with the involvement of international organizations, national and local governments. Otherwise we won’t be able to anticipate the potential challenges.

Knowledge sharing between cities and local governments is vital in dealing with the effects of rapid urbanization. Which cities does Kazan collaborate closely with?Within UCLG, Kazan closely cooperates with Istanbul, which became Kazan’s sister-city in 2002. Since then the citizens of each city have managed to establish close relationships.The Turkish Consulate General started its work in Kazan in 1996 and there are many good examples of the efficient and successful work of Turkish companies within Kazan, for instance Efes, Krasniy Vostok, Orimeks and Odak.Within the UCLG framework Kazan is planning to sign a partnership agreement with Guangzhou, China, whose mayor, Wang Qingliang, was also elected a UCLG co-president. n

PEOPLE

Co-president of UCLG Ilsur Metshin, Mayor of Kazan, talks to Nick Michell

Ilsur Metshin, Mayor of Kazan

POST-CONFLICT DEVELOPMENT


When Somalia is in the headlines, the word ‘piracy’ is often not far

behind. A new report released by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime during a conference in Nairobi this year, concluded that the vast earnings made from piracy off Somalia’s coast make donor-funded programmes for development look feeble by comparison. Taking the effects of the civil war into account too, the report makes grim reading: “The lack of alternative livelihood opportunities within Somalia means that there are few opportunities presented to this generation of Somali youth”.

If it is the lack of education and employment opportunity which is pushing young people to pick up

guns and join the war, or to seek a financially rewarding career as a pirate, then one man is determined to change this.

“We are working with the youth,” says Mogadishu deputy mayor Iman Nur Icar. “We have weekly gatherings and we let them decide what they want to talk about. Mostly the issue is peace. Then everyone goes back to their neighbourhood and starts mobilizing the people. They play an active role in the wellbeing of their fellow citizens.”

Teams of youth volunteers are working to help with community projects such as trauma counselling and street cleaning and to encourage more of a work ethic, street lighting is being installed to allow people to

work after dark. The lighting will also help make the city safer. “When it’s 1pm people start to go home,” explains Iman. “We want to change that culture – we’re lagging behind.”

In addition, small and medium-sized businesses have been assisted with government funding and a local market has been created. Women who previously had to sit on the ground trying to sell fruit and vegetables now have an official stall. “They are now being considered as entrepreneurs,” says Iman. The overall plan is to give the people a feeling of empowerment and alleviate the sense of hopelessness so that they can lift themselves out of poverty.”

When it comes to the subject of piracy, Iman feels there are two

Mogadishu’s rise from civil warDespite a civil war that has raged for 20 years, Iman Nur Icar, the Deputy Mayor of Somalia’s capital city, is on a mission to put Mogadishu, a UCLG member city, back on the map and raise awareness of the city’s development needs. By Kirsty Tuxford

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options to try and combat it. “We need to empower the government to be able to combat piracy from their bases inland, or empower the locals by creating education and employment opportunities.”

From exile to reformIman was born and educated

in Mogadishu, which gained its independence from Italy in 1960. Back then the city boasted elegant Italian-style buildings with a very different atmosphere. “Mogadishu was very beautiful, very peaceful, very clean and well secured,” remembers Iman proudly. “There were cinemas and restaurants. We used to live in very good conditions.” Iman was a successful businessman with two restaurants and a boutique shop, which helped support his family.

Then in 1991, when the government was overthrown, everything collapsed according to Iman. “We had to abandon everything we had built. I decided there was no hope left, so I left. I was with my

pregnant wife and two kids; we went by truck to Addis Ababa. You have to leave everything without looking back, but you don’t know where you are heading.”

After three months travelling in a truck, Iman says it was “a miracle” that his wife gave birth to a healthy baby girl in Yemen. From there, the family managed to get to Italy, and then to the Netherlands in 1993, where eventually they became naturalized and made a home for themselves in The Hague.

But Iman never forgot Mogadishu, and never lost contact with friends who remained, embroiled in the conflict. A 2010 report by the African Development Bank (AfDB) estimates that the violence has caused the death of over one million Somalis and internally displaced over 1.5 million persons. In Holland, Iman worked as a social worker, assisting Somali refugees, but he also worked diligently to try and persuade those at war in Somalia that there should be tolerance. He and his family were safe,

but Iman could not rest knowing the suffering in his country and decided to return to Mogadishu in 2009.

“Initially my family were all hesitant. We were all unsure of what might happen,” says Iman. But his family took the brave decision to fully support Iman’s return to Mogadishu – if the decision hadn’t been unanimous, he wouldn’t have gone. “I have their blessing,” says Iman. The consequences of this decision mean that the family don’t get much time together – only a few days when Iman can visit the Netherlands. “Last time they did complain because I stayed with them for 10 days and they said that equalled only one day a month – because I had been away for one year,” explains Iman. “So now we’ve agreed the possibility that I come to see them every four to six months.” But once his family saw the good work Iman is doing in Mogadishu, they understood why they have to live without him.

Creating opportunitiesThe UN estimates that there are 9.1

million people in Somalia. Income per capita was approximately US$226 in 2002 (compared to US$515 in Sub-Saharan Africa), which makes Somalia one of the poorest countries in the world, according to the AfDB report.

Despite this backdrop, Iman is remarkably sanguine about his role. “It is basic service delivery – trying to do what other cities do: cleaning the city, lighting the city and achieving the Millennium Goals through the local government”.

What is less matter of fact are the death threats which come with the job. “When you are trying to make an organizational change there is always resistance,” Iman says. “My worst case was when somebody put a written paper on the window of my car, telling me to leave here or they would cut off my head.” Taking it in his stride with remarkable bravery, Iman’s response was to get the note photocopied and distributed so that everyone could see it.

Teams of youth volunteers and even the mayor are working to help clean up the city streets

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Mogadishu’s administration believes in small steps and has implemented a number of grassroots programmes that slowly are making a real difference to the citizens of the city. In most of the city there is no clean potable water, so there is currently a programme to rehabilitate the wells thanks to external funding. Roads are also being resurfaced. “You used to see daily accidents and trucks overturned,” says Iman. “Things are changing – sometimes we take pictures so we can show the people how it was yesterday and how it is today.”

There was also a recent campaign where the mayor came out and physically helped clean the streets to demonstrate to the people what a difference a clean-up could make. “We want to make the city into a place where people can at least have hope,” enthuses Iman. “The people are so used to being victims. We also do trauma healing sessions for people.”

The local government is working with a budget that according to Iman “is not even worth mentioning” – approximately US$150,000 per month. As there’s no basic infrastructure, no taxes are collected. “We charge a small fee in the port. We get 15 percent of what the government collects,” explains Iman. “We are tying to grow slowly, so that people can see the difference and so that they see what we’re doing and they say ‘OK now you can collect taxes’,” he says. “We didn’t want to ask them for anything until we had shown them what we are doing.”

Connecting with MogadishuA recent visit to Mogadishu by

councillors from San Casciano Dei Bagni, near Siena in Italy, demonstrates that there is support for Mogadishu. “Instead of us going and approaching cities, we request that they approach us,” explains Iman. “We want them to see that a self-destroyed city is trying to stand on its own two feet. We tell people locally; there are leaders who want to destroy, and there

are leaders who want to build, and we are the leaders who want to build.”

After witnessing Mogadishu’s officials still working with typewriters, the Italian city has agreed to provide new administrative hardware. Iman would like to see more partnerships forged. “Imagine in the 21st century living in a city that is considered a capital city, without electricity, and without running water!” exclaims Iman. “How can you develop when there isn’t enough energy? You want people to work, to manufacture goods, but they don’t just need electricity, they need cheap electricity. So if a city says ‘let us help Mogadishu with solar panels so the people can work longer hours’ – that’s what we are accepting from other cities that are really willing to work with us.”

The war is not over, but the Transitional Federal Government is gradually getting back its grip on Mogadishu and it is starting to feel more secure. “There is always risk, but now it is safer: suicide bombings are reduced, targeted killings are reduced,” explains Iman. “The government is gaining more space. People are not allowed to roam in the city with their weapons. It is getting better. It’s better now than it was even a few months ago.” Local government is also mobilizing district commissioners. They have responsibilities – every district

commissioner can consider himself as a local mayor, and consequently more districts are being regulated.

Despite the hardships, Mogadishu is far from the ghost town it was in 2008, when the BBC reported that 500,000 people had fled as a result of fighting. Estimates put today’s population at around two million. “There are so many people at the market – you would not even think that there is war in this city!” exclaims Iman with excitement. “People are moving around even with all these difficulties. There’s no running water – it’s literally a miracle that these people are going around. Most of the water isn’t safe to drink, but still, life is going on. The real picture on the ground is that despite these hardships, life is continuing. Kids are going to school – unbelievable – you see students in uniform. It’s a multifaceted city.”

Mogadishu’s Deputy Mayor has seen his city fall to its knees. Despite the conflict, Somalia can boast some good universities and dedicated workers. “We want to show the world that there is life here and these people deserve basic services,” states Iman. “Our voice is being heard and things are changing, things are happening now.” Iman is just one of many who have made huge sacrifices to enable the rebuilding of Mogadishu – now the city’s people just need the rest of the world to take an interest in them rather than Somalia’s pirates. n

Mogadishu is attempting to combat piracy off Somalia’s coast

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Being located on the Mekong River and also having the Tonlé Sap Lake about 100 kilometres

northwest of the city, Phnom Penh had never had major problems with its water supply. However, during the 1970s and 1980s, Cambodia’s 20-year civil war and the Khmer Rouge rule destroyed much of the city’s buildings and infrastructure. The capacity of the water supply system shrank from 155,000 m3/day in the 1960s to 65,000 m3/day by 1993 and was continuing to deteriorate. With century-old pipes and a poor distribution network, only 20 percent of the population received piped water.

The Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority (PPWSA), the government-owned water supply utility, was struggling to come to terms with its challenges, with employees demoralized, underpaid and under-qualified. Only 13 percent of connections had water meters, leading to inaccurate billing, while only 28 percent of water production was actually sold, with the collection rate not even reaching 50 percent. Illegal connections were abundant and unaccounted-for-water hit a high of 72 percent. To compound matters PPWSA employees themselves were responsible for the water theft, with many installing illegal connections at US$1,000 per connection. Combined with very low tariffs and overstaffing, not even a fraction of operating costs

were recovered from customers, making the utility effectively bankrupt.

“The situation when I was appointed in 1993 was bad,” says Ek Sonn Chan, PPWSA General Director. “The utility was hugely inefficient, with 22 staff per 1,000 connections and a total income of 700 million Riels (US$170,000) compared to the operation costs of around double that amount. Staff were demoralized and corruption and nepotism were widely practised.”

A landmark election brought peace to Cambodia in 1993 after more than two decades of war and conflict. External funding agencies, such as the Asian Development Bank and World Bank, started to engage in the country, providing funding for public investments, and Ek Sonn Chan was appointed General Director of the Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority. He began by firing corrupt and incompetent staff and those remaining were encouraged to provide information about illegal connections and received incentive payments, while promotions were based on merit. This all created a culture of loyalty and pride among water management employees. The utility then began a campaign to convince customers that they had to pay their bills if they wanted a quality service and enforced substantial fines on illegal connections. PPWSA also introduced an automated

billing system, which reduced the opportunities for small-scale corruption by collectors.

Reform and restructuringIn 1996, PPWSA was established

by decree as an autonomous public utility with its own separate finances, as opposed to being a department of the municipality, as it had been previously. Its newly gained autonomy allowed the utility to retain any revenues in excess of operating costs to improve services.

The transformation of Phnom Penh’s water systemOne of the legacies of decades of conflict in Cambodia was very poor infrastructure for water delivery in the nation’s capital Phnom Penh. Nick Michell looks at how the appointment of Ek Sonn Chan as General Director of the Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority marked the beginning of a remarkable transformation of the city’s water system.

Phum Prek water treatment plant, Cambodia

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Phum Prek water treatment plant, Cambodia

Ek Sonn Chan implemented a number of reforms, which began with streamlining the organization’s workforce. More responsibility was given to higher management and staff salaries were increased substantially. For instance, a staff member at a managerial position who was paid US$20 a month in 1993 received US$200 a month in 2008. The sharing of profits with employees was introduced and the utility created a retirement system, which was the first of its kind in Cambodia.

“We applied a long series of transformations that started within PPWSA’s top management, based on a culture of change and the model from the top,” says Ek Sonn Chan. “The top management was restructured, and dynamic younger staff with more advanced qualifications were promoted with more responsibilities. Inactive senior managers were removed to dormant roles. There was very strong reaction from staff in the beginning, especially the managers, who used all means, including the media, to resist

the change. The remaining staff felt a sense of ownership of the utility and took responsibilities for all its operations.”

