Local Adaptation to Climate Impacts: a Panel Discussion in C40 City Lima

Lima is working with Siderperu, a subsidiary of Gerdau, the leading steel producer and the largest recycler of scrap metal in Latin America, in the scrapping and recycling of more than 4,000 old busses in Lima this year. Photo credit: Gerdau.

During the UNFCCC COP17 convention in Durban, South Africa, the US Embassy in Lima, Peru hosted an event entitled "Thinking Globally, Acting Locally,” which brought together climate experts on the ground in Durban with a gathering of national and municipal government officials and NGO representatives in Lima.

Live footage of the webcast and panel discussion (in Spanish) is now available. Click here to view parts one, two, three, four, five, and six of the panel discussion.

Dr. Indran Amirthanayagam, Director of the U.S. Regional Environment Office for South America welcomed the audience to the webcast from Durban, which included presentations from Mary Nichols, the Chairman of the California Air Resources Board and Thomas Peterson, Founder, President and CEO of the Center for Climate Strategies.

This was followed by a comprehensive panel discussion with senior officials from the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima; Arnold Millet, the Director of City Services and Jessica Tantalean, Director of Non Motorized Transport.  Sharing experiences, best practices and methods to reduce carbon emissions and adapt to climate impacts at a local level, the discussants drew examples from the sectors of public transportation, solid waste management and water budgets.  They also called for the need to invest in environmental education, clean energy and energy efficiency in Lima.

Reflecting on the discussion, Scott Muller, C40-CCI City Director in Lima remarked, "Climate change is rapidly altering the fitness landscape of urban systems, with direct social and economic implications.  Municipalities understand that a strong bias for action is a key part of resilience and adaptation strategies."  By convening local decision makers and experts, the panel discussion in Lima highlighted the opportunities and barriers to building capacity for climate mitigation and adaptation, and investing in new efficient infrastructure and technologies.

As a case in point, Scott called attention to Lima's recently commenced bus scrapping programme, which will destroy and recycle the parts of more than 4,000 old busses this year alone, as part of the large BRT initiative started last year.  "Nothing," he emphasized, "creates change faster than bold action, not even climate change."

To find out more about Lima’s climate actions, read our earlier coverage on the city’s sustainable transport and other initiatives.

La Adaptación Local a los Impactos del Cambio Climático: Discusión de Panel en Lima, Ciudad C40

Durante la COP17 de la UNFCCC en Durban, Sudáfrica, La Embajada de los Estados Unidos  en Lima, Perú llevo a cabo un evento titulado "Pensando Globalmente, Actuando Localmente,"  el cual agrupo a expertos del tema climático ubicados en Durban con un grupo de oficiales gubernamentales nacionales y municipales y representantes de ONGs en Lima.

Ya se encuentra disponible el webscast y la discusión del panel en español.

Dr. Indran Amirthanayagam, Director de la Oficina Regional de Medioambiente, Ciencia, Tecnología y Salud para Sudamérica, Embajada de los Estados Unidos, recibió a la audiencia al webcast desde Durban, el cual incluyó la participación de Mary Nichols, Presidenta del Consejo para Recursos del Aire del Estado de California, y Thomas Peterson, Fundador y Presidente Ejecutivo del Centro para Estrategias Climáticas de los Estados Unidos.

Las presentaciones desde Durban fueron seguidas por un panel en vivo, que contó con la participación de Gerentes de la Municipalidad Metropolitana de Lima; el Arq. Arnold Millet, Gerente de Servicios a la Ciudad y la Ing. Jessica Tantalean, Gerente de Transporte No Motorizado.  Ellos compartieron experiencias, mejores practicas y métodos para reducir las emisiones de carbono y la adaptarse al cambio climático a nivel local.  La discusión trajo ejemplos del sector del transporte publico, el manejo de residuos sólidos, y presupuestos de agua. También se discutió la necesidad de invertir en la educación ambiental, energías limpias y eficiencia energética para Lima. 

Reflexionando sobre esta proactiva discusión, Scott Muller, Director de C40-CCI para Lima, comentó, "El cambio climático esta  alterando el "paisaje adaptativo" de los sistemas urbanos, con implicaciones sociales y económicas directas. Las municipalidades entienden que un fuerte prejuicio para la acción es parte clave de la resilencia y de las estrategias de adaptación."  Al convocar expertos y funcionarios locales, la discusión de panel destacó los obstáculos y las oportunidades para crear capacidad para la mitigación y adaptación climática, y para la inversión en nueva infraestructura y tecnologías mas eficiente.

Como un punto especifico, Scott llamó la atención al recientemente iniciado programa de chatarreo de buses en Lima, el cual destruirá y reciclar partes de mas de 4,000 buses viejos solo en este ano, como parte de la iniciativa BRT que inició el año pasado. "Nada," enfatizó, "crea el cambio mas rápido que la acción directa, ni siquiera el cambio climático".

