ICLEI World Congress 2012

Rio+20 (2)

Rio+20

First time ever that I have the chance to attend A UN sponsored conference. It is the Rio+20 Conference of Sustainable Development at Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, after 20 years the first Summit was conceived in the same place. For some, it is like welcome home to examine what they have committed before and what have been achieved. For them, the gathering must be frustrated a lot since reaffirmation of things done was promised again but without date line set. For the group concerned about climate change and green economy, these are two new edition that have been given much focus by the parties of conference. For the local authorities, yet again they are put under a situation neither here nor there. Although recognised as the government closet to the people and that everyone acknowledged the need of think globally but act locally, the local autorities are not given proper treatment as they are considered ngo group, a status that even ngo would not like to accept. Although the Secretary General of UN, Mr Ban Ki Moon said this century is theera of cities, sustainable solution must be started there, until and unless mainstreaming of local authorities is done, the little efforts of local authorities will not be impactful and influencial of making a chance without recognition by national anx international protocol. The youth and indigenous people groups are equally unhappy as many of their concerns were not addresssed. Youth are concerned that the current pace of healing the environmental problems are not fast enough and commitments are very loose. They want the national government to view the problems from global perspective and do away with the nation protectionist policy. They are appealing that current policy makers be responsible for making decisions that affect them, the future generation. They demanded that they are treated as an equal partner, not a subject for engagement in planning and developing the World. The science and technical group admitted that they have not done enough to communicate with the epolicy makers and layman, even amongst themselves have done research in a silo way. More interaction and exchange focusing on climate change and sustainable development is required. With the advancement of technology and resource efficiency as the key in green growth and economy, the workers group is also concerned about their next destination and whether theh will be victimised along the process. They reckoned that we are living in two planets, one on social and environment earth and the another one is the economy world. While countries can bump in billions of dollars to rescue financial institutions which encountered hardship because of mismanagement, they do not spend much on saving biodiversity and ozone layer explain well which planet is prioritised by our world leaders. For the vulnerable, like workers, indigenous people, disabled and women adaptation rather than mitigation is perhap a better solution. For other major group under the civil society, The People Summit held concurrently clearly demonstrated their way of doing sustainability at local level is effective and more people oriented. The many appropriate technology applied at the community level is encouraging. The civil society although engaged in the dialogue has rejected the concluded document. They called for more commitment and real action. I did learn a lot from the Conference. It is a battle field for different players with their agenda. It is a forum to promote your believe and what you are fighting for. It is platform for networking and meeting new friends for alliance. It is a place all come under the name of sustainable development, but with self interest and agenda.

Change is A Choice?

Some said changes are unavoidable, whether bad or good. Many will embrace changes if it is for own good and beneficiary. Many will resist from changes if it means affecting their personal interest. For example, I do not mind of working extra time knowing that I will be paid over time. Similarly, getting reward immediately will always attract opportunist and well wishers. Providing aids is, of course the most welcome regardless the social status, occupation and ethnic. However, if conditions are attached such as requiring change to be done, whether big or small will always getting people to think twice. Last week, during my briefing on the assessment rebate scheme for environmental friendly owners, I took the opportunity to talk about the e-assessment campaign, the campaign of asking property owners to agree on not receiving assessment notification from the Council. By doing so, RM 1.44 and 0.29 kg CO2 per bill can be saved per year. Accumulatively, a total of RM 300,000 or 60.5 tonnes CO2 can be saved per year for the whole Petaling Jaya. Although sending bill is not required for under the provision of law and the owners have obligation and responsibility to pay within stipulated time, traditionally this has been practiced since the inception of local authorities’ institution in Malaysia. The residents I spoke to are not willing to forego this "privilege" with the reasoning that without the notification it is always the case of forgotten. They prefer to receive the bill as a form of reminder and proof of payment done. While this view is respected and understood, it also illustrates how difficult to get people to change, to come out from the comfort zone. Nowadays, we witnessed how banks powered over the use of electronic statement for credit card payment in which failing with you will be penalised, how to make it difficult for withdrawing over the counter in which for cash withdrawal less than RM 3000 ATM machine is to be used instead of the counter. Some institutions prefer to provide incentives to customers for transactions using digital platform. For instance, a shopping complex issuing their own loyalty card will charge lower rate for parking and reserve special floor for the card holders. These two approaches, "no choice" or "economic incentive" can evolve changes, if used appropriately. It is only a matter of attitude, I presume.