Collection levels and finances were greatly improved as meters were installed for all water connections and the billing system was computerized and non-payment penalties were introduced. As a result, collection efficiency for residential customers increased from 48 to 99.9 percent. In 1995 the utility began to make small profits, which increased

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substantially after 2000. In 1996 the utility had proposed a three-step tariff increase over seven years to reach the government's policy goal of full cost recovery. However, the third step proved to be unnecessary given the substantial efficiency improvements achieved by the utility.

Ek Sonn Chan, while wanting the organization to make profits, also wanted to ensure water was affordable for the citizens of Phnom Penh. Although the average water bill increased from US$1 before 1994 to US$5 per month after 2001, tariffs remain low by regional comparisons. This continued low-cost of water owed much to the improved efficiency. Non-revenue water, physical losses from leakages in pipes and pumps, was reduced from 72 percent in 1996 to 6 percent in 2008. The number of staff per 1,000 connections was reduced from 22 to 4, indicating substantially increased labour productivity.

PPWSA developed a close relationship with its customers in an attempt to minimize illegal connections and unaccounted for water. It provided incentives to citizens who reported illegal connections and set up an effective system to register and resolve complaints. This, together with the fight against small-scale corruption and improvements in service quality, helped to gain broad public acceptance of tariff increases.

The water service now covers 100 percent of inner city Phnom Penh and is being expanded to surrounding districts, with priority given to urban poor communities. The utility established a revolving fund to finance domestic connections to help the poorest connect to the network. The utility serves more than 15,000 families in 123 urban poor communities at subsidized tariffs and connection fees, which can be paid in instalments. All customers are now also benefiting from improved drinking water quality.

“In 1999 we started the programme ‘Water for All’ aimed at supplying water to the poorest communities,” says Chan. “The poor could pay the US$100 connection cost by instalments over the course of up to 20 months.Just in the first half of this year, with a grant of about US$500,000 from the World Bank, we have connected about 5,000 families living in remote communities on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. Even if supplying water to the poor could harm our financial outcome, we are committed and proud to make these people happy and able to enjoy our 24 hour clean water with the cheapest price in the region.”

Lessons for other countriesThe example of the Phnom Penh

Water Supply Authority has illustrated how paying for safe, piped, water is essential for the urban poor rather than purchasing it from private vendors. Phnom Penh’s unconnected

residents used to pay over seven times as much per month for the water they bought from private water vendors than they now do with PPWSA-supplied water.

The development of a tariff structure, where PPWSA fully recovers its cost of water production and transmission, has been vital for the success of the transformation of Phnom Penh’s water system, as this enabled the utility to become financially viable and able to invest in infrastructure. While still government owned, PPWSA had enough autonomy to develop its own payment structure and recruit a motivated and enthusiastic workforce able to run efficient operations through a work ethic of discipline, competence and teamwork.

“The PPWSA has a strong commitment to social and environmental responsibility. It has shown the developing world as a whole that large cities can expect continuous access to clean water,” said the International Jury when PPWSA won the 2010 Stockholm Industry Water Award. “It stands as a role model for those committed to improving their business practices and increasing their level of service to customers.”

Much of PPWSA’s success would not have been possible without the support of the Cambodian government and organizations such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. The utility would not have had the

The PPWSA has a strong commitment to social and environmental responsibility. It has shown the developing world as a whole that large cities can expect continuous access to clean water

Installation of a new intake pump at Chrouy Changvar water treatment plant

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freedom to restructure and innovate if the government had not declared the company an autonomous body in 1986.

One of the most important lessons for other developing countries in transforming their water supply systems is the active involvement of civil society and customers. The significant increase in bill collection and reduction in illegal connections in Phnom Penh highlights the importance of developing a strong relationship between the utility and civil society and customers, where they receive a service that they want and are willing to pay for.

“There are numerous lessons that other countries can learn from our experience,” says Chan. “Political support is necessary but the utility should operate without political interference, while effective and timely external assistances are also important. Proper operation and maintenance of all facilities are the main priority of the daily work of PPWSA managers. We professionalized our workforce, building its technical capacity and equipping its employees with a work ethic of discipline, competence and teamwork. Developing nations must believe in their own people’s capabilities to achieve their own goals.”

Cambodia’s Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority should be a model to other water utilities. While a number of other water authorities within Asia have managed to improve service efficiency and water productivity and increase their consumer base, PPWSA has achieved all this by radically transforming a decrepit and war-torn water supply system, with very few users, into a model public sector water utility that provides 24 hour drinking water to the citizens of Phnom Penh.

However, Ek Sonn Chan is not content with the progress the utility has made since his appointment as General Director in 1993. He is striving towards more reforms and leading PPWSA to greater heights in the future, including training new

leaders that are capable of taking over from him one day.

“We aim to expand water provision at the same rates and standards to Phnom Penh’s suburban areas and surrounding regions,” says Ek Sonn Chan. “PPWSA is expected to become the Phnom Penh Metropolitan Water Supplier by 2020, as coverage will reach districts in other provinces. The current 450 km2 coverage is expected to reach 1,500 km2. We’re working on reducing water loss from the current 5.9 percent to 4 percent by 2020, which would place us in the same league as Singapore and Tokyo. Also sanitation will be the next step. More clean water coming in, more waste water coming out. It’s time to start improving sanitation for Phnom Penh and PPWSA is ready to take on the challenge.” n

Recognition for Phnom Penh’s progressIn January 2004, PPWSA was awarded the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Water Prize, an award conferred to exemplary project agencies that have established sound practice in implementing ADB’s “Water for All” policy, for dramatically overhauling Phnom Penh’s water supply system and demonstrating leadership and innovation in project financing and governance.

In 2006 Ek Sonn Chan was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award, the Asian equivalent of the Nobel Prize, for Government Service, for his “exemplary rehabilitation of a ruined public utility, bringing safe drinking water to a million people in Cambodia’s capital city”.

In 2010 PPWSA received the Stockholm Industry Water Award in recognition of its exemplary performance in water supply and self-sufficiency.

“The PPWSA has successfully fought corruption and shown this can be achieved in a developing country on a large-scale basis using simple but effective management techniques that are based on well-accepted business principles and strategies,” said the International Award Jury in its citation.

The Water for All programme has connected over 5,000 families in remote communities

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ENERGY

Cameroon to build €92 million power plant

A new 86-megawatt power plant is to be constructed in Cameroon by the Dibamba Power Development Company. The African Development Bank (AfDB), the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO), are investing a total of €66 million as part of the €92 million project.

The heavy fuel, oil-fired plant will be constructed near Doula, Cameroon’s industrial centre, and connected to the grid via a two-kilometre transmission line, which is also being financed as part of the project. The design has been structured so that the plant can be converted to gas at a later stage.

“A reliable and affordable energy supply is critical to enhancing private sector development, growing the economy, and reducing poverty,” said Neside Tas Anvaripour, Division Manager, Infrastructure and Private Public Partnerships, Private Sector Department, in the African Development Bank. “By building new power infrastructure, the Dibamba plant addresses one of AfDB’s key objectives, which is to help improve the availability and reliability of electricity to industries and households.”

The Dibamba plant aims to help avoid imminent electricity shortages and help Cameroon meet its increasing demand for power. It will also provide a thermal component to a system that is currently based largely on hydro mechanisms, which have proven unreliable when rainfall is poor.

The Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO) is the international entrepreneurial bank of the Netherlands. Dave Smit, FMO’s Manager for Structured Finance Energy, said: “The power supply from the Dibamba project contributes to diversifying Cameroon’s energy mix, improving overall reliability of electricity supply, and will boost the country’s energy net supply capacity by around 10 percent. FMO is very pleased to play a part in stimulating Cameroon‘s development in this way.”

United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLGA) GENERAL SECRETARY: Jean-Pierre Elong Mbassi ADDRESS: 22, rue Essaadyine, Quartier Hassan, Rabat, Maroc TEL: + 212 537 260 062 / + 212 537 260 063 FAx: + 212 537 260 060 EMAIL: [email protected] WEBsItE: www.uclga.org

FOOD SECURITYKenya declares drought a national disasterPoor rains now mean that 2.4 million Kenyans are likely to suffer severe food insecurity according to a report by the Famine Early Warning Systems network (FEWS Net). Rising food and fuel prices, together with decreasing grazing zones for cattle are also contributing to the risk. President Mwai Kibaki declared the situation a national disaster.

INVESTMENTWorld Bank promotes investment in AfricaAfrica is poised to rise as one of the most important growth poles in a multi-polar world, according to Obiageli Ezekwesili, the World Bank’s Vice President for the Africa Region, who spoke at an event celebrating Africa Day. Capital flows to sub-Saharan Africa rose from US$35.8 billion in 2009 to an estimated US$41.1 billion in 2010 and are expected to reach US$48.5 billion this year. Ms Ezekwesili explained that investments must be people-focused and pro-poor, and promote Africa’s efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

ICTGIS creates increased revenue in EthiopiaA Geographic Information System (GIS) being used in an Addis Ababa municipality has resulted in an increase in the annual land tax revenue from US$268,000 to US$2 million. The technology is being used by the city to scientifically assess property transaction information and evaluate related land taxes. The GIS is also being used to create urban planning proposals, organize public services and to help come up with targeted revenue models. GIS data can generate maps that reveal patterns and trends in urban infrastructure, helping governments to plan and manage development.

SUMMITOfficial launch for AfricitiesPreparation for the sixth Africities Summit began with the official launch ceremony. The President of the Republic of Senegal, Barrister Abdoulaye Wade, chaired the event, which took place at a hotel in Dakar. The main Summit will also be held in Dakar from 4-8 December 2012. UCLGA Executive Committee Members attended the ceremony alongside Senegalese government members, representatives from institutions from the Republic of Senegal and other official delegates.

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By linking citizens and municipalities, ICT can serve as an effective tool for strengthening urban governance

ENERGY€80 million for energy in NigerThe West African Development Bank (WADB) is to grant €80 million to Niger to finance multiple energy projects. Christian Adovelande, the WADB’s president, revealed the plan stating that one aspect of the project would be the construction of a hydro-electric dam at Kandaji on the river Niger. Nigeria supplies 80 percent of Niger’s electricity, but long power cuts are common. The new investment aims to improve access to power and boost economic activity.

ENERGY EFFICIENCYUN promotes energy efficiency in east AfricaUN-HABITAT has joined forces with UNEP to promote energy efficiency in buildings in east Africa. The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has approved a US$2,853,000 loan to help mainstream energy efficiency measures into housing policies, building codes and building practices across the region, with the aim of cutting greenhouse gas emissions and saving energy. The project, initiated by UN-HABITAT, will run from 2011 until 2015 in collaboration with UNEP and the governments of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi.

ICTNew fibre optic cable boosts Africa’s internetA multi-million dollar investment in new terrestrial fibre optic cables will improve internet connectivity across east Africa, according to a report by the Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA). Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi are spending US$4 million on a new cable network, which will run almost 16,000 kilometres from southern Sudan to Tanzania’s border with Zambia. Dubbed the ‘East Africa Backhaul System’, it will connect to submarine fibre optic cables on the east African coast. The project will help promote the IT sector.

GOVERNANCEExecutive Committee of UCLGA meets in DakarThe African Section of UCLG held its Executive Committee meeting in Dakar, Senegal where 12 representatives of cities and local governments gathered. A new committee on women was formed, a new partnership with Slum Dwellers International was agreed to and reparations began for the 6th Africities Summit that will take place in Dakar in December.

ICT

New ICT guidebook for African governments

The World Bank has produced a new guidebook showing African governments how they can make us of the rapid expansion of mobile communications. Gaurav Relhan, an Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) specialist at the World Bank, and his colleagues, recently completed the book, Good Urban Governance through ICT: Issues, Analysis and Strategies. It aims to guide on issues ranging from collecting bills to geo-mapping during emergency situations, and focuses on areas like social accountability and how technology can encourage citizen-centred governance.

“We wanted to show governments how the rapid expansion of mobile communications and internet usage in Africa can be harnessed for urban governance and development,” Relhan said.

According to the World Bank, Africa is rapidly urbanizing, with 3.5 percent of sub-Saharan Africa’s 1 billion people moving into cities each year. Consequently, local governments have difficulty providing essential public services and so many municipalities are utilizing ICT to improve residents’ lives.

“By linking citizens and municipalities, ICT can serve as an effective tool for strengthening urban governance, which is the key to addressing the challenge of urban development,” said Junaid Ahmad, the World Bank’s Sector Manager for Africa Urban and Water.

