Apidays Singapore 2024 - Modernizing Securities Finance by Madhu Subbu
Research & Knowledge for Local Sustainable Development (ICLEI World Congress 2009)
1. Research and Knowledge for Local Sustainable Development June 18, 2009 Hironori Hamanaka Chair, Board of Directors, IGES Professor, Keio University Chair, ICLEI Japan ICLEI World Congress, 18 June 2009, Edmonton, Canada
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4. Integrative Research Programme for the Fourth Phase (2007-09) Climate Policy Bio-fuels Freshwater Market Mechanisms Forest Conservation Business and the Environment Waste and Resources Capacity Development and Education Economic Analysis Other Cross Cutting Research Urban/local initiatives for Sustainable Society
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6. “ Eco-diagnosis for households” A collaborative local initiative between local governments, business and IGES to support “ Eco-diagnosis for households ” to reduce CO 2 emissions, in Hyogo prefecture, Japan . Step 1 : Assess current emissions and compare with benchmark Step 2 : Set target/ pathway for emissions reduction Step 3 : Analyze emission sources Step 4 : Propose concrete options to achieve target 4 Steps for Eco-diagnosis
7. Kitakyushu Initiative for a Clean Environment Bangkok, Thailand Surabaya, Indonesia Bago, Philippines Kitakyushu Initiative : Asia-Pacific international intercity network programme for the environment IGES has supported local governments for identification and dissemination of good practices domestically and internationally Kita-kyushu City
8. APFED Knowledge Initiative and Showcase Programme Good Practice Database Pakistan India Sri Lanka Nepal Philippines Ryutaro Hashimoto APFED Awards Showcase Programme Asia-Pacific Forum for Environment and Development : Regional forum of prominent experts to propose and showcase new ideas on sustainable development (Secretariat: IGES) Knowledge Initiative
9. Research on intercity network programmes and low-carbon development in Asia Research on local initiatives towards low-carbon sustainable development in Asia, focusing on local policy processes , environmental finance and intercity network programmes for mutual reference, mutual learning and practice diffusion . Low-carbon development practices Biomass energy Waste composting Biogas digester Streetlight management Bus Rapid Transit Mutual Reference among Cities (Kitakyushu Initiative) Dhaka Kitakyushu Nonthaburi Dalian Weihai Ube Surabaya Kathmandu Ulsan Bangkok Bago Siem Reap
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Hinweis der Redaktion
Distinguished guests, Dear friends and colleagues, Ladies and gentlemen, It is my great honour to have this opportunity to speak at this plenary session. This morning, I would like to focus on how research institutes like IGES, to which I am serving as Chair of the Board of Directors, can work with local governments to support initiatives for local sustainable development.
First, I would like to introduce IGES and our 4 th phase research programme from 2007 to 2009. Second, I will also introduce IGES research and actions on local initiatives for sustainable development. Third, I will discuss on the role of research institutes for promoting local sustainable development, particularly for supporting local government initiatives for sustainable development. And fourth, I would also like to discuss on how to link local initiatives with research activities to contribute to a transition towards sustainable and low-carbon development.
IGES was established in 1998, by the initiative of Japanese Government, as an independent research institute, to conduct strategic policy research to support sustainable development, particularly in Asia and the Pacific. Our mission is not just conducting research, but making research results applicable to actual policy making processes. Therefore, IGES research is characterised by solution-oriented, problem-driven, inter-disciplinary and time-bound. The fourth one is important, because our research results need to be delivered timely in order to create meaningful impact on decision making by relevant stakeholders. From this point of view, we have established four criteria for selecting research projects, namely, policy relevance, regional and international context, added value, and availability of external funding.
IGES Intergative Research Programme for the 4 th Phase include a number of research projects, including: Climate policy, Market mechanisms, Bio-fuels, Forest conservation, Freshwater, Waste and resources, Business and the environment, Capacity development and education, and Economic analysis and other cross-cutting research, which includes research on promotion of urban and local initiatives for sustainable society.