Ecomobility City

Ecomobility becomes an agenda for ICLEI. Many discussion and best practices around the World were shared. The first ecomobility city at Suwon, Korea will be further refined during the Ecomobility Festisval to be held on 1-30 September this year. Some presenters at the World Congress 2012 highlighted that connecting people from dot to dot should be an efficient way, ecological friendly and equitable. Some said it is a case of moving people without the fuel or less consumption on the non renewable energy. Some said why are we making so much fuss on walking afterall every trip is starting and ending with walking. Even we drive, we walk to our car and similarly to board a train need walking as well to the platform. Thereby, if the driving journey is less than 10 minutes, is that any difficulty of walking? Of course Malaysian including me will qoute hot weather and safety as excuse of not walking at all. Cycling on the other hand is promoted as an viable alternative transportation mode. Conpenhegen, Denmark for example took less than 15 years to inculcate the value of cycling in which 35% trips are cycling based with target of 50% by 2015. Cyclists are given top priority when it comes to traffic management and urban planning. Special lanes with cyclists to decide their own speed are built throughout the city. Connectivity is without disruption but rather vehicles are required to make way at the cross junction. It is all down to the political choice and commitment. It is interesting to note that car ownership rate in Copenhengen is high but ownership of bicycle is even higher. People using bicycle to work, shop and even for leisure. Cars are stored in the garade for weekend long distance outing. Contrast to this, China and Vietnam , the two nations with high cycling rate is threatened by the enroute of traffic vehicles. More and more highways and lanes are built. The question ponder here is this the price of development we so used to talk about? Number of vehicles is reflection of the developed status of a nation? Is it a symbol of prosperity and wealth creation? I believe this mind set is hard to change, but unavoidable need to be recorrected. We might need to learn from the experience of Denmark in CEPA (communication, education and public awareness) campaign of getting people to prioritise the cycling on normal routine with short distance and car trip for out station journey as a start. However, without sufficient infrastructure with connectivity, affordability, comfort and convenience as well as perceived safety in place, nothing will be forthcoming. Providing pedestrian street and cycling path above the ground is a place for humanity in making. Our cities are losing their humanity now. We witnessed the reduction of places for social integration. We do not bother to see vehicles be given priority when it comes to resource allocation for infrastructure development, perhaps because we are part of it. We forget that only minority of us owning cars but majority relies on other mode of transportations. Thereby, designing a ecomobility city is talking about restoring humanity and life to the city. Try to imagine a 24 feet 2 lanes 100 feet length street can accommodate approximately 14 cars compared to 100 bicycles or more. With same construction cost but higher turn over of people, will the businesses prefer cyclists over the drivers? I presume yes. It is also about fundamental right of the mass as walking and cycling is cheap and affordable. With the environmental degradation is real and the need for paradigm shift in planning our cities, do we bold enough to have ecomobility as top priority? I presume we have a choice, the political one.

