Share solutions, Mah urges world's cities

Vital to safeguard biodiversity and to develop sustainably as population grows
Felda Chay, Business Times 8 Jan 10;

CITIES worldwide should come together to collaborate and share solutions on developing sustainably and safeguarding biodiversity as the world population increases rapidly, said National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan on Wednesday in Brazil.

Speaking at the second meeting on Cities and Biodiversity in the Brazilian city of Curitiba, Mr Mah said that the task of balancing economic development and biodiversity conservation is a challenging one. There is, therefore, a need to 'continually find practical and innovative solutions', by cooperating with one another, he said.

And Singapore, for one, is committed to promoting sustainability and biodiversity conservation, said Mr Mah. In 2008, he proposed to develop a 'City Biodiversity Index' to fill the gap of a lack of well-established indices to measure biodiversity in cities. Between March and September last year, the city-state's National Parks Board worked with the Task Force on Cities and Biodiversity to test 'The Singapore Index on Cities' Biodiversity' - Singapore's answer to the lack of biodiversity indices - in several cities.

Currently, seven cities such as Curitiba and Japan's Nagoya have test-bedded the draft index. And at least 10 other cities have indicated their interest to test-bed it.

'For us who run and manage cities, and in the case of Singapore, a city-state, we are all too familiar with the constant challenge of competing needs for resources . . . The problems that we face are multi-disciplinary. To solve them, we will need to create platforms for meaningful dialogue, for people from different disciplines to understand one another's perspectives and work together.'

Mr Mah listed three challenges that cities face today as a result of a rising population. The first, he said, is greater urbanisation and the strain this will have on natural resources. Cities, he said, currently take up just 2 per cent of the Earth's land area, yet consume a staggering 75 per cent of its natural resources.

'We need to ensure that the rapid urbanisation is done is a sustainable manner,' said Mr Mah.

He added that climate change is another issue, and cities will need to work out at the local level various ways to deal with the impact.

'Cities will need to figure out how to mitigate the impact of climate change on biodiversity at the local level, even as governments attempt to find common ground to arrive at a post-2012 climate change agreement to curb emissions - something that was not achieved at Copenhagen last month.'

The final challenge he highlighted was that of the increasing complexity of city planning and management on the back of rising demand for a higher standard of living, and population growth.

Problems brought about by increased population density, such as traffic congestion and pollution, may lead to environment degradation and loss of biodiversity if not adequately addressed, said Mr Mah.

Minister Mah in Brazil for biodiversity talks
Jessica Cheam, Straits Times 8 Jan 10;

SINGAPORE and Curitiba - described as Brazil's best city to live in - have vastly different histories and cultures.

But they share one aspiration: balancing economic growth while conserving the environment, said National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan, who is visiting Brazil - the world's fifth most populous nation.

As cities around the world continue to grow rapidly, they face common challenges in achieving sustainable development, said Mr Mah at the second meeting on Cities and Biodiversity in Curitiba, in the country's south, on Wednesday.

Mr Mah noted that by 2050, more than 70 per cent of the world's population will be living in urban areas.

Currently, even though cities occupy only 2 per cent of the Earth's land area, those living in them consume more than 75 per cent of the Earth's natural resources.

Apart from a shortage of resources, other challenges that cities face include climate change and the complexities of city planning and management, he said.

But many benefits can be reaped if 'cities come together to collaborate and share solutions', Mr Mah added.

'To conserve our natural assets even as we pursue our economic development, we will need to continually find practical and innovative solutions,' he said.

'To solve these multi-disciplinary problems, we will also need to create platforms for meaningful dialogue, for people from different disciplines to understand one another's perspectives and work together.'

Curitiba and Singapore, for example, are collaborating on the Singapore Index on Cities' Biodiversity, which was discussed at the meeting.

The index, a tool to help countries evaluate and benchmark the health of biodiversity in their cities, will be test-bedded in several countries, including Brazil.

Prior to Curitiba, Mr Mah had visited Rio de Janeiro to explore avenues for tie-ups between Singapore and the famous coastal city in the area of urban development.

From Curitiba, Mr Mah will be travelling to the capital city of Brasilia and to Manaus, said the Ministry of National Development.

