UNITED NATIONS BIDECENNIAL CONFERENCE ON HOUSING & SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT HABITAT III SPECIAL SESSION ON ISSUE PAPER 17 Cities & Climate Change Disaster Risk Management 17th of October 2016 National Library Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana Quito, Ecuador Conference Report Guzmán-Barraza Energy Engineeering & Consulting www.guzmanbarraza.com CONTENT I. Summary II. Participants III. Network Building IV. Intervention Highlights V. Photographic Report Vi. About the Author Guzmán-Barraza Energy Engineeering & Consulting www.guzmanbarraza.com 2 I. SUMMARY This special session was organized by the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UNHabitat), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and other partner organizations as a follow up session on Issue Paper 17 -on Cities and Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management- presented on May 31st 2015 to the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) in New York City, as part of the focus area 5 on Urban Ecology and Environment. The main focus of this session was climate change and disaster risk dimension in the urban contexts, which is complimentary to the broader discussion on urban resilience and resource efficiency (Issue Papers 15 and 16, respectively). Contributions Discussion of the topic reinforced the principles of New Urban Agenda: compactness, connectedness, inclusiveness and integration, as the means to improve disaster risk management, contribute to climate change mitigation & adaptation, and to unlock opportunities for sustainable development. The following five key drivers for action were identified in Issue Paper 17 and were highlighted by the moderator. • • • • • Urban Planning & Design Urban Governance Urban Economy, Finance and Investment Inclusion & Participation Information, Data & Knowledge Management (including multi-hazard early warning systems and integrated city services) Funding Opportunity The World Bank has initiatives oriented to sustainable growth in cities. Guzmán-Barraza Energy Engineeering & Consulting www.guzmanbarraza.com 3 II. PARTICIPANTS Organizers: • • United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat) United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Partner Organizers: • • • • • • • • Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) International Telecommunication Union (ITU) United Nations Institute For Training And Research (UNITAR) United Nations Office For Project Services (UNOPS) World Health Organization (WHO) World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Speakers: • UN-Habitat Director of UN-Habitat Program Division Raf Tuts BELGIUM • The World Bank Director for Urban and Territorial Development Disaster Risk Management & Resilience Sameh Wahba EGYPT • United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) Special Representative of the Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction (SRSG) Robert Glasser AUSTRALIA • Central America Regional Agency Executive Director for Climate Change Roy Barboza Guzmán-Barraza Energy Engineeering & Consulting www.guzmanbarraza.com 4 • Sorsogon City Mayor of Sorsogon Sally Lee PHILIPPINES • City of Paris Deputy Mayor Patrick Klugman FRANCE • Ministry of Environment Minister Walter García ECUADOR • Kiribati Regional Director Karibaiti Taoaba KIRIBATI Guzmán-Barraza Energy Engineeering & Consulting www.guzmanbarraza.com 5 III. NETWORK-BUILDING Our participation at HABITAT III allowed networking opportunities with 90 points of contact of international organizations, mayors, ministers, academia, sustainable city networks, and financial institutions. This particular conference provided the opportunity to network with multiple stake-holders, including the following participants; • Director for Urban and Territorial Development Disaster Risk Management & Resilience of the World Bank • Director of the UN-Habitat Program Division, with whom our team had met the previous day at the UN Exhibition pavilion. Image 1. Director of UN-Habitat Program Division Raf Tuts (left) & Guzmán-Barraza (right) Guzmán-Barraza Energy Engineeering & Consulting www.guzmanbarraza.com 6 IV. INTERVENTION HIGHLIGHTS Moderator: United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat): • • • • The five key drivers for action in climate-proof and risk informed sustainable urbanization must be addressed. Partnerships within different ministries are very important, as well as international collaboration. Be aware of existing information, since sometimes there are plenty of unused resources. We are running out of time. Natural disasters related to climate change are already in the highest frequency and severity of modern history. Panelists: United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR): • • • • Highlighted this special session as the single most important one in Habitat III. Trillions of US dollars are spent in climate change-related disasters reconstruction. Urges local, regional, and national governments to understand how much climate change and disasters are actually costing. This information is normally incomplete or unknown. The effects of climate change on the economy must be quantified and incorporated into budgeting decisions. Risk reduction strategies must be implemented, not just designed and written. Some solutions are not high-tech or difficult to implement. Focusing on reducing green house gases as a mean to reduce global warming is far more cost effective than the costs of reconstruction. World