Mayors’ Voices: Basel Mayor Dr. Guy Morin

While national governments fail to come to an agreement on how to stop global warming, cities of all hemispheres are already acting. They would do even better if adequate financial resources were available. The C40 affiliate City of Basel, Switzerland, a centre for cleantech and finance, has initiated the platform “Global Energy Basel (GEB) – The Sustainable Infrastructure Financing Summit.” Today, I am happy and proud to invite all fellow Mayors and Senior City Officials from Environmental and Finance Departments of cities to the 2^nd GEB Summit.

As Mayors, we know that there is great willingness among our citizens to address climate change. However, it is the available infrastructure, in conjunction with this positive mind-set, that allow people to make the right choices. How can one save energy if the insulation of one’s home is insufficient? Who can be blamed for owning and using multiple cars per household if there is no adequate public transportation system?

The type of sustainable infrastructure to be discussed and promoted at GEB addresses these issues at the root, efficiently and cost effectively. The GEB Summit brings together project owners such as cities with investors, including pension funds and banks, who want to participate in this green, equitable and profitable development.

On February 21 and 22, 2012 the most inspirational and knowledgeable decision-makers and experts will gather at the GEB summit to advance this agenda: to agree on a framework for evaluating investment conditions, and discuss good practice for sustainable infrastructure project implementation. C40 and other cities are welcome to get further information and register now at www.globalenergybasel.com. See you in Basel!

For information on C40 City-specific workshops at the event, click here.

2012 Sustainable Transport Award honors San Francisco and Buenos Aires

Noe Parklet, San Francisco. The City’s “Pavement to Parks” program reclaims parking spaces for public space and has created 20 new and dynamic parklets with more on the way.C40 Cities San Francisco and Buenos Aires were among the four finalists of the 2012 Sustainable Transport Award, granted each year by a committee that includes the most respected organizations working internationally on this issue.

At a ceremony in Washington, D.C. this week, San Francisco took home a top prize for its highly innovative car-parking reform initiatives, while Buenos Aires received honourable mention for opening the country’s first BRT system (Metrobus), as well as its comprehensive investment in cycling.  The pair joins C40 Cities Bogota, Paris, New York, London and Seoul as fellow recipients of this esteemed award since its establishment eight years ago.

This year’s winners are noted for showcasing a breadth of interventions that improve the environment and economic competitiveness in cities -- and put citizens first. “These cities are setting the example of working on various fronts - giving people opportunities through high quality transport options,” said Walter Hook, chief executive officer of the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy. 

To find out more, read the full press release from the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) and EMBARQ, as well as earlier C40 News Team coverage on Buenos Aires award-winning BRT and cycling initiatives.

Hundreds of buildings to participate in London’s retrofit plan

London Mayor Boris Johnson’s plan to retrofit the city’s public buildings is hitting a new milestone. Four hundred buildings are on track for being retrofitted under the innovative program, the Mayor’s office said today, with one hundred of those participating in the program by May of this year.

Mayor Johnson said today:

“Retrofitting London is a win-win, not only does it make perfect economic and common sense by cutting energy costs but it also reduces carbon emissions and stimulates the capital’s burgeoning low carbon economy, creating jobs and boosting skills.”

The program, known as RE:FIT, works to encourage energy efficiency retrofits of public buildings through low cost, flexible loans for energy-saving projects. The award-winning program also provides a team of experts who work with organizations to support their energy-efficiency goals.

The Mayor’s Environment Director Kulveer Ranger – the C40 News Team interviewed him last year at the C40 Summit in Sao Paulo – spoke about the program today at the ESCO Europe 2012 Conference. It’s the only program of its kind in Europe, and people have been taking notice. In March of last year, Mayor Johnson’s RE:FIT program got a 2.7 million boost from the European Investment Bank (read our C40 News Team blog post for more information).

Already, 86 buildings throughout the city have begun or completed RE:FIT retrofits, from 20 London fire stations, to structures at the Royal Botanic Garden. The Clinton Climate Initiative, now a part of the C40, has supported this program from the start, and you can read more about RE:FIT projects in our case study.

Bogota C40 Taxi Pilot Project is Electric

Bogota, Colombia has launched an innovative pilot project to spur the use of electric vehicles (EVs) in its center-city taxi fleet. With this announcement, Bogota joins fellow C40 Cities such as London and Houston in taking action on EVs, as participants in the 17-member C40-CCI Electric Vehicle Network.

In Latin America, the transportation sector is the largest and fastest-growing source of urban CO₂ emissions. Bogota’s 50 new EV taxis will not only help diminish noise and air pollution, but will reduce operating costs and greenhouse gas emissions by more than 80 percent and 70 percent respectively when compared to traditional vehicles.

“This pilot project is very important countrywide and an example for the world because it sets a path to transform vehicle fleets with low carbon technologies, foster green vehicle market increasing consumers’ confidence, and opens a wide window for public and private transportation away from pollution and green house gases emissions,” said Mr. Felipe Targa, Colombian Vice-Minister of Transportation.

Leadership in the area of fuel-efficient transportation is nothing new for Bogota, which is also a test site for the C40-CCI Hybrid & Electric Bus Test Program, which aims to develop a market for fuel efficient, low-carbon public transportation.   

Click here to read more about the announcement or click here to read the Spanish-translation version.