City Networks:Learning through Patnerships

Zaragoza, Water Tribune 2008

Mila Freire

The World Bank

Outline Cities in Development – shifting paradigms

Urbanization: from burden to opportunity The role of public policy – easying the process The challenges of servicing fast growing cities Cities and global goods – climate change

City Networks Rapid growth in number and themes Sector issues, policy concerns Reaching the less able; sharing the fruits of

knowledge

Cities in Development Old paradigm

Too rapid urbanization; too large cities; Increasing slums and poverty Discourage migration to cities

New paradigm Economic growth and change in structure

happens with concentration of people in towns Density is needed for productivity growth The challenge: how to ease urbanization

process, while minimizing congestion costs City population expected to double in 30 years Climate change – the new urgent agenda

Richer countries have higher urbanization and density rates

Richer countries are denser GDP per capita

grows with urbanization

Non-linear relation More rapid in the

beginning Slower at higher

levels of development

Belize

China

Botswana

IndiaBrazil

EgyptKorea

Germany

Japan

Norway

USA

South Africa

Ethiopia

0.2

.4.6

.81

Aggl

omer

atio

n In

dex

0 10 20 30 40GDP per capita (thousands, PPP, 2000 constant US$)

Economic growth brings change Secondary sector

increases its share in GDP; tertiary sector even more.

Dispersed activities (i.e. agricultura) are replaced by more concentrated activities – manufacturing

Services become a predominant sector

Change is common in developped and developing countries

Cities: engines of growth and service providers Within the uneveness of development some basic rules

to help urbanization process Basic services need to be provided to everyone regardless

whether in lagging or leading regions Lack of services (access to water, education, health) should

not be the determinant for migration; but differences in productivity and income.

Provision of water - part of the poverty-alleviation and part of the ammenity and business climate agenda

As urbanization continues, investment in connectivity (urban transport) is required

Targetted policies to promote inclusion (slums or informality) become the main policies. Again, availability of water and sanitation is the most

effecive way to improve well-being at lower income levels,

Preparing for the future: Cities expansion: sprawl? Density? Angel projects a trippling of built land for a doubling

of urban population? Accurate of not, makes one think.

Increased demand for land? Consequences on need for infrastructure, including

water? Is water availability a variable in the way our

cities are and will be growing? Is water being priced correctly? Lessons from Los Angeles or Phoenix Water disputes in West California.

The big challenge: A billion in slums

Sustainable Cities Cities contribute for 60-70% of C02 emmissions

The relation of C02 (per capita) grows at first but then declines as consumers become more aware of th need to be energy efficient

Industrialzed cities have initiated very important initiatives to curb influence of cities in CO2 emissions: Urban transport Building codes Encouragement to density (against sprawl)

Adaptation: the challenge for cities in poored countries Arid cities – lack of water Coastal cities – possible flooding and loss of assets

The challenge: knowledge and governance

Urban vulnerability to climate change

DIRECT IMPACTS Sea level rise Flooding and

landslides Heat waves Water scarcity Decreasing water

quality Worsening air quality Ground ozone

formation Djibouti-Ville flooded in April 2004

Urban vulnerability to climate change

INDIRECT IMPACTS Frequency, intensity of

natural disasters Accelerated

urbanization Environmental refugees Increased energy

demand for heating or cooling

Epidemics, worsening public health

Availability and pricing of foodstuff

Environmental refugees Djibouti, October 2004

2. City Networks City networks emerge from the need and “joy” to

share knowlege, experiences and successes. Can be national, regional and global. At present one has more than

20 global city networks More than 30 Regional networks More than 100 National Netowrks With webb pages, publication and regular stream of

information. Probably thousand of twin-cities arrangements, ad-

hoc meetings and exchange programs. Excludes networks focused on specific sectors

Types of City Networks

Global networks

13%

Regional networks

12%

National networks

75%

Global Networks Are organized by themes

Eclei, C-40 for environment CA for urban upgrading and city development

strategy UCLG to represent a whole range of matters of

concern to municipalities, probably the most representative of the global networks

Have increasing political voice Often associated with UN Financed by bilateral and multilateral

donors Technically important

Sector City Networks GHG abatement initiatives

ICLEI “Cities for Climate Change” program C40 cities partnership Clinton Foundation World Economic Forum Carbon financing, carbon trading markets DOE “Clean Cities” EU incentives system for local governments

Regional Networks

Important to share issues typical of each region

Special important in Europe including Eurocities Latin America Asia Africa has a continental progrqam (MDP)

UCLG has chapters in each Region

Country Networks Particular active in Asia (37)

Philipines (4), Indonesia (5), Japan (9), India, Australia (3), South Korea

Latin America (16) Brazil (3), Argentina (3), Mexico (2), El Salvador, Chile (2),

Bolivia Europe and Central Asia (21)

Bulgaria (3), Poland (2) Europe (24) North America; USA (3), Mexico (1), Canada (1) Africa

South Africa has two active associations Most African countries have municipal associations Very important role played in the Rwanda reconciliation

process

Country networks (cont.) National networks are particularly

important in matters of decentralization, tax policy and policy reform

Brazil municipal associations were fundamental to give municipalities full power as federative entity during 1988 constitutional reform

Honduras and Philipines associations have major role in discussing revenue share, and progressive decentralization of responsibilities

Water-city Networks Water city networks were probably the first networks to be

created in the world Water rights and negotiations have been among the first

documents to be found How to use, allocate and solve dispute water uses have

illustrated and facilitate the exchanges accross cities

At present, most of the global, regional and country networks have chapters focused on water issues.

And thousands of cities, regions and NGOs have their own associations dealing with water and watr management.

EUKN, Eurocities, Urbact, and other networks are associated The major challenge for most of the networks – from a

development view point is whether local knowledge can be leveraged and shared especially with poorer municipalities and local governments.

Thanks