Singapore shares Singapore Index experience at Curitiba Meeting on Cities and Biodiversity
MND and NParks media release (pdf) 7 Jan 10;

Singapore, 7 January 2010 – Minister for National Development, Mr Mah Bow Tan commended Curitiba for its efforts in incorporating biodiversity considerations in urban planning and highlighted the city as a model for sustainable development. He made these comments in his opening address at the second meeting on Cities and Biodiversity in Curitiba, Brazil yesterday (Singapore time - 6 Jan 2010, 10pm).

Though Curitiba and Singapore have different historical and cultural backgrounds, Minister Mah said he is “struck by how similar we are in our aspirations to create an economically vibrant city with a high-quality living environment.” In a December 2009 article published in Forbes Magazine1, both cities have been listed as excellent examples of today’s “smart” cities i.e. cities which focus on having strong economic fundamentals beyond infrastructure and liveability. (Please see Annex A for the full version of Minister’s speech.)

In his speech, Minister Mah urged cities to come together to share knowledge, adopt best practices and find solutions to common problems.

Sharing of Singapore Index to an international audience in Curitiba

The Singapore Index on Cities’ Biodiversity, or the Singapore Index in short, was on the discussion agenda during the second meeting. The Singapore Index is currently being testbedded in several countries and the discussions will enable inputs from these cities to be incorporated to refine the Singapore Index further. This discussion was instrumental in the process for the Singapore Index to be tabled for adoption at the Tenth Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity2 (COP-10) in October 2010 at Nagoya.

Once adopted, the Singapore Index will be used as a self-assessment tool to help member countries evaluate and benchmark the health of biodiversity in their cities.

Minister Mah first proposed the Singapore Index in May 2008 in Bonn, Germany. It is being developed by National Parks Board (NParks), in collaboration with the Secretariat of the CBD and experts from various countries. In acknowledgement of Singapore’s contribution and leadership, the Secretariat of the CBD formally named the index, “The Singapore Index on Cities’ Biodiversity” or “The Singapore Index” in April 2009. (Please see Annex B for more information on the Singapore Index.)

Minister’s Visit to Brazilian Cities and Tijuca Forest After Curitiba, Minister Mah will be travelling to Brasilia and Manaus, where he will visit the Amazon Biotechnology Center.

Prior to Curitiba, Minister Mah visited Rio de Janeiro where he met Governor Sergio Cabral to explore areas for collaboration between Singapore and Rio de Janeiro in the area of urban development. While in Rio de Janeiro, Minister also visited the Tijuca Forest.

Currently, Rio de Janeiro and Singapore are the only two cities in the world with major protected tropical forests within its city limits. NParks will be following-up on the visit to explore opportunities for joint collaborations in research to better manage these forests and their associated biodiversity.

Annex A: SPEECH BY MR MAH BOW TAN, MINISTER FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT,
SINGAPORE AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE SECOND CURITIBA MEETING ON CITIES AND BIODIVERSITY HELD ON 6 JANUARY 2010 AT BARIGUI PARK COMPLEX, PARANA STATE, BRAZIL
Mr Carlos Alberto Richa, Mayor of Curitiba
Dr Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity
Honorable Mayors
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen,

1. I am delighted to be here this morning at the opening of the Second Curitiba Meeting on Cities and Biodiversity.

2. In 1992, Brazil hosted the landmark United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro. The Conference, which was popularly known as the Earth Summit, saw the signing of the Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention on Biological Diversity, the endorsement of the Rio Declaration and the Forest Principles, and the adoption of “Agenda 21” - a global action plan for achieving sustainable development in the 21st century.

3. It is laudable that another Brazilian city, Curitiba, has assumed leadership and provided the platform for discussions on how cities can contribute to the biodiversity agenda under the auspices of the Convention on Biological Diversity. In March 2007, the Curitiba Declaration on Cities and Biodiversity was adopted, which re-affirmed the commitment of cities and local authorities to reduce the rate of biodiversity loss, and to integrate biodiversity considerations in their urban planning and development.

4. In the year 2008, the world crossed a significant threshold. For the first time, more people live in towns and cities, than in rural areas. By 2050, more than 70% of the world’s population will be living in urban areas. The number of city dwellers is expected to almost double, from 3.3 billion today to 6.4 billion in 2050.

5. As cities around the world continue to grow rapidly, they all share common challenges in achieving sustainable development and safeguarding our biodiversity. Let me elaborate on three key challenges facing the cities of the world.