Technology is helping citizens collaborate, share ideas and participate in real-time discussions with their officials. For example, in Kenya, an e-Government service in six towns includes an internet-based tool that citizens can use to anonymously report corruption. The service is part of the country’s Electronic Graft Management (EGM) project. A survey of users showed that more than 80 percent felt computerization had increased transparency and boosted the effectiveness of municipal financial management.

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sUstAINABLE DEVELOPMENt

Vietnam to undertake US$620 million upgrade of infrastructure

Vietnam’s development efforts will be supported by a loan and four credits totalling US$620 million from the World Bank in a deal signed with the State Bank of Vietnam. Funds will be utilized to aid development efforts in five primary operations: the Hospital Waste Management Support Project (US$150 million), Hai Phong Urban Transport Project (US$175 million), the third operation for Programme 135 – 2 (US$50 million), additional financing for the Second Transmission and Distribution Project (US$180 million) and supplementary financing for Coastal Cities Environmental Sanitation Project (US$65 million).

“Vietnam’s 10-year Socio Economic Development Strategy 2011-2020, recognizes that the country faces huge infrastructure gap constraints to environmental sustainability and a significant level of poverty in some remote communities,” said Victoria Kwakwa, Country Director for the World Bank in Vietnam. “The loan and credits are expected to help with the necessary infrastructure development, provide support to government to modernize its approach to infrastructure development and management, address important environmental challenges, and make further progress in poverty reduction in ethnic minorities of the mountainous areas.”

Work will be done to scale up and reinforce Vietnam’s entire electricity transmission system, as part of the Transmission and Distribution Project. Also, urban accessibility and urban transport management in Hai Phong City will be improved. The project is expected to reduce travel time for local road users in arterial corridors, and increase the reliability and frequency of bus services.

In addition, sanitation for more than 600,000 people will be improved in the coastal cities of Dong Hoi, Quy Nhon and Nha Trang. The Coastal Cities Environmental Sanitation Project also aims to ensure the sustainability of tourism along the coast through making improvements to drainage, wastewater collection and treatment, solid waste management and by providing small loans for household sanitation improvements.

UCLG ASIA-PACIFIC SECTION UCLG-ASPACSECRETARY GENERAL: Dr. Rudolf HauterADDRESS: Mitra Praja Building 2nd Floor, Sunter Permai Raya 1, Jakarta 14350, IndonesiaTEL: +62 21 640 8450FAx: +62 21 640 8446EMAIL: [email protected]: www.uclg-aspac.org

sUstAINABILItYIndian cities hailed as environmentally sustainableICLEI member cities Shimla and Tirupati have been declared environmentally sustainable cities by the Indian government’s Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF). The announcement was made at the East Asian (EAS) Forum and the cities were lauded for their efforts in waste management and greenhouse gas reduction. The EAS Forum comprises 16 East Asian Summit member countries who work together on initiatives in selected cities in the region.

ENVIRONMENTNew tax system keeps Yokohama greenA new tax incentive for farmers in urban zones is helping to ensure that fields and areas of biodiversity are not sold off to developers in Yokohama, Japan. Tax reductions are being offered to farmers, which are helping to ensure that elderly farmers don’t sell their land if they have no heirs or are suffering from falling income. Almost 100 hectares of forest and farmland are lost to development in the city each year as it grows – it now has 3.7 million inhabitants. Conservation of farmland can help with disaster prevention and increase food production locally.

INFRASTRUCTUREWorld Bank funds new roads in IndonesiaMore than 700 kilometres of roads and 200 metres of bridges are to be improved thanks to joint funding from the World Bank and the Indonesian government. The Western Indonesia National Roads Improvement Project hopes to bring multiple benefits: goods will be delivered more quickly and cheaply; travel time and costs will be improved; people will have better access to jobs and markets in urban areas; and maintaining the roads means more job opportunities. The World Bank is lending US$250 million and the Indonesian government is contributing US$100 million.

ENVIRONMENTQuezon City launches park development programmeQuezon City has succeeded in reclaiming 44 percent of its open spaces and developing them into green and user-friendly areas. The Filipino city began a park development programme in 2003 and has since salvaged 11 spaces. The city’s 2.9 million residents along with those of nearby Metro Manila are reaping the benefits. The local government worked in conjunction with the Parks Development and Administration Department and also created the Parks Development Programme to ensure the sustainability of the newly greened zones.

The funds will aid urban transport management

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TRANSPORTBike usage increases after Japan earthquakeThe March earthquake that rocked Japan also disrupted public transport and infrastructure – even around Tokyo. Consequently, the number of people commuting to work by bike has increased visibly, according to the director of the non-profit Bicycle Usage Promotion Study Group, Mr Kobayashi. There had been a gradual increase in bike users prior to the quake, as people wanted to avoid crowded trains, improve health and lessen CO2 emissions, but bikes have now made a comeback as the most reliable form of transport. On the day of the quake trains ground to a halt, leaving almost nine million people stranded.

TRANSPORTSiemens celebrates green mobility for Chinese citiesSiemens recently celebrated the 15th anniversary of Siemens Signalling Co. Ltd (SSCX), its first joint venture in China, and pledged to support China in the pursuit of sustainable transport with its Complete and Green Mobility initiative. SSCX began as a mainline railway signalling product supplier and has grown into a competence centre for railway signalling products and systems for China and the Asia-Pacific market. The achievements of SSCX have been applauded by the Chinese government; highlighted by the visit of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in July 2010.

INFRASTRUCTUREMelbourne’s greener streetsThe City of Melbourne, Australia, will be paving its streets ‘green’ with a new environmentally friendly asphalt set to reduce fumes and greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent. The environmentally friendly asphalt, known as ‘Greenpave,’ is produced at temperatures of around 110 °C rather than 170 °C, resulting in significant environmental benefits. The City of Melbourne started ordering Greenpave from 1 July 2011 to be used on road and footpath renewal works.

TRANSPORTHangzhou praised for bike-sharing schemeThe capital city of Zhejiang Province in China, Hangzhou, has been highlighted by the Institution for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) as a city that is leading the way on public bike sharing. Hangzhou has 6.77 million inhabitants, 2,050 bike-share stations and more than 50,000 bikes, and expects to increase the bike project in size to 175,000 bikes by 2020. The bikes are incorporated as part of the overall public transport system.

TRANSPORT

New metro will ease congestion in Bangalore

Problematic traffic congestion will be decreased by the construction of a new metro rail system in Bangalore, India. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is partially funding the project with a US$250 million loan.

The project is due for completion in 2013 and will include 42.3 kilometres of track, rolling stock, stations and equipment for two routes through the city, estimated to cost US$2.7 billion.

“The project – ADB’s first metro rail project in South Asia – will provide Bangaloreans with multiple benefits including reduced road congestion and pollution, and a safer, faster, fuel-saving public transport system for the city,” said Anouj Mehta, Focal Point for Public-Private Partnerships (India) and Senior Infrastructure Finance Specialist in ADB’s South Asia Department.

Bangalore is renowned as an information technology and biotechnology hub, and these industries contribute to its rapid growth. It has one of the fastest growing urban centres in India, with a population of more than 6 million. Currently, public buses are struggling to cope with the load and the increasing number of cars and motorbikes on the roads is proving unsustainable and detrimental to the environment.

The Metro Rail Transit Project is being carried out by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation, a special purpose vehicle, jointly owned by the government of India and the state government of Karnataka. Such rail systems are traditionally financed by the government, but as resources are limited, a new financing model has been sought.

“The project is pioneering, in using the non-sovereign public sector lending modality, with excellent replication potential for India and Asia,” said Hayato Hoshi, Investment Specialist in ADB’s Private Sector Operations Department. “This is amongst the first major metro rail systems in India to use a leveraged finance model combining government funds with commercial loans. It is a critical model therefore for infrastructure development in other cities in India given the accelerating demand for timely infrastructure provision.”

ADB’s Mehta adds: “Its innovative financing model should lead to faster development of urban transport in India through catalyzing commercial debt and private finance.”

Bangalore’s new metro has used an innovative financing package

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TRANSPORT

Armenia to upgrade urban transportThe Asian Development

Bank (ADB) is extending financial assistance to help Armenia upgrade its urban transport services to improve living conditions and bolster economic opportunities in 12 of the country’s major and secondary cities.

“These investments will stimulate economic activity in urban areas, generate jobs and improve mobility,” said Juan Miranda, Director General

at ADB’s Central and West Asia Department (CWRD).The ADB has approved a multi-tranche financing facility for a Sustainable Urban

Development Investment Program in Armenia. This is the bank’s first investment in urban transport in Armenia. The first tranche of about US$50 million is earmarked for the construction of a 5.3 kilometre ring road in the capital, Yerevan, which will divert traffic from the centre and support increased economic development in outer areas.

The 12 cities benefiting from the programme are the main engines of growth in the country. Together, they account for almost 90 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product, with Yerevan alone accounting for 60 percent. However, unbalanced regional development, ageing and inadequate public transport services, and a rising number of traffic accidents have harmed the environment and undermined the economic potential of the country’s rapidly expanding urban centres.

“The financing facility will support more efficient, reliable and safer urban transport services, a cleaner urban environment and increased economic opportunities that will have a direct and indirect poverty impact on people across the country,” added Arnaud Dauphin, Urban Development Specialist at the Urban Development and Water Division of CWRD.

The programme will help the government deal with pressing urban problems such as poor air quality, noise, traffic congestion and losses linked to long travel times. The project will finance urban infrastructure links in particular, as well as metro improvements and multimodal interchange hubs. ADB’s backing for the government’s sector development plan will also encourage private sector interest.

The Ministry of Economy is the executing agency for the programme and the Municipality of Yerevan will be implementing all the projects in the capital city. The programme is due for completion by December 2020.

UCLG EURO-ASIAN REGIONAL SECTION SECRETARY GENERAL: Rassikh Sagitov ADDRESS: 8/1, Mislavsky str., Kazan, Russia, 420111 tEL/FAx: +7 843 292 0934 EMAIL: [email protected] WEBsItE: www.euroasia-uclg.ru

ENERGYEBRD backs Mongolian petroleum sectorThe European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing a credit of up to US$40 million to Mongolia’s Magnai Trade petrol stations group to support the country’s petroleum sector with investments in energy-efficient technology and fund the company’s expansion. The credit will help Magnai Trade expand its depot stores network and, thus, improve the company’s distribution system.

GOVERNANCENew USAID director appointed for AzerbaijanMichael Greene has been sworn in as the new Mission Director for Azerbaijan for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). In this role, Greene will oversee USAID’s programmes to support Azerbaijan’s transition to a broad-based, market-driven democracy. USAID programmes engage citizens, expand jobs, increase incomes, and improve the health and quality of life of Azerbaijan’s people. “I look forward to working with the entire US Government team in Baku to further strengthen our strong relations with Azerbaijan and assist in the country’s development progress,” said Greene.

MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALSKyrgystan praised for progress on development goalsThe United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Helen Clark, following a visit to Kyrgyzstan, praised the country’s recent democratic transition and the progress it has made on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Kyrgyzstan has made significant gains in achieving the MDGs, reducing extreme poverty from 32.9 percent in 2000 to 3.1 percent in 2009 and achieving near universal access to safe drinking water. Kyrgyzstan has also achieved universal primary education and eliminated gender inequalities in educational attainment.

COLLABORAtIONUCLG and Armenia discuss cooperationThe question of bilateral cooperation between Yerevan and UCLG was raised during a meeting between the Mayor of Yerevan, Karen Karapetyan, and Rasikh Sagitov, the Secretary General of UCLG Euro-Asia section. “Any area of cooperation provides the favourable fields for experience exchange, business connections strengthening and the realization of joint programmes,” said Mayor Karapetyan. The Mayor shared his approaches on effective governance in the capital as well as his further activities plan.

Twelve cities in Armenia will be supported by the ADB investment programme

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TAxADB to assist with reform of tajikistan’s tax administrationThe Asian Development Bank (ADB) is providing US$45 million to strengthen Tajikistan’s social protection spending programmes and public financial management. The grant assistance will be used to support two new government pilot programmes aimed at improving the effectiveness and targeting of social benefit payments. It will also help the government push ahead with an ongoing development plan to modernize and improve tax policy and administration.