Bank • • • It is important to keep in mind the magnitude of the challenge: a global challenge currently costing about 4.5 trillions of US dollars a year in infrastructure and climate resilient investments. There is a huge breach between the amount needed and the amount of US dollars actually invested. World Bank hosts city-focused initiatives to provide technical assistance, rationalize spenditure, improve asset management, achieve energy efficiency, reduce the operative costs of cities, and other assistance to help cities access capital markets & climate finance funds. Consumption patterns need to change urgently. Guzmán-Barraza Energy Engineeering & Consulting www.guzmanbarraza.com 7 Sorsogon City (Philippines) • • • • It is imperative to have a strategy, and be prepared. Think on local solutions, but work globally with international collaboration and knowledge sharing. It is important to consider the relocation of informal settlements. Conservation of marine life needs to be addressed as well. Central America Regional Agency • • • Hurricane Mitch has been among the most destructive in Latin America. Lessons learned include that disaster risk management efforts and the environmental sector must work together, as opposed as independently as commonly seen around the world. Scientific reports must be taken seriously. Thousands of kilometers of coastlines are at risk. Research, policy, simulations, humanitarian views, and planning on housing are all key for a safe & sustainable development. Participants • • • • Guzmán-Barraza discussed with the speaker from the World Bank about the side effects of hydraulic fracturing in the oil & gas sector, and about collaboration opportunities regarding adaption & mitigation related projects in Latin America. Other participants from the audience pointed out the importance of considering climate migration (such as Syrian, floods in Australia, droughts in Canada), heat island effects, and heat rejection from mechanical operations. Students from Ecuador were specifically concerned about evacuation strategies and action plans concerning earthquakes and volcanic activity. Representatives of the civil society urged responsible diet to be part of the climate mitigation strategies, due to the high amount of methane produced by cows in the meat industry, the related deforestation, as well as the corresponding green house gases released in the transportation sector. - Take Action for a Better Tomorrow… Today. Guzmán-Barraza Energy Engineeering & Consulting www.guzmanbarraza.com 8 V. PHOTOGRAPHIC REPORT (erased from this version to avoid file oversize) Image 2. Image 3. Guzmán-Barraza Energy Engineeering & Consulting www.guzmanbarraza.com 9 VI. ABOUT THE AUTHOR DIANA GUZMÁN BARRAZA Energy, Sustainability & Climate Change Consultant MSc Sustainable Energy Engineering, UK Diana Guzmán Barraza -interested in helping cities achieve their Climate Action Plans- is an active consultant in the fields of energy, sustainability, and climate change with a solid track of academic excellence in engineering, a strong international profile combining a total of 7 years of residence in 14 cities in N. America, S. America, Asia, and Europe, and 11.5 years of work experience, including green building consulting with important contributions (such as 15hectare new city center, and 1st Net Zero Energy Building in Latin America), engineering for the oil & gas industry, and business development for the steel fabrication industry. Recent Climate Change mitigation actions include participation at relevant international events of the field, such as the United Nations Habitat III in Ecuador, the UN Thematic Meeting on Financing Sustainable Development, the Mayors Summit of C40´s sustainable cities network, the C40 City Awards in Mexico City, and -coming up in March 2017- the #Women4Climate Conference in New York City, invited by Mayor of Paris and new Chair of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, Anne Hidalgo. Other non-profit initiatives include climate change awareness, adaption, and mitigation conferences, interviews, publications, and participation at former Vice President of the United States Al Gore´s Climate Reality Leadership Corps. Degrees & Qualifications Guzmán-Barraza recently collaborated with the World Bank in the pilot test of the City Climate Planner Certificate Program, and will soon be announced as part of the first generation in the world certified by the World Bank as Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventories specialists, according to the latest global protocol. Guzmán-Barraza holds a a Bachelors Degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering, and a Masters Degree on Sustainable Energy Engineering from the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom, fully sponsored by the following three parties: the Innovation and Technology Transfer Institute of the state of Nuevo Leon, the Science & Technology Council of the Mexico), and by the University of Nottingham. DGB distinctly graduated with academic excellence, holding a Diploma of Distinction, as recipient of the Santander High Achievement Award, as elected Class President, and as International Student Ambassador awarded by the Sheriff of the City of Nottingham. Guzmán Barraza is also a partner of the Civil Society Partner Constituent Group of the United Nations General Assembly of Habitat III, and at the School of Applied Bioclimatic Architecture in Mexico City. Guzmán-Barraza Energy Engineeering & Consulting www.guzmanbarraza.com 10
