Cities and climate change

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) provides the protocol by which investors from developed countries can invest in greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction projects in developing countries under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) in return for carbon emission reduction (CER) credits.. Much of the focus of the CDM has been on energy-efficient supply-side (EESS) reduction projects involving the cleaner generation of electricity. EE demand-side (EEDS) projects, which aim to reduce energy demand, have received less attention. More than 90% of CERs issued to date have been purchased by EESS projects. This paper examines issues related to and potential ways of broadening the application of EEDS CDM and programmatic CDM projects to help reduce GHG emissions in Asian cities. Since many such projects are currently not financially viable, the paper discusses a proposal for international development banks and official development agencies to support a financial mechani...

RESUMEN
En las últimas décadas, olas de calor urbano, sequías extremas e incendios forestales se han reportado cada vez con mayor frecuencia, perturbando la dinámica ambiental y la calidad de vida de los habitantes localizados en las ciudades. La intensidad de estos eventos climáticos en las áreas urbanas está relacionada, con la substitución de la cobertura vegetal por superficies secas no evapotranspirativas que alteran el balance radiativo superficial, produciendo en consecuencia, un aumento de la temperatura en las zonas urbanas. Este fenómeno se conoce como islas térmicas urbanas, y su intensidad y extensión depende no solo de las propiedades físicas de las coberturas naturales y artificiales presentes en los espacios urbanos, sino también de la estacionalidad, y otros fenómenos climáticos. Mediante el uso de geotecnologias, en particular utilizando la banda térmica (6-2) del sensor LANDSAT 7 ETM +, es posible observar las variaciones en los patrones de la temperatura superficial y determinar la variabilidad, intensidad y extensión del fenómeno de isla térmica en la ciudad. La ventaja de este tipo de técnicas, respecto a las métodos convencionales (estacionales analógicas, muestreo puntual o por transectas), es la posibilidad de cubrir grandes superficies y adicionalmente, integrar datos digitales y vectoriales en un sistema de información geográfica. A los efectos de este trabajo seleccionaron un set de imágenes comprendidas en el periodo Marzo 2001- Enero 2011, tanto para temporada de sequia como de lluvia, para analizar los efectos de la estacionalidad sobre el fenómeno de isla térmica, en la ciudad de Caracas. Los resultados obtenidos mostraron importantes diferencias en la temperatura superficial entre las áreas urbanas y la zona peri-urbana, así como entre el periodo húmedo y el periodo de sequia. Se espera a partir de este estudio poder contribuir con el diseño de estrategias ambientales de mitigación, y/o de atención a la población.

Palabras clave: islas térmicas, geotecnologias, espacios urbanos.

Asian cities are home to 2.1 billion people, or 53% of the world's urban population. With such large demographic base, Asian cities are growing rapidly. While they contribute significantly to economic growth in the region, their planning and governance have posed enormous demographic, spatial, social and environmental challenges to planners and policymakers. With this background, the Seminar will focus on discussing a few important questions. First, do we need a regional perspective to examine the current realities of Asian cities, and why? Second, if we take a regional perspective, what can we understand about development achievements and problems of urban centres in Asia? Third, what can be learnt and shared from a regional perspective with regard to the achievement of the New Urban Agenda in Asia.

Inter-urban competition has become a defining feature of city governance. More recently, cities have also become important centres for sustainable action, with the title of ‘green capital’ now a prestigious, sought-after honour. Through an investigation of official policy and interviews with community leaders in the city of Bristol (UK), the motivations behind the city’s bid for the EU’s European Green Capital title become apparent. As the various meanings of sustainability among the governing class in the city are explored, the ‘green capital’ is seen as one vying for a portfolio of ‘talents’ deemed essential by the competitive, ‘successful city’ of the twenty-first century. While green credentials and strengths are vigorously promoted as this investigation demonstrates, they are treated in discourse as conduits to the overarching ends of profile enhancement and economic growth. Appended to the post-political growth-consensus, sustainability becomes not a hoped-for refocus on the environment crisis but an integral element of competitive, entrepreneurial urbanism.

The urban-themed exhibits at Expo 2010 in Shanghai show clear recognition of the opportunities that exist to help turn around climate change through innovations in urban development.

Alexander E. Kalamaros, "A Window into the Future." Urban Land, September-October 2010.