High Level Seminar on Environmentally Sustainable Cities
From March 2 to 4, 2010, a High Level Seminar on the theme of Environmentally Sustainable Cities(ESC)was held in Jakarta, Indonesia under the framework of the East AsiaSummit Environment Ministers Meeting(EAS EMM).
The High Level Seminar, which was initiated by a proposal from Japan, was jointly organized by Japan, Indonesia, Singapore and Australia and co-chaired by Japan and the host country Indonesia. The participants included high-level policy officials from EAS member countries(the ASEAN 10 countries, Japan, China, the Republic of Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand)as well as representatives from cities promoting environmentally sustainable cities in the region, international organizations, donor agencies, inter-city networks, NGOs and research institutes.
The objective of the High Level Seminar was to foster activities for the development of ESC in the region under the framework of the EAS EMM. Four thematic sessions were organized, including i) Cities and Resource Efficiency and 3Rs; ii) Cities and Biodiversity; iii) Low carbon/Low Polluting Cities; and iv) Climate Change Adaptation and Sustainable Urban Development. Cities with innovative policies and approaches in these areas were invited to give presentations. The background and motivation behind their policies and approaches, as well as the outputs and impacts, were shared through actual case studies. Cities also related the challenges faced and measures taken to address them, as well as how to replicate and scale up similar activities in other cities. Further, participants discussed how central governments could support these activities, and how external agencies such as international organizations, regional organizations and inter-city networks, could facilitate collaboration between city governments with other stakeholders utilizing existing programs and frameworks.
The key outputs of presentations and discussions, as well as recommendations to foster activities for development of ESC in the region, were compiled into a Chair's Summary. This Summary will be presented in the upcoming 2nd EAS EMM on October 15th, 2010 to procure further support from Ministers in promoting collaborative activities related to ESC.
High Level Seminar on Environmentally Sustainable Cities [New window opens]
