Zakir Hussain

1. Development of an Evolution and Certification System for an Environmental Hub Zakir Hussain September 2012 World Conservation Congress

2. Introduction and Rationale • About a half of the World’s population live in citiesand the number is on the increase; • This is steadily increasing pressure on the available resources and systems; • Causing a serious environmental degradation effecting the overall quality of life; • Responding to this situation and based on a desire to live in a better environment, initiatives have been taken in many cities to improve the overall environmental quality and associated facilities;

3. Approaches and Concepts • Eco-city • Sustainable city • Green city • Environmental hub • Specific city based initiatives

4. Current Examples Mercer Survey A quality of living survey undertaken every year to assist employers in adjusting remuneration of their staff in different cities in the world. Uses 39 parameters under 10 categories such as • Political • Economic and socio-cultural environments • Medical and health considerations • Educational facilities • Public services including transportation, recreation, consumer goods and housing etc.

5. Current Examples (contd.) City Based Initiatives • large number of instances • based on the prevailing situation, objectives and goals different approaches taken in different cities to achieve environmental sustainability Johannesburg • Mobilise residents in poorer neighbourhoods to participate in greening the city • Recycling • Minimising water use, rain water harvesting, • Promoting green energy appliances, • Building environment friendly home and encouraging green energy solutions, • Encouraging bicycle uses together with capacity building, • Provision for loans and creating job opportunities,

6. Current Examples (contd.) City Based Initiatives • large number of instances • based on the prevailing situation, objectives and goals different approaches taken in different cities to achieve environmental sustainability Johannesburg, South Africa • Mobilise residents in poorer neighbourhoods to participate in greening the city • Recycling • Minimising water use, rain water harvesting, • Promoting green energy appliances, • Building environment friendly home and encouraging green energy solutions, • Encouraging bicycle uses together with capacity building, • Provision for loans and creating job opportunities,

7. Current Examples (contd.) City Based Initiatives Cutitaba, Brazil • Implemention of plan to integrate urban development, transportation and public health. • Proper waste processing facilities • Large scale tree plantation • Linear stretches of urban development surrounded by green space and low density residential areas • Easy access to public transport and cars free areas • Ensuring mass civic participation Freiburg, Germany • Attained success through targeting energy efficiency, • Use of renewable energy, transportation and adopting new technologies. • Extensive network of pubic transportation and bicycle path

8. Current Examples (contd.) City Based Initiatives Stockholm, Sweden • Re-developing into a eco-city. • Efficient transportation, • Use of sustainable energy, water and land • Waste treatment, • Regulating spread of urban sprawl and improving waste management

9. Approaches : Creation of an Environmental Hub • Set objectives and goals • Pre- requisites include a well thought out plan and strategy based on the reality on the ground, financial ability, political will, policy and regulatory tools, civic agreement and participation etc.

10. Planning : Essential Components 1. Land use: ecology friendly land use planning, open space retention, management and maintenance, increase in green area through tree planting, community garden etc 2. Energy use: reduce dependence on non-renewable fuel based energy generation, Energy conservation measures, energy efficient buildings, use of renewable energy such as solar, wind turbine and biogas, using energy efficient appliances 3. Water management: Efficiency in overall water use, recycling of waste water, harvesting and use of rain water, maintenance and promoting ground water recharge 4. Pollution control: Efficient waste disposal system for solid, liquid and hazardous waste, recycling of waste and use of non-recyclable waste for energy generation, air and noise pollution control, non-smoking public buildings

11. Planning : Essential Components (contd.) 5. Transportation: Primary objective is to reduce dependence on fossil fuel powered vehicles. Extensive framework of public transport powered by non-fossil fuel and/or cleaner fuel, easy access to public transports, faculties for use of bicycles, decent walkways, discourage use of motor vehicles, good net work of highways. 6. Housing, and other built environment: Consider sustainable sites, energy use efficiency, use of certified materials in construction, improved internal environment, use of renewable energy, innovation in design, location and awareness among users; green roofing; vertical landscaping 7. Institutions: quality and location of educational institutions, hospitals, recreational areas including parks, nature trails and other public facilities 8. Food production and transport: Efficient transportation of food items from outside the city, promote food production in the cities, appropriate disposal of food wastes. 9. Tourism: Promote tourism which have minimum negative economic, environmental, and social impacts, makes positive contributions to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage, has a minimum scopes for pollution and degradation of environment, respects local cultural sensitivity and restricts the number of tourists to a predetermined capacity, provides access for people with disabilities

12. Planning : Essential Components (contd.) 10. Emergency management: Mechanisms in place to handle natural calamities like flood, storms, earth quakes and outbreak of diseases. 11. Maintenance of natural and cultural heritage. Treats the conservation and restoration as top priority, ensures proper maintenance and care of these. limits visit to a number which will not have any adverse impact on the site, does not allow any activity in the surrounding areas, which will have adverse impact on the heritage sites. 12. Public awareness and civic engagement: Create high levels of awareness about the endeavour and its benefits, mobilise public support, civic engagement and participation, promote responsible consumption patterns, ensure acceptance of changes in style of living by the consumer; provisions for incentives for civic participation 13.Governance, policy and legal instruments. Essential political will and commitment, available regulatory tools and capacity for the implementation of these are in place, plans and strategies with clear plans and programmes have been formulated for achieving a pre-determined objective have been formulated.

13. An Evaluation Regime • Based on the parameters used to achieve the desired goals an evaluation system will have to be formulated. • For some of the parameters where achievements can be quantified global standards and guidelines can be used. • For some components, the available certification standards like LEED, ISO, WHO Air Quality guidelines can be used. • In cases where there is no accepted global standards to compare results with, indicators would have to be worked out, for comparing with the achieved results against a base status. • In some cases a scoring system can be developed

14. Certification Process • There is no globally recognized system to certify a city as an environmental hub, eco-city, green city or sustainable city. • Only recognition is an award - Annual Award of Sustainable Cityby World Economic Forum. Criteria are: • Holistic approach - numbers of capital's involved in the initiative • Environmental Capital - Natural Resources • Social Capital - Relations and trust • Human and Intellectual Capital - Innovation and Social Intelligence • Technical and Infra Structural Capital - Transportation and ICT • Culture Capital - Experience • Political Capital - Confidence and Public Trust • Financial Capital - Assets and Money • Objectives for the initiative (long and short term) • Results measured with relevant Key Performance Indicators (KPI) linked to the different capitals and objectives long and short term • Level of innovation for the initiative - describe the uniqueness or why this initiative add new knowledge regarding more sustainable cities

15. Thank you