INFRASTRUCTUREWorld Bank lends Us$25 million to Mongolia for mining infrastructureThe World Bank has approved an investment credit of US$25 million for the Mining Infrastructure Investment Support Project (MINIS) in Mongolia. The objectives of the project are to facilitate investments in infrastructure to support mining, and related economic activity by financing feasibility studies and building local capacity to prepare and transact infrastructure projects. Mongolia’s mining sector offers great economic promise for the country and currently accounts for as much as 80 percent of exports and is approaching 50 percent of government revenue.

GOVERNANCEUNDP chief visits TurkmenistanUNDP Administrator Helen Clark visited Turkmenistan to discuss the country’s leadership role in the region. Clark met with President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov for a frank discussion on the continuation of their work together to meet both national and international challenges, including trans-boundary security and its importance for regional stability, development assistance to Afghanistan, and efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change.

ENERGYUS and Russia sign smart grid agreementThe United States Agency for International Development (USAID), working with the US Department of Energy to cooperate with Russia on energy efficiency and smart grids, is supporting efforts to share experience and best practices among US and Russian municipalities and utilities. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in San Diego and Belgorod, Russia, building on an earlier exchange involving utilities and regulators in Texas and federal and utility officials in Kaluga, Russia.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

UCLG Euro-Asian delegates attend Second Asian Mayors Forum

A delegation from the Euro-Asia section of United Cities and Local Governments took part in discussions at the Second Asian Mayors Forum, hosted by the municipality of Istanbul, Turkey, in collaboration with the Union of Municipalities of Turkey and UCLG, Middle East &West Asia Section. The main focus of the forum was the increased role of municipalities in enhancing the quality of life of cities; the realization of sustainable economic growth; and the promotion of good governance at local, national and regional levels.

More than 250 mayors, heads of 10 international organizations and representatives of municipalities of 60 cities from 35 countries of the world participated in the Forum, with the Euro-Asia section of UCLG represented by the cities of Kazan, Osh, and Tbilisi.

The First Asian Mayors Forum took place in Tehran in 2008, where Dr Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Mayor of Tehran, took on the role of President of the Forum. Participants praised the Mayor for his exemplary leadership and determined efforts in promoting and supporting the objectives of the Asian Mayor’s Forum during his chairmanship, over the last three years.

The event also saw the hand-over of the Forum’s presidency, for the next two years, to Kadir Topbas, Mayor of Istanbul and UCLG President. The participants appreciated the hospitality extended to them by the city of Istanbul and unanimously approved the announcement of the new president.

During the conference the delegation from the Euro-Asia section met with UCLG President Kadir Topbas to discuss the further development of cities within the Euro-Asia region, with prospects and areas of activity defined. Over the course of the forum the delegation also met with Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf, Mayor of Tehran and departing President of the Asian Mayor’s Forum, with both parties declaring an interest in the development of bilateral relations and exchanging experiences about solutions to urban problems, in particular the organization of public transport.

Mayors and representatives acknowledged the persistent common challenges to effective urban management including rapid urbanization, while also encouraging further collaboration with regional and international organizations in developing networking among Asian cities to facilitate exchange of information and sharing of best practices relevant to sustainable urban development in Asia.

Over 250 mayors attended the Asian Mayors Forum

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PUBLIC PROCUREMENt

CEMR welcomes new EU guide on public procurement

The Council of European Municipalities and Regions’ Employers’ Platform (CEMR-EP) and the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) have welcomed the European Commission Guide on socially responsible public procurement (SRPP) as a tool to better explain how social criteria could be applied to public procurement and to help socially responsible purchasing.

Against the background of the on-going economic crisis and austerity measures, local and regional authorities may be pressured to go for lower prices yet this may compromise the quality and sustainability of services and goods and put pressure on wages, working conditions and collective agreements. Thus, public authorities and trade unions will have to ensure that quality public services are high on the agenda so that citizens are not the first affected by the economic crisis.

“It is therefore all the more important that EPSU and CEMR-EP play a leading role in recalling the benefits that arise when contracting authorities use SRPP as a lever to promote social concerns such as employment, skills training, equality and social inclusion – influencing the market in a positive direction,” said Steve Comer, chair of the CEMR Employers’ Platform and Eastville city councillor, Bristol City Council, UK.

In the context of the current revision of public procurement rules, the CEMR-EP and EPSU recall that benefits such as employment opportunities, collective agreements, universal access to services and fair trade will be felt throughout the procurement contract’s lifespan if a more socially responsible procurement policy and the guide’s good practices are adopted.

Moreover, EPSU and the CEMR-EP emphasize that the delivery of quality and sustainable services to citizens is the primary objective of public procurement and that local authorities must be able to determine how best to deliver services within their capacity.

“There is no doubt that we will make sure that SRPP will push for the promotion of employment opportunities (for youth, the long-term unemployed, migrants, people with disabilities), of decent work, of the respect of collective agreements, of the universal access of services and of fair trade,” said Anders Hammerbäck, president of the EPSU Local and Regional Government Standing Committee and senior advisor at the Swedish Union of Local Government Officers. “Without these aforementioned elements, our European social model will be meaningless.”

UCLG EUROPEAN SECTION Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) SECRETARY GENERAL: Frédéric VallierADDRESS: 1 Square de Meeûs B-1000 Brussels, Belgium TEL: +32 2 511 7477FAx: +32 2 511 0949 EMAIL: [email protected] WEBsItE: www.ccre.org

PARIS OFFICE: 15 rue de Richelieu 75001 Paris, France TEL: +33 1 44 50 59 59 FAx: +33 1 44 50 59 60

GOVERNANCELocal and regional authorities hold talks with EU institutionsPLATFORMA, the European Platform of Local and Regional Authorities for Development, whose secretariat is hosted by the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), is actively participating in a dialogue on the involvement of local and regional authorities and civil society in EU development cooperation. This dialogue also involves the European Commission, the European Parliament, EU member states as well as civil society, and is aimed at improving the partnership between these different levels of governance in the field of development.

WATERCEMR calls for new model of solidarity on water managementFollowing a number of debates held with local and regional elected representatives, the CEMR, has asked that a new model of solidarity be established between EU member states, municipalities and regions in order to successfully adapt water management to the impacts of climate change. This new model of solidarity would allow for the sharing of data and knowledge on the issue, for the development of technical expertise and for the provision of the required financial resources.

HEALTHCARECEMR lobbies for interest in EU cross-border healthcareThe CEMR has successfully lobbied EU institutions with regards to cross-border healthcare legislation, as many European local and regional authorities act as healthcare providers and are responsible for the organization and financing of hospitals. CEMR lobbied for citizens to be able to receive healthcare in another EU member state and to be reimbursed up to the level of reimbursement applicable in their national health system.

YOUTHYouth must learn how to use modern media responsiblyAt the Cities for Children conference, CEMR Secretary-General, Frédéric Vallier, emphasized that in today’s world of fast-changing media and social media developments, it is vital that children and adolescents learn how to use modern media technology responsibly, independently and safely. The Cities for Children conference was held in Stuttgart, Germany and focused on ‘media competence’ and the impact of media on children in urban areas.

NEWS: EUROPE


INNOVATION

Innovative solutions honoured at Living Labs Global Awards ceremony

The cities of Barcelona, Cape Town, Eindhoven, Lagos, San Francisco, Sant Cugat, Stockholm and Taipei announced the winners of the Living Labs Global Award 2011, at the Summit on Service Innovation in Cities,

in Stockholm. Living Labs Global, an association that promotes innovation in services and mobility in cities, and the city of Stockholm, in collaboration with the Barcelona City Council and businesses Oracle and Farglory, jointly organized the event.

The summit brought together 200 participants from cities across the world, businesses and leading experts, with the goal of using innovations to convert challenges into opportunities. The Awards recognised the major challenges faced by cities in the coming years, to which 245 companies from 30 countries responded by presenting their solutions. With rapidly growing populations, budget pressures due to the financial crisis and increasing international competition for investment, talent and tourists, cities are looking for innovative approaches to remain competitive.

“Today’s announcement provides a significant step forward to solve some of the world’s pressing urban challenges affecting more than 50 percent of the world’s population,” said Sascha Haselmayer, CEO of Living Labs Global. “The winners will now have the opportunity to implement their solutions in real-life environments, and work together with stakeholders in the eight cities to prove their impact.”

Barcelona, Cape Town, Eindhoven, Lagos, San Francisco, Sant Cugat, Stockholm, and Taipei worked with Living Labs Global to choose the companies and organizations that have developed solutions that add high value to users in cities around the world. The participating cities, representing 40 million citizens from Europe, Africa, North America and Asia called for solutions that could solve some of their most pressing challenges.

The eight winners of the Living Labs Global Award will be invited to pilot their solutions in these cities, proving the effectiveness of new solutions and offering a first step for innovative providers to enter new markets.

The winners of the Living Labs Global Award 2011:City of Barcelona: Citysolver, by BitcarrierCity of Cape Town: Venture Capital Cultivator Fund, by PoweredbyVCCity of Eindhoven: Integral Solution for Urban Infrastructures (SIIUR), by bdigitalCity of Lagos: Eggup | Sell your films while preventing piracy, by Eggup.comCity of San Francisco: Open Data as a Platform for Citizen Service Delivery, by Socrata Inc.City of Sant Cugat: Smart Parking for Smart Urban Living, by WorldsensingCity of Stockholm: Spotscout, by Spotscout Inc.City of Taipei: A+ Care: Smart Autonomous TeleHealth Care Service, by Netown

Farglory Chairman Teng-Hsiung Chao views the nominees from each city

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GOVERNANCECall for system of governance partnershipThe CEMR has called for the setting-up of a system of governance in partnership between local, regional, national and European authorities as an interpretation of multi-level governance. “The burden of economic and financial recovery, for instance, must be shared,” declared CEMR Secretary General, Frédéric Vallier. “Especially when decentralization and local and regional autonomy are being hindered by certain decisions taken at the national level. European and national administrations must cooperate very closely with associations representing local and regional authorities so as to best meet the needs of citizens.”

ECONOMYEconomic Recovery Observatory launched for local and regional levelsThe CEMR has launched the Economic Recovery Observatory, which brings together stakeholders who monitor different aspects of the financial and economic crisis and economic recovery at the local and regional levels. The observatory aims at collecting data, tackling challenges associated with the crisis and recovery process, and identifying key experts on the ground.

TOWN TWINNINGPost-2013 ‘Europe for citizens’ programme must maintain or increase its budgetCEMR, at a meeting with the Commission Directorate General Communication (DG COMM) and other stakeholders involved in the programme, highlighted how the post-2013 ‘Europe for citizens’ programme must see its budget either remain the same or increase, especially for activities linked to town twinning. It must also maintain necessary support measures to help strengthen the skills and capacities of project holders, keep CEMR as a major programme partner, and establish better cooperation with the programme’s national contact points.

RURAL DEVELOPMENTCEMR calls on European Parliament to provide response to rural challengesThe Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) has called on members of the European Parliament to provide a comprehensive response to the challenges faced by rural areas. CEMR believes that the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and Rural Development Policy can help tackle both current and future challenges, which include demographic change, climate change, globalization and the need to secure EU food supply, all of which require both flexible action and a sustainable political framework.

NEWS: LATIN AMERICA


WATER

Water Funds Partnership will protect resources for 50 million people

Global business and financial, development and conservation leaders, have announced a new partnership that will protect threatened water resources across Latin America and the Caribbean for 50 million people.

Grasslands, cloud forests, tropical rainforests and even deserts and dry forests provide the water that supports towns and cities. Such ecosystems capture, retain, filter and supply vast quantities of freshwater. In addition to providing drinking water they also provide habitat to rich biological diversity across the globe.

The US$27 million Latin American Water Funds Partnership pledges to protect almost three million hectares of watersheds in Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Mexico and other countries.

“Water Funds offer a triple-win for businesses, communities and nature,” said Mark Tercek, president and CEO of The Nature Conservancy. “By investing in green infrastructure, such as forests and rivers, companies and water utilities can save money on the construction of grey infrastructure, such as water filtration systems. Communities benefit through the development of sustainable incomes and clean water supplies, and natural systems are protected to provide habitat for wildlife and deliver clean water.”

“We will be choosing a small number of watersheds in which to test and perfect conservation techniques related to water quantity and quality,” said Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) President Luis Alberto Moreno. “And only then will we implement a replication strategy that will enable a much larger number of cities and countries to adopt these techniques.”

In Latin America, more than 77 million people lack access to clean water, according to the United Nations. The partners (The Nature Conservancy, FEMSA Foundation, IDB and Global Environment Facility) hope that as more and more actors recognize the benefits of Water Funds, they can also commit to working in favour of water and watersheds in Latin America, for nature and people. The expectation is that this watershed conservation model can be adapted and replicated in other regions of the world as a tool to address global challenges that can translate into water scarcity, such as climate change.