IGES research and activities on local initiatives include: First, collaborative action with a local government in Japan to develop and apply a local initiatives to promote household low-carbon practices in Japan. Second, an international intercity network programme for the environment in Asia, called Kitakyushu Initiative for a Clean Environment. Third, an Asian regional expert forum on environment and development, called APFED. The 4th one is two research projects on local initiatives, focusing on intercity network programmes and low-carbon sustainable development in Asia.
IGES has proposed and is implementing a local initiative, called Eco-diagnosis for households, to fill the gap between awareness on climate change and actual behavioural change in Japanese households. In partnership with local government and businesses, local households participating in the programme receive consultation on CO2 emission reduction by local experts, following four simple steps: First, assessment of current emission levels and compare them with benchmark, second, setting the reduction target, third, analysis of emission sources, and fourth, development of concrete options for achieving the target, including the use of local financial mechanism to assist them in purchasing energy efficient home appliances and in installing better heat insulation in their homes.
The next case is the Kitakyushu Initiative for a Clean Environment. This is an Asia-Pacific international intercity network programme for the environment, established in 2000. This initiative is named after Kitakyushu city in Japan, which is a recipient of UNEP’s Global 500 Award for its excellence of environmental management and its international environmental cooperation. As the secretariat of the Kitakyushu Initiative, IGES has analysed demonstration cases, developed knowledge dissemination materials and web sites, and conducted various workshops, training sessions and study tours to facilitate diffusion of good practices among participating cities. The pictures here show the case of organic waste composting, promoted by Kitakyushu city and IGES in cities in Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and beyond.
Next, I would like to introduce the Asia-Pacific Forum for Environment and Development, or APFED. This is a regional forum of prominent experts in Asia-Pacific, which was established in 2001 to identify, create and promote innovative ideas and practices towards sustainable development. It contains several components, including the Knowledge Initiative and the Showcase Programme. As the secretariat, IGES is supporting knowledge production and the realisation of innovative ideas. For example, IGES annually gives awards to innovative projects that demonstrated effective sustainable development on the ground. IGES has also developed a Good Practice Database on those projects which received awards as well as demonstrated successful implementation. Under the Showcase Programme, in partnership with UNEP, IGES has also annually provided financial grants to support Showcase projects to nurture the application of innovative ideas on the ground in various fields of sustainable development in diverse countries in the regional to draw lessons from them. IGES has also conducted capacity development activities to assist implementation of the Showcase projects.
IGES has also conducted studies on intercity network programmes and low-carbon development in Asia, with the financial support of Japanese national and local governments.. IGES research has focused on local policy processes, environmental finance, and intercity network programmes to identify factors and mechanisms to further promote local initiatives in this region. For instance, one study showed demonstrated mutual reference and learning through intercity network programmes such as ICLEI Southeast Asia, Kitakyushu Initiative, and CITYNET, analysed the roles of network programmes, and suggested several success factors and necessary conditions such as linking committed leaders and supporters. IGES recently initiated a new research project on low-carbon development at local level in Asia to develop better policy instruments to support local initiatives and to provide the involvement of Japanese cities in Asia.
Now, ladies and gentlemen, what are the roles of research and knowledge creation in promoting initiatives for local sustainable development? As shown in the cases I have just introduced, the research community can, based on the result of relevant research, support local initiatives through proposing practical mechanisms, producing and disseminating knowledge, assisting capacity development, encouraging local champions, linking local actors, and analysing and proposing policy instruments and frameworks to facilitate local initiatives.
Finally, I would like to emphasize that an effective partnership between local actors and research communities is critically important to create actual change on the ground and to maximise the fruits of collaboration between local actors such as local governments and research communities on sustainable development. It is a process of learning-by-doing and doing-by-learning for both sides. For local actors, this provides opportunities for objective assessment, knowledge creation, and learning and testing new ideas. For researchers, local initiatives provide concrete and practical focus of the study and an opportunity for engaging in transition on the ground. In the end, both parties share the common goal of sustainable development, and can play a role of either committed change makers or facilitators of discovering, mutual learning, and change. IGES plans to work further with ICLEI Japan, ICLEI Southeast Asia and their member local governments, and looks forward to exploring opportunities for collaboration with other ICLEI colleague in the years to come.
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