6. The first key challenge is that with greater urbanisation, the strain on natural resources will become increasingly more acute. Cities currently occupy only 2% of the Earth’s land area but consume over 75% of its natural resources. The ecological footprint of cities is set to increase as more people move into the urban environment. We need to ensure that the rapid urbanisation is done in a sustainable manner.

7. The next key challenge is climate change. According to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment3, climate change is likely to become the dominant driver of biodiversity loss by the end of this century. Temperature increases, rising sea levels and extreme weather patterns will impact on habitats and ecosystems. Cities will need to figure out how to mitigate the impact of climate change on biodiversity at the local level, even as governments attempt to find common ground to arrive at a post-2012 climate change agreement to curb carbon emissions, something which was not achieved at Copenhagen last month.

8. Thirdly, the complexities of city planning and management will increase in tandem with both population growth and demands for higher standards of living. Cities face many problems that arise from increased population density, such as housing needs, traffic congestion, pollution, access to clean water and proper sanitation. If these problems are not adequately addressed, environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity may result. These problems are also closely inter-linked, and have to be tackled with an integrated set of solutions.
Greater Need for Collaboration

9. I have outlined three key challenges which are common to all cities, albeit at varying degrees due to the different stages of development. We can reap much benefits if cities come together to collaborate and share solutions. Already, many cities are innovating urban solutions in areas such as clean energy, green transport, waste and water treatment, and urban greenery.

10. It is indeed very apt that we are meeting today in Curitiba. Our host city has a reputation for being tenacious in championing sustainable development. Curitiba is well known for its public transport system and recycling initiatives. I understand that Curitiba has also embarked on its BioCity Programme which seeks to reverse the loss of biodiversity by incorporating biodiversity considerations in urban planning. The key initiatives, which I am sure all of us are familiar with, include the reintroduction of ornamental indigenous plant species; incentives to preserve private green areas; revitalisation of the Barigui River Basin; and the Green Line Project which is aimed at revitalising an important federal highway through the creation of a major transportation corridor for bicycles and pedestrians as well as a linear park. I look forward to learning more about these projects during my visit here.

11. In Singapore, resource scarcity has led us to take sustainable development very seriously from our early days of national development. Being a small city-state with a land area of 700 square kilometers, we have adopted a long-term and integrated approach in our land use planning. We seek to concurrently pursue economic vibrancy and a high-quality living environment for our people. This includes preserving the natural environment and protecting our natural heritage.

12. In a few minutes, I will show you a short video of our Garden City, which contains glimpses of Singapore’s greenery and how we balance conservation with development.

13. Despite our small size, we have deliberately set aside 10% of our land for parks and nature conservation. This is complemented with an island-wide network of parks, park connectors, and streetscape and waterfront greenery, resulting in a green cover of almost 50% of our island. We are now transforming Singapore into a city of gardens and water, where our water bodies and greenery are integrated to become havens for urban biodiversity.

14. However, balancing economic development and biodiversity conservation in an urban environment is not an easy task. For us who run and manage cities, and in the case of Singapore, a city-state, we are all too familiar with the constant challenge of competing needs for resources. To conserve our natural assets even as we pursue our economic development, we will need to continually find practical and innovative solutions. The problems that we face are multi-disciplinary. To solve them, we will need to create platforms for meaningful dialogue, for people from different disciplines to understand one another’s perspectives and work together.

15. Curitiba and Singapore are cities with very different historical and cultural backdrops. Yet, I am struck by how similar we are in our aspirations to create an economically vibrant city with a high-quality living environment. When we can get more like-minded cities to come together, the sharing will be multiplied many times. In this regard, it is very encouraging to see a positive trend of cities coming together to share knowledge, adopt best practices and find solutions to common problems. The ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability’s4 Local Action for Biodiversity (LAB) project and the Global Partnership on Cities and Biodiversity are two excellent examples of greater collaborations among like-minded cities.

Singapore’s contribution

16. This year, being the International Year of Biodiversity, gives us added impetus and a unique opportunity to share and collaborate, and also to celebrate the vital role that biodiversity plays in sustaining life on Earth. In Singapore, we have launched to celebrate and rediscover our rich natural heritage. In particular, on 22 May 2010 which is the International Day for Biological Diversity, our schools will plant native trees to contribute to a global “Green Wave”.