UCLG LATIN AMERICA SECTION Federación Latinoamericana de Ciudades, Municipios y Asociaciones (FLACMA) SECRETARY GENERAL: Guillermo Tapia Nicola Agustín ADDRESS: Guerrero 219 y José María Ayora, Quito, Ecuador TEL: +593 2 246 9365 FAx: +593 2 243 5205 EMAIL: [email protected] WEBsItE: www.flacma.org

PUBLIC sAFEtY World Bank report says better street lighting can reduce urban violenceMunicipal policymakers need to see urban communities as part of the solution and work with them to prioritize interventions targeting urban violence, says a new World Bank report. Violence in the City: Understanding and Supporting Community Responses to Urban Violence, notes that simple upgrades to urban infrastructure like better street lighting or parks and other public spaces can help reduce and prevent urban violence. It highlights prevention approaches that have brought down homicide rates dramatically in Bogotá and Cali in Colombia, and São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

HOUSINGRio’s favelas to get better social servicesSome 2 million poor people who live in informal low-income settlements (favelas) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, will benefit from a US$485 million boost to the Metropolitan Urban and Housing Project. The local population will benefit from improved social service delivery through innovative programmes that expand urban and social services such as health and education to the favelas. The loan will improve the state’s capacity to regularize land tenure, map risk areas, formalize ownership of homes where possible and provide incentives for investment or resettlement where needed.

SECURITYColombian Municipal Federation outraged by murder of two mayoral candidatesThe killing of two mayoral candidates in Campamento, Antioquia, has led to the Colombian Municipal Federation calling for a greater show of support for local officials and democracy. The federation outlined that in this year alone six candidates have been murdered by guerillas, or local gangs, who refuse to respect the will of the people and local municipal elections.

YOUTHBrazilian state of Ceara launches youth programme to combat povertyIn an effort to reduce the poverty and neglect that afflict children and youth from poor households in the Brazilian state of Ceará, the state government is carrying out the Program to Support the Development of Children and Adolescents (PROARES). Operating in 62 of Ceará’s 184 municipalities, the programme is benefiting 82,000 people by improving living conditions and promoting the social inclusion of children, adolescents, and youth at risk, as well as their families. The programme also seeks to strengthen the management capacity of state and municipal governments, in mainly social areas.

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NEWS: LATIN AMERICA


GOVERNANCENew president elected for Chilean Municipality Association In an extended meeting of the Executive Committee of the Chilean Municipality Association (ACHM), the mayor of Colina, Mario Olavarria (CDI), became the new president after a handover ceremony from outgoing president, Claudio Arriagada (DC), Mayor of La Granja. Arriagada praised the work of ACHM and its work with all municipalities in the country and stressed the integration of the organization: “We always work to make sure the voice of the institution is heard, and not merely to express an opinion of one mayor or any specific sector.”

WASTE MANAGEMENTQuito holds 4th American Congress on Solid WasteThe Equatorial Municipal Association (AME) hosted international agencies, mayors and academics at the 4th Inter-American Conference on Solid Waste in June. Delegates participated in various workshops where results of studies were released and discussed. Major issues covered included climate change, solid waste results from the application of appropriate policies, soil contamination, hazardous waste, medical waste, packaging, packing, e-waste, and liability policies.

WATERWorld Bank backs project for safer water in LimaMore than 158,000 people in northern Lima will benefit from the rehabilitation of water and sewer networks, as a result of work carried out by the Running Water and Sewer Service (SEDAPAL) and a US$54.5 million loan from the World Bank. Close to 1 million people in Lima do not have access to running water. This is due mainly to the rapid growth of the capital’s population, which increased from 6.4 to 8.4 million during the 1993-2009 period, and the scarcity of water resources in the coastal area. Lima is the second largest city located in a desert after Cairo.

GOVERNANCEBrazil’s president signs new municipal commitments President Rouseff of Brazil signed a raft of commitments with Brazilian mayors at the National Municipal Confederation (CNM). Agreements include promoting reforms in basic health units, helping small municipalities in preparing projects for the Acceleration Program (PAC), promoting the Brazil Without Poverty initiative and supporting municipalities in increasing their own revenue collection capabilities.

WASTE MANAGEMENT

Four million informal waste collectors to join recycling schemes

Recyclers, consumer products companies, municipalities, educational institutions, and civil society organizations have joined forces to launch a regional programme to integrate informal waste collectors into the formal recycling market.

It is estimated that more than four million people in Latin America live on income earned from the collection of recyclable waste materials. These people, including entire families, work in unhealthy conditions with materials that can pose risks to health.

The programme will make use of lessons learned from projects underway in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, and other developing countries, and provide these experiences as models for stakeholders.

“This programme provides us with the opportunity to contribute to the development of sustainable communities in two areas of particular relevance: social and economic inclusion of people living under very adverse conditions, and environmental protection,” said Jose Octavio Reyes, President of Coca-Cola Latin America. “This programme also contributes to our vision of ‘zero waste’ for our packaging, where increased use of recycled materials in our bottles constitutes a central part of this vision.”

The Fundación Avina, the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF), a member of the IDB Group, the Water and Sanitation Division of the IDB, and The Coca-Cola Company, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, aim to improve the socio-economic status of waste collectors, involve the private sector as an active partner in facilitating their access to the formal market, and improve the regulatory framework to facilitate market functions.

“Greater coordination among recyclers, businesses and municipalities will improve the quality of life of people engaged in this business,” said Nancy Lee, MIF General Manager.

“The experience of the past 20 years in the region has shown the need for including the informal sector as an integral part of the formal system of municipal waste management in a process led by municipalities themselves and as a means for achieving economic sustainability of such activities,” said Federico Basañes, Chief of the IDB’s Water and Sanitation Division. “The pursuit of such integration is one of the main objectives of the present initiative.”

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Informal waste collectors will be intergrated into the formal recycling market

NEWS: METROPOLIS


WASTESoweto tackles illegal dumpingMasses of illegally dumped rubbish are being cleared up by hand in the 17 townships that make up Soweto, Johannesburg. City officials and staff from an organization called Pikitup begun work on the first weekend of June. The initiative is part of a three-month clean-up programme that aims to convert illegal dumping sites into recreational facilities. Removal of the piles of rubbish should help to get rid of rats and other rodents that have been thriving there.

SECURITYMelbourne launches safe taxi schemeMelbourne has initiated a new Safe City Taxi Rank Scheme to address citizens’ concerns about getting home safely at night. The taxi stands will be managed by the City of Melbourne and there will seven ranks established over the next four years. Each taxi rank will be staffed by a security officer in uniform and monitored by security cameras overnight. The City has also just released a Late Night Transport Options Map for residents.

TRANSPORTGreen Fleet Expo held in TorontoToronto recently hosted the sixth Green Fleet Expo, where hundreds of leaders in green fleet technology gathered. The event included exhibits from transport industry vendors, presentations on alternative fuels and electric vehicles, panel discussions on light- and heavy-duty vehicles, presentations on green government practices, green fleet initiatives and green fleet leadership awards. Toronto is actively implementing a Green Fleet Plan. The city has added 117 new green vehicles to its fleet in addition to several other initiatives to reduce transport emissions.

INFRASTRUCTURERoads in Kampala need major overhaulKampala’s City Council is facing an uphill struggle to repair potholes in the Ugandan city’s roads. M/S. Zzimwe Construction has been contracted to handle pothole repairs, but the project faces numerous challenges. The city says that most roads have been in use for three times as long as they should have been, without reconstruction. Problems with burst water and sewage pipes have also weakened the roads, which, combined with a high water table and underlying swampland means faster degeneration. Escalating construction costs and heavy traffic loads are also hindering efforts.

sUstAINABLE DEVELOPMENt

Dubai Municipality launches first Sustainable Facilities Expo

The Sustainable Facilities Exhibition and Conference 2011 was launched in June by HH Eng. Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, the Minister of Economy. The exhibition aimed to raise awareness of conserving energy and water. Eng. Hussein Nasser Lootah, Director General of Dubai Municipality and other senior officials were present at the opening.

The Expo – which ran alongside the FM EXPO and World FM Congress – was the region’s first-ever green exhibition focused on construction and facilities management. Discussions also focused on how to increase the life span of buildings and create a healthy work environment.

“The world building industry accounts for almost 40 percent of global greenhouse gases and the facilities management industry is in the best position to help reduce such output,” said Lootah. “So working alongside Sustainable Facilities Expo, our partners at ECAT will be able to reach an influential audience with the message that the environment has no borders or political affiliations and as such we must work together so the region can better preserve the urban environments and protect them from pollution.”

Mohamed Al Noori, Director of the Environmental Centre for Arab Towns explained: “ECAT is a scientific research institute that deals with environmental issues concerning Arab cities natural resources, economic progress and sustainable development. It is in partnership with Dubai Municipality and the Arab Towns Organization.”

Event Director for FM EXPO and Sustainable Facilities Expo, David Wilson added: “Practical solutions that reduce energy costs are in demand especially as big construction developments present a higher carbon footprint. This is putting pressure on developers to balance carbon emissions during the lifecycle of the building and facility management companies are expected to provide this solution to developers and owners. But if the industry is to rise up to the challenge, it needs the backing of governments and municipalities around the region.”

The Sustainable Facilities Exhibition and Conference 2011 was launched in Dubai

UCLG METROPOLIS SECTIONSECRETARY GENERAL: Josep Roig ADDRESS: Carrer Avinyó 15, 08002 Barcelona, Spain TEL: +34 93 342 94 60 FAx: +34 93 342 94 66EMAIL: [email protected]: www.metropolis.org

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TRANSPORT

National recognition for Sydney’s bike scheme

Sydney’s Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, has been officially recognized for her achievements in encouraging cycling amongst the city’s citizens. The Australian Bicycling Achievement Awards gave the mayor the Award for Contribution by a Politician at a ceremony in Canberra.

Mayor Moore has developed 200 kilometres of bike lanes in Sydney, which are proving popular with the public. “Most riders use our cycleways to commute to and from work, in the morning and evening peak hours when congestion on our roads is heaviest – and the more people who ride during those times, the bigger the impact on reducing traffic and congestion,” said Mayor Moore. “This is about the future and building a viable network that will become a normal part of city life in the years ahead.”

A national survey conducted by the National Heart Foundation of Australia and Cycling Promotion Fund (CPF) found that 62 percent of Australians would like to be able to choose a bike as a form of transport, but are too fearful about road safety.

“The data should provide critical support to the leaders of Australia’s major cities, like Clover Moore, who are moving to establish active travel networks to relieve the looming crisis in urban congestion and address many of the related issues facing Australians such as physical inactivity, obesity and quality of life issues in our cities,” said Mr Stephen Hodge, spokesperson for the CPF.

The survey revealed that those who ride a bike for transport typically ride on quiet roads (48 percent) and alone (87 percent), significantly outweighing those who cycled on busy roads (15 percent).

“The Award recognizes Clover Moore for her commitment to removing the barriers that prevent Sydney residents for being able to choose their bicycle for short trips and for commuting,” said Mr. Hodge. “Along with the many other achievements recognized in the 10 national Awards, Clover Moore’s Award recognizes her significant commitment to making Sydney a healthier and more liveable city.”

URBAN DEVELOPMENtKazan’s mayor studies town-planning in AzerbaijanA delegation from the Republic of Tatarstan travelled to Azerbaijan to study urban development and planning. The group included Kazan’s mayor, Ilsur Metshin, along with the Deputy Mayor of Kazan, Ivan Kuznetsov, the chief architect of the capital of Tatarstan, Tatyana Prokopyeva and other representatives. Kazan has several large-scale construction projects underway and officials wanted to learn from Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, which has had success in building roads, traffic intersections and public parks.

ENVIRONMENTGreen initiative for Kuala Lumpur parksForeign tourists and expatriates have been busy planting trees and flowers in Kuala Lumpur’s parks. The initiative was organized by the city council and is called I Greened KL. The event was officially opened by Datuk Seri Ahmad Fuad Ismail, the Mayor of Kuala Lumpur. In his official speech, the mayor said that he hoped the programme would encourage those who took part to return to Kuala Lumpur to see the growth of the trees they have planted.

TOURISMMashhad tracks tourism through electronic codesTourists to the Iranian city of Mashhad are to be given an electronic code to help the authorities involved in tourism planning keep track of tourist numbers. The plan is part of the municipality’s planning and management policy. Tourists will be assigned their code at special information centres and all travel agencies are obliged to ask tourists for the code when they enter Mashhad. The aim is to compile precise statistics on tourist numbers and movements.

sUstAINABLE tRANsPORtManila bans high-emission vehiclesManila has initiated a project to clean up the city’s air by putting a stop to vehicles emitting high levels of emissions. The Anti-Smoke Belching Unit (ASBU) issues stickers to cars and trucks that have passed an emissions test. The crackdown has led to a proliferation of false and illegal stickers. ASBU is stopping and arresting all vehicle owners found to be in possession of the false stickers, and performing on-the-spot emissions tests.

