The "Guidelines for developing eco-efficient and socially inclusive infrastructure" provide practical tools for city planners and decision makers to reform urban planning and infrastructure design according to the principles of eco-efficiency and social inclusiveness. The guidelines build on knowledge accrued and lessons learned though case studies and pilot projects conducted in cities across Asia and Latin America. It is based on the recognized need for an urgent shift in the way urban infrastructure is planned, designed and managed in order to respond to the challenges posed by rapid urbanization, globalization and climate change. The guidelines contain sections on: the importance of building urban infrastructure in an eco-efficient and inclusive way; what strategies planners can use to facilitate eco-efficient and inclusive outcomes; how they should be integrated in a strategic planning cycle; and who is making the change based on best practices examples from Singapore, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, Colombia, Philippines, Japan, Tajikistan and Chile.
Part of a series of four entitled Urban Patterns for a Green Economy, this guide explores the compact city and its benefits within the developed and developing world's contexts. The guide illustrates how the compact city concept and planned (versus unplanned) urban extension can support sustainable urban patterns that benefit the functioning of developed as well as developing world cities. Properly managed, compaction can positively enhance the life of the city dweller and support related strategies aimed at promoting a green economy and sustainable urban settlements.
The guide contains case studies from Vauban (Freiburg), Medellín, Bangkok, Cairo, Ouagadougou, Rio de Janeiro, Isfahan, and Newcastle (Australia).
Chemical leasing is a service-oriented business model that shifts the focus from increasing sales volume of chemicals toward a value-added approach. Chemical leasing forms part of UNIDO’s strategy to assist enterprises globally in a variety of aspects related to green industry. Over the past few years, this innovative approach has been implemented in a number of different sectors, processes and countries. Experience has shown that it is best applied to processes that are not the core know-how of the chemical user, such as cleaning, degreasing and painting, etc. In 2005, UNIDO launched the Global Chemical Leasing Programme, which is presently supported by the Governments of Austria and Germany. At the national level, it is implemented in close cooperation with respective National Cleaner Production Centres (NCPCs).
The efficiency and productivity of Colombia's urban system will be a key determinant in the ability of the country to transition from a middle income to a higher-income economy. Colombia, as with most Latin American countries, has experienced positive growth rates in the past few years, mitigating the potential adverse impacts of the global financial crisis. High commodity prices as well as improvements in macroeconomic and financial management, diversification of trading partners (particularly through stronger links with China), and the safe integration into international financial markets are the main drivers for recent success in Colombia and the Latin American region (World Bank 2011).
The importance of cities in climate policy stems from the simple reality that they house the majority of the world's population, two-thirds of world energy use and over 70% of global energy use emissions. At the international level, global carbon markets have become an important new source of financing for mitigation projects and programmes. Yet to date, the participation of urban authorities and of urban mitigation projects in the global carbon market remains extremely limited. The under-representation of urban carbon projects can be linked both to the difficulties to implement urban mitigation projects and to the difficulties for cities to access the carbon market.