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
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CONTENT
I.
Summary
II.
Participants
III.
Network Building
IV.
Intervention Highlights
V.
Photographic Report
Vi.
About the Author
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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.
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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.
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II. PARTICIPANTS
Organizers:
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United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat)
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
Partner Organizers:
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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:
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UN-Habitat
Director of UN-Habitat Program Division
Raf Tuts
BELGIUM
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The World Bank
Director for Urban and Territorial Development
Disaster Risk Management & Resilience
Sameh Wahba
EGYPT
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United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR)
Special Representative of the Secretary General for
Disaster Risk Reduction (SRSG)
Robert Glasser
AUSTRALIA
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Central America Regional Agency
Executive Director for Climate Change
Roy Barboza
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Sorsogon City
Mayor of Sorsogon
Sally Lee
PHILIPPINES
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City of Paris
Deputy Mayor
Patrick Klugman
FRANCE
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Ministry of Environment
Minister
Walter García
ECUADOR
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Kiribati
Regional Director
Karibaiti Taoaba
KIRIBATI
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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;
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Director for Urban and Territorial Development Disaster Risk Management &
Resilience of the World Bank
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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)
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IV. INTERVENTION HIGHLIGHTS
Moderator:
United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat):
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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):
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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
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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.
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Sorsogon City (Philippines)
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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
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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
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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.
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Take Action for a Better Tomorrow… Today.
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V. PHOTOGRAPHIC REPORT
(erased from this version to avoid file oversize)
Image 2.
Image 3.
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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.
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