Lord Mayor of the City of Sydney, Clover Moore

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NEWS: MIDDLE EAST & WEST ASIA


GOVERNANCE

UN conference sets new roadmap for Iraqi local government

Key representatives from the Iraqi government, including Mr Istebraq al-Shauk, Senior Deputy Minister for Construction and Housing, Mr Kamil Chadirchi, Deputy Minister for Administrative Affairs, and Mr Ayad al Safy, Deputy Minister for Technical Affairs, met in Amman, Jordan to attend a high-level conference to determine the future of Iraqi governance.

“This conference represents the extent of cooperation, and of joint and serious action between the Iraqi Government and United Nations Agencies to concentrate the concept of decentralized government in Iraq,” said Deputy Minister al-Shauk in his opening address.

The conference, organized by the UN-HABITAT office in Amman, brought together eminent speakers from the World Bank, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and United Nations agencies, as well as experienced practitioners in the field of local governance, to set out a roadmap that will enable Iraq to move towards a system of effective decentralized local government. Members of the Iraqi Local Government Association represented all 18 provinces, or governorates, at the conference.

“The objective of this conference is to provide an opportunity for Iraq Local Government Association representatives to learn, experience and benefit from the process of decentralization, local government building and service delivery practised in several neighbouring and selected countries,” said Suman Kumar Karna, Local Governance and Decentralization Specialist with the UN-HABITAT Iraq Programme in Amman. “The conference will provide a focused practical perspective on how decentralization in urban areas promotes local government as an effective tool for service delivery.”

The experience of decentralized governance in Iraq has been minimal. After adopting a federal system in 2003, the Republic of Iraq’s Constitution of 2005 furthered the reform process by establishing a model of decentralized political and administrative government through devolution of power to 18 provinces (governorates). But many challenges remain, in particular, the devolution of authority for the delivery of services and an inter-governmental policy on the transfer of revenues to local governments from oil and other resources.

The discussions and debate from the conference will be published in the form of a toolkit, which will serve as a guiding tool to Iraqi representatives in the field.

United Cities and Local Governments of Middle East-West Asia SECRETARY GENERAL: Mehmet Duman SultanahmetADDRESS: Yerebatan Cad 2 34400 Istanbul, TurkeyTEL: +90 212 511 10 10FAx: +90 212 513 44 87EMAIL: [email protected]: www.uclg-mewa.orgREPREsENtAtIVE FOR LEBANON, sYRIA AND JORDAN: Béchir Odeimi, c/o Municipality of Jdeidé BP 70675 Antélias, Lebanon. TEL: + 961 1 901 650 FAx: + 961 1 895 768

NATURAL RESOURCESWorld Bank supports Afghanistan’s natural resource managementThe World Bank has approved a US$52 million grant from the International Development Association to help the government of Afghanistan manage the development of its natural resources in an effective and transparent manner. Afghanistan has a rich endowment of mineral and energy resources. It possesses deposits of copper, gold, and iron ore, among other metals, as well as construction materials, dimensional stone and gemstones, coal, and hydrocarbons.

ENVIRONMENTAbu Dhabi to host first Eye on Earth SummitAbu Dhabi will host the first Eye on Earth Summit from December 12-15, 2011, in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Over the past ten years, Abu Dhabi has undertaken development of thought and practice leadership in the field of environmental data. Despite progress, much remains to be done: missing, inaccessible or hidden data cannot contribute to decision-making. Abu Dhabi’s Eye on Earth Summit aims to find the solutions that will fill those gaps, helping the world move towards a more sustainable future based on informed policy-making.

INFRASTRUCTUREIncreased investment in infrastructure in the Arab regionInternational finance institutions and governments in the Arab region have agreed to mobilize support for infrastructure development through a new Arab Financing Facility for Infrastructure (AFFI), in an effort to drive economic growth and meet the needs of a young and growing population. AFFI aims to raise up to US$1 billion in new financing that will leverage infrastructure investment in Arab countries and catalyze financing for the US$40 billion annual funding gap.

FOOD SECURITYUnited States and Qatar sign food security agreementThe United States and the State of Qatar have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding cooperation to enhance global food security. The MOU was signed by Dr Rajiv Shah, Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Dr Khalid Al-Attiya, Minister of State for International Cooperation. “By seeking to develop new technologies for sustainable agriculture in Qatar, we hope to become a model to dry land countries so that they too can boost their agricultural production in the future,” said Minister Khalid Al-Attiya.

Delegates met in Amman to determine the future of Iraqi governance

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NEWS: MIDDLE EAST & WEST ASIA


TRANSPORTIDB aids Jordan’s mega rail projectThe Islamic Development Bank (IDB) is studying Jordan’s mega rail project with a view to garnering international financial support for the initiative. Once completed, the project is expected to link Jordan’s major economic zones with regional and international economic hubs in the region, such as Syria and Turkey, Gulf Countries, as well as the European rail network. The rail project will spur economic growth and job opportunities, not only in Jordan, but also neighbouring IDB member countries including those in Asia and Europe.

ENERGYEBRD promotes energy efficiency in turkeyThe European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is continuing to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in Turkey by providing Vakifbank with US$100 million for on-lending to local private companies for making investments in renewable energy, industrial energy efficiency and waste-to-energy projects. The financing to Vakifbank is extended under the EBRD’s Mid-size Sustainable Energy Financing Facility, which was launched in December 2010.

EDUCATIONGrants awarded to 80 schools in Abu Dhabi for Eco clubsThe Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) and the Emirates Foundation for Philanthropy announced that 80 schools in Abu Dhabi Emirate have been awarded financial grants for their Eco club. Establishing successful Eco clubs is one of the four Sustainable Schools Initiative components. It empowers students to reach out to their parents and neighbourhood about environmental issues. Club members are expected to conduct regular member meetings and to run at least two projects to raise awareness in the school and their communities.

POVERTYVulnerable Palestinian families receive World Bank supportThe World Bank is to provide a US$10 million grant to support the most poverty stricken Palestinians, targeting about 5,500 families. The Cash Transfer Project (CTP) builds on the Social Safety Net Reform Project, which has supported the Palestinian Authority in developing and managing one of the most advanced cash assistance programmes in the region. During the 2009-10 food crisis, some 25,000 families received timely, direct aid through this programme. The CTP will be integrated in the wider social assistance system, ensuring that aid is coordinated with employment and education schemes.

CITY SUMMIT

World Bank calls for new city partnershipsMore than 800 delegates

and participants attended Global City 2011, Abu Dhabi, in March, making the fifth edition of the forum the most successful to date.

In his opening address, His Excellency Falah al Ahbabi, General Manager of the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council, emphasised the high standards of research and development in Abu Dhabi and how many valuable lessons have been learned from watching how other world cities have grown.

“Sustainability remains at the foundation of any new development in Abu Dhabi: the key objective for the Vision 2030 urban development initiative is to develop Abu Dhabi as the modern, sustainable Arab Capital of the world,“ said Al Ahbabi.

Keynote speaker the French economist Jacques Attali said that urban planners must make sure that rural areas continue to develop along with urban areas. Attali outlined values and criteria for sustainable cities, the first of which is self-respect. “As for individuals, the first step for any city to succeed is to know itself,” said Attali.

One of the key sessions covered the interaction of the private sector with city governments to find sustainable and replicable solutions for rapid urbanization. Dan Hoornweg, Lead Urban Specialist at the World Bank, said we need new partnerships to tackle rapid urbanization as it the future of poverty reduction rests with cities.

“Cities are the most magical amazing things that humans have created and we are creating them at the most enormous pace but they are also the messiest level of government,” said Hoornweg. “Everyone is coming to the conclusion we have to figure out a new system.”

Towards that end, the World Bank is working with the private sector on the Urban Infrastructure Initiative. Germany’s Siemens and French water and environmental company GDF Suez are leading the initiative under the auspices of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

The initiative requires companies to enter the process for improving city infrastructure and services at the planning stage rather than the implementation stage thereby bringing added value and technical assistance to city planning at a stage where this is most beneficial. Representatives from the fourteen company members of the Urban Infrastructure Initiative are piloting the scheme in Turku, Finland before embarking on partnerships with cities in Gujarat, India.

Commenting on the partnership, Jarkko Virtanen, Deputy Mayor of Turku, said: “It is very important to create networks with companies that share your values and sustainability should be at the core of their business.”

The conference closed with an address from Adrian Fenty, former mayor of Washington DC, US, who said he had treated his tenure as mayor like that of a CEO managing a company. This meant hiring talented if unconventional people, who were focused on achieving results, rather than bringing in political supporters. He said this formula could apply to cities whatever their stage of development.

“Let us go forward from this and continue to be the laboratories of innovation and democracy for cities,” urged Mayor Fenty.

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Adrian Fenty, former Mayor of Washington DC

NEWS: NORTH AMERICA


UCLG NORTH AMERICA SECTIONSECRETARY GENERAL: Don Borut ADDRESS: c/o National League of Cities 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20004, USA TEL: +1 202 626 3000 FAx: +1 202 626 3043WEBsItE: www.nlc.org

ENERGYSolar LED light up Irving, TexasOne hundred and seventy newly installed solar-powered Light Emitting Diode (LED) streetlights have made a major street in Irving, Texas, home to the largest corridor in the state powered by solar LED. By converting to solar power, the city is reducing enough emissions to equal the planting of 30 hectares of trees a year. The lights are also able to store up to five days of power to guarantee uninterrupted service during inclement weather.

HEALTHBoston surveys elderly residentsBoston has surveyed 70-plus-year-old seniors living independently at or near the poverty line in the three neighbourhoods with the highest percentage of low-income elderly. The city measured the health conditions and concerns of its most vulnerable elderly, and focussed on living habits, health care, support services and consumer scams. Responses will provide Boston with data to more effectively meet the needs of its seniors.

AESTHETICS Atlanta kicks off graffiti abatement programmeCity department heads, community partners and other stakeholders picked up brushes and covered graffiti with fresh paint in Atlanta to launch a comprehensive graffiti abatement programme. It is composed of an outreach programme, a hotline number to report graffiti and removal events and aims to increase the quality of life for residents and encourage business and commercial growth.

ENERGYNew light switches to reduce costsAllentown, Pennsylvania, is replacing all lighting control devices in city hall and public safety buildings with vacancy sensors and energy efficient fixtures that will save electricity and reduce carbon emissions. Vacancy sensing light switches illuminate only occupied areas by which the city expects to reduce lighting demand in these buildings by at least 40 percent. The second phase of the project will include new light bulbs with dimming ballasts and photocells to allow for daylight harvesting.

ENVIRONMENTMiami helps nonprofits upgrade facilitiesMiami-Dade County, Florida, has kicked off Grants to Green Nonprofits (G2GN), which will provide US$1 million in energy saving retrofits to 48 local nonprofit organizations. It will fund upgrades in insulation installations, HVAC improvements, and energy efficient lighting. It is estimated the retrofits will prevent 1,765,625 tonnes of carbon emissions from being released.

CULTURE

Art to boost vacant Santa Fe neighbourhoods

As part of the Buy Into It! effort to support the local economy, Santa Fe, New Mexico, the state’s art commission and economic development divisions have launched a pilot programme to help owners showcase their vacant property by installing art displays to direct foot traffic to the potential space for lease.

Building on similar programmes already developed in Seattle and San Francisco, the pilot programme is a creative way to address vacancies, add to the tourism experience, while at the same time, provide opportunities for local artists.

“This is truly a great programme for everyone involved,” said Simon Brackley from the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce. “While it enhances properties in the downtown area, it will redirect foot traffic for merchants, and potentially bring retail clients to property owners.”

Beginning in Seattle in 2010, the programme is now part of a national wave of community driven collaborations between business and artists to activate empty spaces and renew economic activity in neighbourhoods.

Seattle is now running its second edition which will continue until January 2012. “This innovative programme is a great collaboration between our business and art communities,” said Mayor Mike McGinn. “Storefronts Seattle shines a spotlight on Seattle’s creative sector, brings new life to empty storefronts and enlivens our neighbourhood business districts.”

In the Santa Fe pilot, property owners will be asked to donate their space for the 90 day temporary installation – from June until September and in return, have their property showcased, linked and marketed through the City of Santa Fe Arts Commission’s website, facebook and media contacts. Artists will be paid a US$500 stipend for the cost of the installation and will also be showcased in the same manner.