17. Singapore is also pleased to contribute to the process of sharing and collaboration at the international level. Let me take this opportunity to thank our partners in the Global Partnership for assisting and supporting the development of the Singapore Index on Cities’ Biodiversity. The Singapore Index will provide a framework and tool to measure and benchmark cities’ biodiversity conservation efforts.

18. I would also like to thank the cities which are currently test-bedding the Singapore Index. Your feedback will be most invaluable for the experts who are meeting in July this year to fine-tune the Index. The Singapore Index is part of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)’s Plan of Action on Urban Biodiversity. We look forward to working with the CBD and partners to develop the Index in time for endorsement at the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP-10) in Nagoya in October this year.

19. Besides biodiversity conservation, Singapore is also committed to promoting sustainability in cities. We will be hosting the second World Cities Summit from 28 to 30 June 2010 with the theme, “Liveable and Sustainable Cities for the Future”. As part of this conference, there will be a thematic session on “Urban Biodiversity and Conservation for Sustainable Cities”. Other events include the World Mayor’s Forum where mayors and governors around the world will discuss solutions for liveable cities.

20. I would like to encourage you to join us at the World Cities Summit 2010 in Singapore to exchange ideas and share innovative urban solutions to build liveable and sustainable communities across the globe.

Conclusion

21. Today’s meeting is further proof of our collective commitment to the Global Partnership to conserve biological diversity and promote sustainable development. Your deliberations will help consolidate ideas and build consensus to prepare for the COP-10 meeting in Nagoya. Just before introducing our short video, I would like to conclude by wishing you every success in your deliberations at this Second Curitiba Meeting on Cities and Biodiversity.

22. Thank you.

Annex B: Media Fact Sheet

The Singapore Index on Cities’ Biodiversity – Roadmap

29 May 2008
Singapore’s Minister for National Development, Mr Mah Bow Tan, proposed to develop a “City Biodiversity Index” as an evaluation tool at the High Level Segment of the 9th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Bonn, Germany. According to the United Nations5, the world population will form half of the world population for the first time in 2008. Following this trend, the world population is expected to be 70% urban in 2050. With increasing urbanisation, the demands of economic activities will place greater pressure on our natural resources and environment. Currently, there are no well-established indices to measure biodiversity in cities. Hence, it is useful to formulate a methodology for benchmarking the biodiversity and environmental stewardship of cities.

10-12 February 2009
The National Parks Board (NParks) hosted the first expert workshop on the development of the City Biodiversity Index in Singapore. The purpose of the meeting is to identify appropriate measurable indicators and variables to develop a benchmarking tool to assist cities in the benchmarking of their biodiversity conservation efforts over time. A total of seventeen technical experts on biodiversity indicators as well as city executives and city representatives responsible for implementation and/or management of biodiversity and urban projects and programmes attended this workshop in the development of the index as an evaluation tool.

March 2009 – September 2009
NParks worked with the Task Force on Cities and Biodiversity to test the Singapore Index in several cities. Work includes:

Creation of a Technical Taks Force, including Dr. Nancy Holman, Mr. Peter Werner, Professor Thomas Elmqvist, Mr. Andre Mader, Ms. Elisa Calcaterra, Mr. Oliver Hillel and Dr. Lena Chan, Dy Director, National Biodiversity Centre.

Face-to-face meetings at the Urban Nature Forum and ICLEI World Congress, 11-18 June 2009, Edmonton, Canada.

Finalising a User’s Manual for the Singapore Index on Cities’ Biodiversity.

In acknowledgement of Singapore’s innovative contribution and leadership, the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has formally named the index, “The Singapore Index on Cities’ Biodiversity” or the “Singapore Index” in short.

Next Steps

Currently, seven cities (Curitiba, Joondalup, Edmonton, Brussels, Montreal, Nagoya and Singapore) have test-bedded the draft Singapore Index on Cities' Biodiversity by evaluating their availability of data. At least 10 other cities have indicated interest in test-bedding the Singapore Index.

With 2010 being designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Biodiversity, NParks is planning to launch a series of programmes to raise Singapore's profile internationally, to gain support for the adoption of the Singapore Index on Cities' Biodiversity at the Conference of the Parties (COP10) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in October 2010. The Singapore Index has to be endorsed before cities can adopt it.

On the home front, NParks is striving to raise Singaporeans' awareness of our rich biodiversity assets (both terrestrial and marine), and is undertaking projects that will enhance the richness of our biodiversity by organising a series of activities to celebrate the International Year of Biodiversity 2010.