Urban-LEDS Newsletter # 2 - March 2014

This newsletter is about cities and how they bravely move towards a path that is low-emission, low-carbon and sustainable. It is about a project, the Promoting Low Emission Urban Development Strategies in Emerging Economy Countries (Urban-LEDS), jointly implemented by ICLEI and UN-Habitat and funded by the European Commission, that is helping cities in emerging economies to transition to low emission development. It is about the people behind the project– the community members, the leaders, the city staff, the project partners, and stakeholders, and how they tackle the challenges to make the project a success.

This newsletter will tell those stories – and much more! This will be your guide to the latest happenings, stories, technologies, on low emission development. Thank you very much and enjoy reading!

Cities connect at the first LEDS peer-exchange

Local political leaders and technical municipal staff of 17 (out of the 37) Urban-LEDS project cities from 6 countries came together in South Africa at the end of 2013 to connect, exchange and explore the dimensions of urban low emission development. The result: highly motivated people keen to accelerate climate change mitigation and sustainable development in their cities.

Mayor of Recife pushes Climate Change Bill

Just recently Geraldo Julio, Mayor of Urban-LEDS city Recife, Brazil, has sent a Bill of Law on Climate Change and Sustainability for approval by the City Council. This has the potential to significantly contribute to the city’s long-term development plan regarding a Low Emission Development Strategy (LEDS).

Bologna and Helsinki join the Urban-LEDS project

ICLEI members Bologna (Italy) and Helsinki (Finland) have been selected to join the group of European cities to take part in the Urban-LEDS International City Network. Bologna has a long history of mainstreaming environmental criteria into its development plans, having most recently developed a series of procedures and indicators to ensure it achieves sustainability. Helsinki, meanwhile, has championed decentralised district energy networks to minimise fuel waste, as one of many interesting actions addressing greenhouse gas emission reduction.

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Bogor City “Walkability Campaign”

Bogor, known as one of the most traffic-congested cities in Indonesia, put ecomobile transportation as its number one low emission development priority.

Exploring the Green Building Concept

Recognizing the significant contribution of buildings to a city’s energy efficiency level Bogor City, Indonesia plans the citizen’s House of Representative based on the recently adopted sustainable building concept.

GPC Stakeholder Consultations conclude

The Global Protocol for Community-Scale Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GPC) provides requirements and guidance for cities on preparing and publicly reporting GHG emission inventories. It has been tested by 35 cities to provide feedback.

KwaDukuza’s vision for low-carbon green urban economy

In an innovative future scenario planning process, KwaDukuza Municipality, South Africa invited key stakeholders from the city, neighbouring municipalities and the province to create a low-carbon development vision for the wider area’s future growth and development.

Project Advisory Group in India paves the way for private sector cooperation

Tangible action proposals at the first Project Advisory Group meeting, is taking the Urban-LEDS project in India forward; discussions with leading private players in the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency kicked off.

Cities and climate in focus

With the international climate negotiations continuing, the role of cities is increasingly flagged as critical for success. The Urban-LEDS project facilitated the involvement of two speakers in a high-level panel on ‘Cities and Sub-nationals dialogue’ as part of an unprecedented COP event - the ‘Cities Day’- focusing on experiences in local climate action.

First Stakeholder Consultation meeting in Thane inspires concrete Urban LEDS actions

At the first Stakeholder Consultation meeting on 13 February 2014 in Thane, India, various stakeholders suggested ideas and agreed on pilot projects to make Thane a progressive Urban LEDS city.