Art installations will bring increased foot traffic to vacant shops

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Toronto keeps its ban on bottled water

WATER

Toronto maintains bottled water banIn the face of intense

lobbying from the bottled water industry, Toronto City Council voted down a motion in June that would have overturned the city’s 2008 bottled water ban. Toronto is the biggest city in the world to have banned bottled water and now joins the City of London, Ontario, in rejecting industry pleas to reverse bottled water bans.

Toronto City Council voted in the ban against the sale and provision of bottled water in city facilities and to ensure access to public tap water in its place. Toronto staff aim to remove bottled water from all city facilities by the end of 2011.

Maude Barlow, senior advisor on water to the United Nations and national chairperson of the Council of Canadians believes it is a step in the right direction.

“The City of Toronto should be commended for its decision. Water shouldn’t be treated like a product at all but as a public trust that we all share in common,” said Barlow. “When a city the size of Toronto recognizes this, and recognizes its

responsibility to improve access to public water supplies, I think we can say bottled water’s days are numbered across Canada and perhaps even internationally.”

Many see Toronto’s action as the result of a diverse North American public campaign that has successfully raised awareness about bottled water where many view it as an unnecessary and wasteful product when the majority of people in Canada and the United States have access to clean drinking water from the tap.

Increasingly across Canada, municipal leaders are reinvesting in public water services. The

Polaris Institute cites that there are now two provinces, 85 municipalities, 13 campuses and seven school boards nation-wide that have passed similar resolutions to promote tap water and restrict the purchase and sales of bottled water.

WATERCombined sewer overflows reduced by halfThe C$250 million dollar Ottawa River Action Plan aimed at reducing combined sewer overflows into the Ottawa River has seen Ottawa cutting discharges by more than half compared to measurements of four years ago. The Real Time Control system, has significantly increased the volume of combined wastewater (sewage and stormwater) captured and re-directed to the city’s wastewater treatment plant.

TRANSPORTBoston unveils on-street electric charge stationsBoston has unveiled the city’s first on-street charging stations for electric vehicles. Three parking spaces in front of City Hall Plaza have been outfitted with the stations. The project is part of a year-long pilot to study the use and durability of the units and complements the EVboston, part of the city’s transport initiative, Complete Streets, component designed to promote the use and accessibility of electric vehicles.

ENERGYSacramento council claims city’s largest solar power projectSolarCity and the City of Sacramento, California, are moving forward to install 1.9 megawatts – more than 8,000 solar panels – of new solar power capacity across four municipal sites later this year. The project is expected to be the largest solar power project undertaken by the City of Sacramento. Once operational, the panels are expected to produce approximately 2.6 million kilowatt-hours of solar electricity in their first year, enough to power approximately 250 homes. SolarCity will finance, install and maintain the solar installations.

GOVERNANCENational League of Cities hosts China-US local leaders summitLocal leaders from large cities across the US made the case directly to Chinese mayors and economic officials for a Front Range US-China Cooperation Zone. Officials were meeting in Seattle at the National League of Cities Leadership Academy on Local Economic Competitiveness in a Global Era, which provided local governments’ direct access to more than 90 Chinese officials interested in US business opportunities.

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“The City of Toronto should be commended for its decision. Water shouldn’t be treated like a product at all but as a public trust that we all share in common” –Maude Barlow, Senior advisor on water, UN

CONFERENCE REPORT


The 12th UCLG Executive Bureau, hosted by the City of Rabat (Morocco), was officially opened on Thursday 23rd June by Fathallah Oualalou, Mayor of Rabat with over 200 local and regional leaders from 40 countries.

One of the key decisions of the meeting was the appointment of Josep Roig, Secretary General of Metropolis, as the new Secretary General of UCLG. The UCLG Executive Bureau meeting in Rabat appointed Josep Roig, as UCLG Secretary General following an international recruitment process. Josep Roig, Secretary General of Metropolis since 2000, has been involved in the Metropolitan Section of UCLG as a founding and active member since 1985. An economist by education, he has worked in the Metropolitan Government of Barcelona and was Executive Director of the University of Barcelona during the period 1990-1994.

During his appointment speech on front of 216 local government leaders, Mr. Roig expressed his gratitude for the challenging task entrusted to him and the need to strengthen UCLG s role as network of networks working towards advocacy and innovation. Josep Roig will be assuming his new responsibilities from September 2011. Until then, Mr. Clarence Anthony will continue his work as Interim Manager of UCLG.

The UCLG Executive Bureau comprises 115 members from around the world and meets twice a year. This meeting was the first meeting of the Executive Bureau since the renewal of the Governing Bodies in Mexico last November.

The Executive Bureau was chaired by Kadir Topbas, Mayor of Istanbul (Turkey) and President of UCLG, by Co-President Antonio Costa, Mayor of Lisbon (Portugal) and by Fathallah Oualalou, Mayor of Rabat (Morroco). On Thursday

23rd, the opening session was dedicated to local and regional governments’ working towards innovation, with presentations from Wan Qingliang, Co-President of UCLG and Mayor of Guangzhou (China), Anne-Marie Jorritsma, Mayor of Almere (Netherlands) and President of the Association of Dutch Municipalities, as well as special guests of the World Bank, Cities Alliance and representatives of national governments and financial institutions.

In his opening address, the President of UCLG, Kadir Topbas, Mayor of Istanbul, summarised the efforts of the UCLG Presidency to work on three fronts: leading the organisation; promoting membership; and bringing the voice of the World Organisation before the international community. President Topbas mentionned the need to promote strong local democratic governments at the service of the citizens worldwide. He stressed the positive developments in UCLG relations with the UN and he quoted Ban Ki Moon who defined UCLG as a global ally of the United Nations in recent meetings with US mayors. He further highlighted the important work in updating the sustainability agenda, introducing culture as the fourth pillar of sustainable development, renewing the aid effectiveness agenda

and addressing the issue of health and access to basic services. The Executive Bureau further agreed to create a Standing Committee on Gender Equality in order to truly push forward the participation of women in local decision making and to boost the role of women leaders in the work of UCLG.

On Thursday 23rd June, during the opening session of the UCLG Executive Bureau, the UCLG President granted distinctions to six personalities, acknowledging their dedication and support for the work of the World Organization. The presentations were made to Daby Diagne, Founding Father of UCLG; Elisabeth Gateau, First Secretary General of UCLG; Jeremy Smith, Former Secretary General of CEMR; Selahattin Yildirim, Former Secretary General of MEWA; and Peter Woods, Former Secretary General of ASPAC. Joan Clos, Executive Director of UN-Habitat and Founding President of UCLG was also awarded the distinction but was unable to attend the ceremony.

The UCLG awardees expressed their appreciation for being given this distinction and recognized the many colleagues that had worked hard towards the creation of UCLG underlying the sense of unity which is the guiding spirit of the World Organization. n

UCLG announces new Secretary General

UCLG Executive Bureau Meeting, Rabat, Morocco, 22-24 June, 2011

Over 200 local government leaders gathered in Rabat under the chairmanship of UCLG President Kadir Topbas (right)

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CONFERENCE REPORT


Transport Ministers from the 52 member countries of the International Transport Forum at the OECD gathered in Leipzig, Germany for a three-day summit on the future of global mobility. The 2011 summit had a theme of Transport for Society and looked at identifying ways to increase the net benefits transport provides for individuals and for society as a whole in a rapidly urbanizing world.

The summit convened as another volcanic ash cloud caused disruptions to air traffic over northern Europe, one year after the almost complete shutdown of European air traffic due to the eruption of a volcano in Iceland in April 2010.

“Transport is often taken for granted. It is only when we face disruptions that we take note of the fact that global mobility cannot be treated as a given,” said Jack Short, former Secretary General of the International Transport Forum (in his opening address? “It relies on complex, interconnected infrastructures and systems that are potentially fragile. Transport systems need to be well maintained, so they do not to fail us. They need to be further developed to evolve with growing demand. And transport systems need to become more interconnected to give users more and better choice. This is what the debate in Leipzig is all about: How to put the user –us –at the centre.”

Many speakers made pleas to governments to take up their responsibilities and seize the opportunity to provide a better urban life for their communities. Governments need to act responsibly and reconsider their priorities. As budget allocation and policy decisions are in their hands, political leaders have a great opportunity

to improve quality of life in their communities, boost the economy and make cost savings, by integrating public transport as a priority in urban policies and allocating stable funding.

“We all know how important transport is to travel and trade,” said Jan Mücke, German State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development. “It is up to us to make transport more convenient and we in the transport sector bear the responsibility as the people expect it of us.”

Jeremy Rifkin, President of The Foundation on Economic Trends and one of the keynote speakers at the event, stated that the world must keep the old oil regime on life support long enough to lay the foundations for a new energy infrastructure. He explained that what humankind requires in the long run, is the equivalent of a new economic paradigm shift that is a systemic change in the way we organize economic life, to move beyond carbon and nuclear energy.

“And here I believe we are on the cusp of a third industrial revolution in which internet technologies and renewable energies merge to create powerful, new energy infrastructure,” said Rifkin.

The event also saw the announcement of Carole Coune as the new Secretary General of the International Transport Forum at the OECD, succeeding the departing Jack Short, who has led the organization and its precursor, the European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT), since 2001. Spanish Transport Minister José Blanco López announced the decision after a vote at the Ministerial session of the summit.

“I would like to express my congratulations to Ms. Carole Coune on being elected as new Secretary General of the International Transport Forum,” said Minister Blanco López. “I am fully convinced she is going to do a great job in a crucial time for the expansion of this organization, and would like to offer the full support of Spain all the way through this new period.” n

The challenge of keeping the world’s population mobile

International Transport Forum, Leipzig, Germany, 25-27 May, 2011. By Nick Michell

Secretary General, Jack Short, addressing delegates at the opening plenary

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CONFERENCE REPORT


Mayors and delegations from cities around the world gathered in Sao Paulo, Brazil May 30 to June 2 for the fourth biennial C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group Mayors Summit, hosted by Sao Paulo Mayor Gilberto Kassab. More than 900 people, including 17 mayors and 70 global cities participated. The C40 is an organization of 58 cities from around the world committed to implementing meaningful and sustainable climate-related policies and programs locally to address climate change globally.

C40 Chair New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg presided over the Summit and President Bill Clinton attended as a keynote speaker. The two had recently announced an organizational integration following five years of partnership between the Clinton Climate Initiative Cities program, a part of the William J. Clinton Foundation, and the C40. The combined organization is now positioned to leverage a unique set of assets: a mandate from Cities, a global field staff, and program expertise across key sectors.

Groundbreaking studies: Measurement for Management

Under the leadership of Mayor Bloomberg, the C40 has worked to build a solid data base on which to develop the strategic direction of the organisation. This effort has culminated in the release of two groundbreaking studies released at the Summit. The first, CDP Cities 2011: Global Report on C40 Cities, developed in partnership with the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), is a measurement baseline – the first-ever public disclosure and analysis using a consistent platform for self-reported greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) data from C40 Cities. The second study, Climate Action in Megacities: C40 Cities Baseline and Opportunities,

developed in partnership with Arup, is a management baseline of C40 Cities’ powers, actions and opportunities to influence climate mitigation and adaptation. The study shows that C40 Cities are already taking significant climate action – C40 mayors currently oversee 4,734 climate change actions in effect, with 1,465 more under consideration today.

New Partnerships with the World Bank and ICLEI

On June 1, the C40 announced two landmark partnerships to spur climate action through streamlined measurement and financing. A partnership with ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability – establishes a single global minimum standard for accounting and reporting community‐scale GHG emissions that can be used across multiple platforms. This common approach will help local governments to monitor and accelerate their emission reduction activities whilst meeting the needs of climate financing, national monitoring and reporting requirements.

In a second announcement, the C40 disclosed a groundbreaking agreement with the World Bank to facilitate climate mitigation and adaptation projects in

C40 Cities, where the Bank currently has over $15 billion invested. To address many of the complications that Cities face in obtaining financing and technical assistance for projects, the World Bank will create a single, dedicated entry point for C40 Cities in developing countries to access resources and available financing and funding programs.

A look aheadStrengthening the C40 network by

solidifying peer to peer relationships is one of the primary reasons for holding the Summit. Looking ahead, the work lies in further maximizing the C40’s potential. Armed with strong relationships, solid data, a roadmap for uniform emissions measurement, and a doorway to project financing, C40 Cities are more resourced than ever before. Importantly, C40 Cities are also now better able to speak as one. Following the Summit, the C40 issued a Communiqué to participants of the Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development, calling for greater authority and resources to drive delivery of national and international targets.