Biodiversity

The 2012 Urban Nature Forum concluded half an hour ago. It is a call of conserving biodiversity, sustaining the use of biodiversity as well as reducing the risks of climate change through biodiversity conservation. While science and local action have bee emphasized over and over again, participants acknowledged that much to be done prior to the COP 11 on biodiversity, a subject that has been overshadowed by the climate change and green sustainable issues. There are no such fund or technology related to biodiversity unlike the climate change. The participants responded that for those people talking biodiversity, they will have at least love, or if not to understand the birds, wild animal, flora and fauna or else how can you have the passionate to prepare an effective action plan. Further to that, CEPA or communication, education and public awareness specifically targeted to right audience is important. And it must started young and with good leadership. Many might not realise important of biodiversity because food is always put on table, unlike climate change that can see the effect typhoon and tsunami in seconds. Are we back home still have narrow inpretation about biodiversity? Are we not widen the planting of trees and parks for greater impact of bringing nature back to the city? Are we not looking into landuse plan and landscape plan with more input on biodiversity.? I presume we should and must. Next meet on this challenge will be at the Cities Of Life Summit in Hyderabad, India from 15-16 October 2012.

Brazil - City Initiatives

While waiting to transfer to the Congonhas Airport of Sao Paolo, Brazil on 13 June, I took a casual morning walk along the streets within the vicinity of San Raphael Hotel. I saw some of the most talked about initiatives of sustainable city or liveability city or low carbon city or whatever we call on a city people prefer to live are in practice. I saw majority of the buses are operating without the exhaust pipe because buses are running on gas. I took picture about bus special dedicated lane at both site and the centre of road for passengers on board from both directions. The bus platform is on higher ground, same level with the landing platform of the bus. And with that level, ramp is built as part of the universal design concept. I noticed that textile symbolising stop are placed at the road junction and crossing as well as surrounding the phone booth. No textiles along the whole street are built and I wonder why? After some observation, I presume this is possible because no other obstructions including the signboard, flower pots, rubbish bins and commercial products are placed on the pedestrian walkways. Even at one of the street I walked by in which automobile services centres are located. To my surprise if compared with those service centres back home, no car waiting to be service, no machinery and no unwanted flat tyres are put on the pedestrian walkway as well as no bins for illegal reserving of parking lot in front of the shops are seen. It is free of any obstructions. Perhaps these are some small, but meaningful gestures toward sustainability should be practiced. I think I know too little about cities in Brazil.

What I Saw Enroute to Rio + 20

I will be attending the Rio+20 Conference at Rio De Janeiro for the next two week. Perhaps should pen something interesting thing about small green but meaningful initiatives for sharing. On 11th June, while waiting to board the plane at KLIA, I visited the mini forest at the concourse area of the satellite building. It is such an enlightening experience of enjoying the fresh air, greenery and at time the sound of birds. I believe this is of the reflection the theme of the airport as Forest in the Airport. Hopefully the larger picture of having Airport Within A Forest can be realised the soonest, as promised when the idea of building new airport at Sepang was conceived. Early morning 5.30 am local time (11.30am in Malaysia) of Netherlands, I was loitering around the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport while waiting to board the plane again to Sao Paolo, Brazil at 10.05am. I cannot failed to notice the wording of "Please feed me, I am hungry” at the 3 recycling bins at all places in the airport area. I personally thought this kind of sensational message is helping to raise awareness, if not but at least inviting us to ponder about the meaning. My visit to the toilet also brought some surprise as I myself have not thought about it. We always complain about the dirtiness about top cover of the toilet bowl and most of the time it was wet. The most we might do is to rub it with toilet paper but try to forget about the dirtiness for the time being. But over here in the airport, a cleaning liquid dispenser is installed for you to clean it first. While we might not convince how clean and hygiene it is, but at least it erases our perception about how dirty it is. I am of the opinion that these small gestures is reachable, achievable and do able, it is only matter of observance and sensitive we are towards surrounding happenings and daily routine. If we care, we will definitely able to find a solution.

