New urban development programme to promote ecologically
sustainable and economically viable cities
Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, Ghanadot
Accra, June 29, Ghanadot - The
World Bank yesterday launched a new urban development
program that supports cities in developing countries in
their move towards greater ecological and economic
sustainability.
The programme known as “ Eco2 Cities – Ecological Cities as
Economic Cities”, recognizes that successful cities create
economic value and opportunities for their citizens in an
inclusive, sustainable and resource efficient way, while
also protecting and nurturing the local ecology and global
public goods, for future generations.
“Global urban expansion sets forth before us
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to plan, develop, build and
manage cities that are simultaneously more ecologically and
economically sustainable,” said Katherine Sierra, World Bank
Vice President for Sustainable Development. “We have a short
time horizon before us. The decisions we make together
today, can lock in systemic benefits for current and future
generations. “
“The Eco2 Cities Program is complementary to the ongoing
efforts the World Bank and its development partners are
making in sustainable development and climate change,” she
added. “The Eco2 Cities Program is an important part of our
new Urban Strategy, currently being developed in
consultation with stakeholders. “
Jim Adams, Vice President for the World Bank’s East Asia &
Pacific region, noted that the pace of urbanization in Asia
alone pointed to the urgency for an integrated economic and
ecological approach to city development.
“Eco2 is being launched at a critical historic juncture –
urbanization in developing countries is a defining feature
of the 21st century,” he said. “There is only a short space
of time in which to make an impact on how this development
takes place.”
Around 90 percent of global urban growth now takes place in
developing countries with an expected trebling of developing
country built-up urban areas by 2030.
A three-part book on the Eco2 Cities Program presents the
program’s analytical and operational framework along with
profiles of effective and practical methods and tools. The
next step is to put the framework into action in a first set
of cities.
Launching the Eco2 program at a seminar in Singapore on
“Liveable Cities in Asia”, the World Bank’s Hiroaki Suzuki –
team leader of the Eco2 Cities program – said cities like
Curitiba in Brazil, Stockholm in Sweden, Singapore, and
Yokohama in Japan have demonstrated that they can greatly
enhance their resource efficiency while decreasing pollution
and unnecessary waste.
“By doing so, they have improved the quality of life of
their citizens, enhanced their economic competitiveness and
resilience, strengthened their fiscal capacity, and created
an enduring ‘culture’ of sustainability,” Suzuki said.
Eco2 Cities co-team leader, Arish Dastur said many cities
have found imaginative and practical solutions even with
limited budgets. “Sustainable planning is an investment in
the future of a city’s economy and welfare,” he said. “The
Eco2 Cities program is designed to enable cities in
developing countries to put the theory into practice.”
Developed collaboratively by an international team of
practitioners and experts from the urban, transport, energy,
water and waste management sectors – the Eco2 program is
based on real experiences, challenges and lessons learnt
from cities in the developed and developing world. The
program is building strong linkages with best practice
cities like Curitiba, Singapore, Stockholm and Yokohama.
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