For more information on the C40 including the CDP and Arup reports in full please visit http://live.c40cities.org/c40-resources/. n

World’s Largest Cities Gather to Advance Climate Action

C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group Mayors Summit, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 30 May – 2 June, 2011. By Mike Marinello

President Bill Clinton addressing participants at the Summit

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CONFERENCE REPORT


Sixty cities from 20 countries came together in Durban in June to share knowledge and to commit to more city-to-city cooperation. The UCLG Strategic Planning event Fostering Learning for the Global South took place from 13 to 15 June 2011 in the City of Durban, South Africa and aimed to develop models for a better application of knowledge through city-to-city cooperation.

The event with over 120 delegates from sixty cities was hosted by MILE (Municipal Institute of Learning of Durban) and followed on from UCLG’s Mentoring Programme (see issue two of United Cities, March 2011).

The Mentoring Programme, launched by UCLG in 2008, aims to integrate the broad based knowledge of southern cities, especially those in Brazil, which was represented by five cities, and make it accessible for other partner cities to work in peer reviews to achieve specific objectives or planning cycles. Cities from all over Africa attended the Durban event to

pass on knowledge and practices from their cities and networks.

The Mentoring Programme is driving African municipalities in particular to try new ways of planning not only for better use of resources but also for increased accountability. “The event showed how local public administration can evolve,” said Lydia Kandetu, the CEO of a small town in Namibia, Karibib. “Many of our municipalities spend a lot of time on decisions that seem from the last century and ignore reporting and financial management. Other cities can share ideas and help us to make progress with local economic development or help provide the instruments that Namibia requires, such as property taxes and fees.”

The event, which was held in four languages, was opened by the newly elected Mayor of eThekwini (Durban), Councillor James Nxumalo, who made a plea for strong political leadership in the process of urban strategic planning. He also emphasized the need for

greater collaboration, as opposed to competition within the global south. Debates and exchanges took place on the following themes: Vision, Inspiration and Leadership; Planning and Social inclusion; Planning and Economic Transformation; Planning and Spatial Transformation; and Financing Strategic Planning.

New partner citiesNew mentoring partners to emerge

from the meeting included São Paulo, Porto Alegre, Belo Horizonte, Salvador, Cape Town, Lagos, Seville and the association of municipalities surrounding Santiago de Chile, Ciudad Sur. The main topics that will be subject to city-to-city cooperation will be planning and housing, particularly in relation to informal settlements.

The UCLG Urban Strategic Planning Committee members also resolved to work on crosscutting issues such as planning and climate change with a view to input at the COP 17 meeting which will take place in Durban in December 2011. n

World’s Largest Cities Gather to Advance Climate Action

C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group Mayors Summit, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 30 May – 2 June, 2011. By Mike Marinello

Durban hosts sixty cities for cooperation and learning

Fostering Learning for the Global South, Durban, South Africa, 13-15 June, 2011

Sixty cities gathered in Durban to discuss and develop increased cooperation

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CONFERENCE REPORT


Funding for cities’ resilience against climate change threats needs to be substantially overhauled, with cities placed at the centre of the funding, the 2nd World Congress on Cities and Adaptation to Climate Change heard in Bonn, Germany.

At current levels, US$200 billion will be available for climate change adaptation funding over the next 20 years, but an extra $US67 billion will be needed annually by 2030, said the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change).

Launched as a white paper, Financing the Resilient City at ICLEI’s congress, the report further called for the current top-down approach to be replaced by a locally orientated demand-driven approach.

Jeb Brugman, author of the white paper, said: “What is needed is to build on local expertise and institutions and fund what is needed locally, rather than conventional global financing mechanisms determining what local action is eligible for funding.”

UCLG co-president and mayor of Harare, Muchadeyi Masunda, Ronan Dantec, spokesperson of the UCLG Climate Negotiation Group and Deputy Mayor of Nantes, and Yoro Ba, deputy mayor of Dakar, joined 30 other mayors to further discuss the adaptation and financing challenges that their cities face in the Mayors Adaptation Forum held during the congress.

Dantec emphasized the importance that local governments now have, having been officially recognized in the Cancun (COP16) agreements. “It is impossible for countries to reach the [climate] targets without mobilizing the cities first. Now that

we have recognition we can move onto the questions of tools and of finance.”

During the congress the mayors also signed the 2011 Bonn Declaration of Mayors which includes the following key components stemming from the white paper:

• Mainstreaming new adaptation and resilience standards into conventional urban development projects.

• Developing specialized financial instruments for comprehensive local adaptation and resilience upgrading projects in urban areas.

• Building additional local institutional capacity to prepare, structure and manage large scale redevelopment.

Masunda called for mayors to come out of their “political cocoons” and to see cities as business enterprises so as to help them reach their full potential.

“Only a true global partnership will allow us to go forward, time is of the essence, and as local authorities we have no time to waste,” he added. “It is not about treaties or declarations; it is about local solutions to global problems.”

The congress also heard ideas that financing mechanisms have to be broadened to allow for more private investments in addition to existing global climate funds. Andrew Steer, the World Bank’s special envoy for climate change said: “We have got to be more imaginative in our environmental financing, managing to make things more comfortable for investors, and maximizing returns.”

In preparation for the Conference of the Parties on Climate Change in Durban (COP17) in December, Dantec, Masunda and Ba, in their UCLG roles, remained for a further two weeks of negotiations, mainly to achieve an agreement for a precise mechanism in achieving CO2 targets for cities.

“It was one of our biggest successes in Cancun to have in the mandate that cities are to work out the methodology for city wide programmes in the CDM [Clean Development Mechanism] framework,” said Dantec. “Durban is in a short time, maybe too short, but we must engage the work here in Bonn and achieve a proposal of methodology. If we have in Durban this methodology, then of course it opens the door for finance for cities’ programmes.” n

UCLG Co-President Mayor Masunda: “We need local solutions to global problems”

World Congress on Cities and Adaptation to Climate Change, Bonn, Germany, 3-5 June, 2011

By Jonathan Andrews

After the signing of the 2011 Bonn Declaration of Mayors

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CONFERENCE REPORT


At the 8th edition of the Carbon Expo in Barcelona, speakers at the opening ceremony and roundtable discussions emphasized the need for governments around the world to provide clarity and commitment for global solutions to climate change. Experts challenged governments to move ahead at a greater pace towards concrete commitments and a global agreement at COP17 in Durban to define a post-2012 international policy scenario in order not to lose the current momentum.

“We need to ensure that carbon finance retains and reaches its full potential and most importantly, we need to ensure that carbon finance and climate finance work together effectively,” said Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). “The fact is that governments design, but they cannot fully implement. They need the private sector to suggest design considerations now that will eventually create liquidity and entice private capital for the implementation of both mitigation and adaptation measures.”

The Carbon Expo drew 2,600 visitors from 110 countries to its annual trade fair and conference, held in Fira de Barcelona’s Montjuïc venue. Delegates gathered in the Catalan capital to discuss the current state and future of carbon markets and climate finance but the focus was also on networking, as Carbon Expo’s trade fair gave 220 exhibitors the chance to showcase their projects and technology solutions to the main players in these markets.

In an uncertain environment driven by record greenhouse gas emissions, a continued global

economic recession, slow progress in international negotiations and a lack of commitment by several governments, participants and speakers recognized the obstacles ahead but also the solutions that the private sector can offer through the carbon market.

“We are convinced that carbon markets are an important tool not only to achieve emission reductions but also to catalyze investment and technology transfers, which allows developing countries to join the fight against climate change, accelerate the learning curve and lowering the price of the greenest technologies,” said Teresa Ribera, Secretary of State for Climate Change, Government of Spain. “We cannot wait for other solutions to come. Examples of good practices are not enough any longer – there is a problem of scale.”

Amid calls by panellists for clear government signals for a future climate change scheme, countries showed that they are not at a standstill, awaiting a global agreement, but instead moving ahead with domestic market-based initiatives. While some western countries have been stalling, countries such as China presented trading initiatives, discussing the country’s new pilot programme to create cap-and-trade schemes in four cities and two provinces.

“We have been looking west, especially thinking about the US, for the internationalization of the carbon

markets,” said Peter Zapfel, Head of Policy Coordination of DG Clima at the European Commission. “But we now have to look east to China and South Korea.”

The Carbon Expo also saw the launch of the World Bank’s 2011 State and Trends of the Carbon Market report, which showed that 2010 was a watershed year as the market ended five years of robust growth with a slight decline compared to 2009, and that the size of the global market has stabilized at around US$140 billion, while other countries prepare to follow the European Union’s lead. New emission reduction projects in developing countries have slowed right down, however, waiting for demand to flow from new levels of international carbon cutting targets.

“The global carbon market is at a crossroads and if we take the wrong turn we risk losing billions of lower cost private investment and new technology solutions in developing countries,” said Andrew Steer, World Bank Special Envoy for Climate Change. “This report sends a message of the need to ensure a stronger, more robust carbon market with clear signals.” n

Climate change: UN calls for private sector support for mitigation and adaption

Carbon Expo, Barcelona, Spain, 1-3 June, 2011. By Nick Michell

The Carbon Expo attracted 2,600 visitors

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MY LIFE, MY CITY


Why did you become mayor? I always had this dream of becoming mayor of the city in the early 70s when I left Flores da Cunha to finish my studies.

What do you consider is your biggest achievement in office?During my political career I have had many outstanding moments. I was a student leader, bank employee, unionist, Constitutional State Assemblyman, Congressman, Deputy Mayor of Porto Alegre twice, Councillor in Porto Alegre with the greatest number of votes in the history of the city, and State Secretary of Education when the State of Rio Grande do Sul was recognized by UNESCO as the best state in Brazil in terms of education. I have so many good memories of my public life which all make me proud, but I recognize that currently I am in the best position as I am fulfilling the dream of being mayor of Porto Alegre.

What was your last overseas trip as mayor? My schedule is very busy and it does not allow me to do many big trips. If I am not mistaken, it was to Mexico during the UCLG Congress. I was in Mexico to talk about Porto Alegre's plans for the World Cup 2014 and also about participatory democracy.

What do you think of the media’s coverage of your role?The press plays an important role following the actions of local government. Here in Porto Alegre we have developed a mature and strong relationship.

Who is the most interesting person you have met or worked with since becoming mayor? In this position, as the mayor of the one of the major state capitals of Brazil, I meet numerous interesting people so I would be committing a great injustice if I picked out just one person.

What do you think of social networking for mayors?I am a social network enthusiast. I take part in the main ones and I believe they are tools that I can use to interact with everyone. I try my best to keep updated on all such novelties. Social networks are one of the most important channels of communication we have.

Which other cities do you collaborate with? Is contact formal or informal? As mayor, my main concern is really Porto Alegre, but since we are the capital of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, we collaborate with other cities, mostly with cities in our metropolitan region such as Canoas, Gravataí, Guaíba, among others. In addition, we also interract with our sister cities from other countries through decentralised cooperation, especially south-south cooperation.

Where do you expect to be in five years’ time? In five years, I want to be serving my second term as Mayor of Porto Alegre.

Which is your favourite place in the city and why? I have great admiration for everything in this city. It is very hard to choose one place, but since I live and work in the downtown area, to me the historical part of the city is very special.

What are you reading right now? I read a lot, I really do, but if I have to mention one book, it must be the Bible.

What are your hobbies and interests outside of work? I always try to spend time with my family, relaxing and, sometimes, going to the cinema and also playing soccer with my friends. I am a “gremista”. My team is Grêmio Futball Portoalegrense.

Which is your favourite travel destination and why? I enjoy travelling as I believe that when we travel, we have the opportunity to experience new things, and meet different people but I do not have a favourite destination.

Who is your hero or inspiration? Well, I would choose a Brazilian politician who to me is an inspiration: Leonel de Moura Brizola.

What is your life philosophy? There is a Chinese proverb that really is part of my life: “There are three things in life which cannot come back: the spent arrow, the spoken word and the lost opportunity”. n

José Fortunati, Mayor of Porto Alegre, Brazil

José Alberto Réus Fortunati BIRtH PLACE AND COUNtRY: Flores da Cunha – RS - BrasilEDUCATION: Degree in Public Management and LawDATE OF ELECTION AS MAYOR: October 2008PREVIOUS POSITION: Porto Alegre Municipality Secretary of Planning

Contact details: [email protected]: +55 51 3289.3548Praça Montevidéu, 10 – 2ª andar.CEP 90010-170 - Porto Alegre - RS

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