Barrier Free City

Congratulation to Petaling Jaya City Council for being shortlisted amongst the top 40 entries for the Commonwealth Association of Public Administration and Management, or in short CAPAM Innovation Award. The entries will be further considered for the final round to be held in Delhk, India in September this year. It is indeed a good news considering that 120 entries have been submitted. It is also good cause for celebration after the entry of Mobilising Elderly for Community Development by the Council was voted the best 10 in Year 2002. The entry of Barrier Free City has reinforced again efforts by the Council more than a decade ago is the right move and way forward. I could recall when the idea of incorporating barrier free features into the infrastructure development, many were skeptical and worried about the cost. Many said that incurring extra cost for minorities convenience is not cost effectiveness and waste of public fund after all not many were seen on the road. This proven wrong after the first barrier free pedestrian walkway with traffic light intervention and ramp was built in SS2 town centre. The disabled friends used the facility to the fullest and enjlyed going outing in the park. Subsequently more barrier free facilities are built. It is becoming a common norm in Petaling Jaya that barrier free is a must requirement for all development. The Council has been recognised as the leading local authority in the field of creating barier free environment. Hence, I think the Council deserves such recognition. Hopefully the practice will be given wider opportunity tobe shared wit h others.

Concurrent Processing of Permits

It was discovered that an approval obtained does not mean that applicant can start work immediately even observing fully the condition of approval. This was disclosed during a discussion with various technical departments last few days. For example, in order for a contractor to exavacute the soil under earth work permit issued by the Engineering Department, he has to apply hoarding permit and signboard permit from the Building Department and if a construction waste bin is required to be placed on public area, a permit for placing the bin is required from the same department and followed by requesting contractor service for construction waste disposal. The requirements do not end here yet. To transport out the soil or sand, he need to obtain permit of using road from Engineering Department and permit from Land Office for cutting the soil. Wait, not finished yet. If a project is of big scale and on site workers are required, he will have to obtain the permit of building workers shelter there. If the project proponent so desire to advertise his project by placing signboard on the hoarding, then he has to apply permission from the Planning Department and finally license issued by the Licensing Division. The whole process of doing earth work has to go through 5 departments and 4-8 permits in which time and cost become a concern. I presume one of the major complaint by applicant is having gone through many departments and procedures but for only carrying out a single work. For them, it is bureaucratic. Perhaps it is time to re synergise looking into internal processing so that the need for multiple inter face with various departments can be reduced. One of the option is communicating with applicants of the procedures involved and offer them a choice of submitting application at the same time, same counter and ensure them that all permits applied for will be given at the same time and same place. I presume a model starting with simple application can be piloted first. This will be of great help to development in Petaling Jaya, even for the house owners undergoing rebuilding of their house.

World Environment Day

With the turn of local events for past week, I have almost forgotten about the arrival of the World Environment Day today. Only recollect after yesterday launching of Assessment Rebate Scheme for environmental friendly house owners for Petaling Jaya and organiser of a seminar for requesting my paper to be presented today. The theme for this year celebration is focusing on "Green Economy" and what to do with us. During the agro society time, people planted vegetables feed animal for self consumption. They will give away excessive produce to neighbour in exchange of other services. Later with the industrialisation revolution, people venture into non agriculture sector have to buy food items. This change of event created new dimension in economy. Of course, the initially "green" produces were reinvented and all type of products, environmental friendly or not are offered in market. I presume only after realising that environment quality is degrading and current economic model is not helping us much on restoring what we used to enjoy, that people arre looking at green economy. I presume this is call of going back to the basic, the agro time producing sufficient for own self and consume for biological need. Green economy is closer to every individual. It is a way of money saving. For exame consume less energy and water by changing our way of life can save us few cents. Eating vegetables planted from the pot at our backyard can be an answer to the high cost of green from market. Walking to the neighbourhood shops instead of driving will not only reduce fuel cost but gjve us an opportunity for exercises. The list is endless. It is only a matter of our choice. Even rejecting the not so green products is a way of saying YES we support green economy. However some concerned about manipulation by businesses and at the end of the day it turns out to be a marketing gimmick. While many might not be able to choose and demarcate the very green products, it is duty of authority to educate and regulate so that people might not have felt shortchange. Happy World Environment Day 5th June.