C40 Cities Awards 2015

Adaptation Implementation

• Cape Town - Water Conservation and Demand Management (WCWDM) Programme

  In 2007, the City of Cape Town committed itself to a comprehensive programme of water conservation and water demand management (WCWDM) aimed at minimising water waste and promoting efficient use of water. The WCWDM programme is an innovative multi-pronged initiative that focuses on both technical and behavioural aspects of saving water. The programme includes raising public awareness and the promotion of water use efficiency, the introduction of a ‘stepped’ water tariff designed to encourage water savings, free of charge plumbing repairs for low-income households, training of ‘community plumbers’, the promotion of alternative water sources such as borehole water and recycled water for irrigation, as well as a range of technical interventions to minimise water losses, such as improved asset management, pressure management schemes, pipe replacement programmes, leak detection and improved meter management.

  Profile
• Copenhagen - Klimakvarter Østerbro – Climate Resilient Neighbourhood

  
  Østerbro Climate Quarter (Klimakvarter) is an exhibition area for climate adaptation in Copenhagen. The city wants to secure the neighbourhood against heavy rain with green solutions at street level, creating green and aesthetically pleasing urban spaces while effectively leading water from cloudbursts away from the neighbourhood to areas where it does not cause any damage.

  Enlarging the sewer system for it to cope with all potential rainfall events would be an expensive solution, therefore the city wants to pursue natural rain infrastructure. Should a storm hit the area, the integrated system of green streets and pocket parks will function as retention areas and water basins. Thanks to a new pipe system, the squares will even be able to collect water from surrounding buildings’ roofs and collect the water locally. Any water that cannot be handled locally is connected to cloudburst boulevards leading storm water to the harbour.

  Profile
• Jakarta - Socially Inclusive Climate Adaptation for Urban Revitalisation Project

  To address climate risks and vulnerability, one of the Jakarta’s dedicated programmes is integrating flood control to low income housing. Since almost 400,000 people live in temporary housing near the riverbanks and reservoirs are overcrowded, flooding and its related health and environmental issues are a major issue. Until 2014, 14,201 units low-cost housing units have been built, and the city plans to accomplish the construction of 52,656 units by 2017.  At the same time, improvement and revitalisation of water bodies to increase flood resistance is also implemented as a priority.

  The project primarily aims to make Jakarta more environmentally-friendly by reducing vulnerability, annual flooding and enhance the city's resilience against climate change, by improving the condition of land water bodies, reducing sedimentation and water pollution level in the rivers, and generally reducing the impact of yearly social and economic losses for residents on the coast, particularly poorer people in temporary housing, who are unable to conduct their day-to-day activities, and suffer from disease outbreaks

  Profile
• Paris - The Paris Greening Programme

  The Paris Greening Programme is a key part of Paris’s Climate and Energy action plan, its first city-wide adaptation plan. The programme covers all vegetation in the city, which accounts for nearly a quarter of land area in Paris, and aims to improve quality of life, develop biodiversity corridors and improve the aesthetics of Paris through repeated and interconnected measures. From 2001 to 2014, more than 60 hectares of new public gardens have been opened. A key goal is to reduce the urban heat island effect in Paris and its suburbs. 

  Profile

Adaptation Planning & Assessment

• Melbourne - Melbourne’s Integrated Climate Adaptation Model

  In 2007, Melbourne was the first Australian city to develop a Climate Change Adaptation Strategy: implementation has focused on the delivery of a $50m Urban Landscapes Adaptation Program from 2010 to 2015 to cool the city by 4°C and reduce drought risk.

  As the implementation of the strategy focused only on heat and drought, the City decided to develop the Integrated Climate Adaptation Model (ICAM) in 2014. ICAM is an interactive decision support tool capable of running multiple climate scenarios, identifying vulnerability and assessing intervention options. The purpose of ICAM is to sophisticate Melbourne’s approach to adaptation and generate a better understanding of climate vulnerability. This will allow for better-informed investment decisions and action for adaptation for all relevant climate risks, including sea level rise, flooding, extreme heat and drought. 

  Profile
• New Orleans - Re-envisioning the Urban Delta, a Visionary Approach for Urban-Coastal Adaptation

  New Orleans is building upon its award-winning 2013 Greater New Orleans Urban Water Plan to re-frame the city's approach to water infrastructure. In doing so, it has recognized and embraced its position as a coastal city, and is building a visionary and replicable strategy for implementing the State's Multiple Lines of Defense Strategy for urbanized areas with coastal edges. 

  Profile
• Rotterdam - Rotterdam Adaptation Strategy

  In October 2013, the city formally approved the Rotterdam Adaptation Strategy (RAS) after extensive research and the launch of several no-regrets measures. The process included vulnerability assessments, a societal cost benefit analysis of 40 adaptation measures and intensive stakeholder participation. 

  The RAS aims to secure and maintain a robust city by incorporating adaptation measures in urban development, renewal and maintenance activities. The city is now carrying out the mainstreaming process; municipal plans and policies most suitable for incorporating adaptation were identified for their cost-effectiveness. Public-private and private projects were also identified. The overall goal is to have adaptation measures incorporated in all projects, when needed and feasible. In parallel, a monitor is developed that tracks progress made in becoming climate resilient.

  Profile

Building Energy Efficiency

• New York - One City: Built to Last, and the Buildings Technical Working Group

  One City: Built to Last (One City) is a 10-year plan to improve the energy efficiency of NYC’s one million buildings through a combination of public investments in City-owned buildings and new programs to spur private-sector action.

  The plan includes eight initiatives for public buildings, backed by more than $1 billion in annual funding, which will improve City operations and maintenance and retrofit every City-owned building with any significant energy use by 2025.  To spur private sector action, the plan includes sixteen initiatives aimed at creating a thriving market for energy efficiency and renewable energy, developing world class green building and energy codes, and supporting a global hub for clean energy technology and innovation. 

  Profile
• Seoul - Building Retrofit Project

  Buildings are responsible for 56% of Seoul’s total energy consumption; the Building Retrofit Project was introduced to curb GHG emissions and reduce energy demand in this important sector. To reduce the cost to citizens, the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) offers 8-year loans that cover the expense for the BRP at an ultra-low interest rate of 1.75%. Outreach and increasing the coverage from 80% of the cost to 100% saw an increase in loan applications from $4.4 million in 2012 to $20.7 million in 2014. The SMG also trains ‘energy consultants’ and energy planners to visit small and medium-sized commercial buildings and houses to provide them with a consultation service for free.

  Profile
• Sydney - Residential Apartments Sustainability Plan

  The Residential Apartments Sustainability Plan is the City of Sydney’s ambitious sector plan of 30 key actions aimed to catalyse transformation in resource efficiency across new and existing apartment buildings. The plan targets 40% reduction in sector emissions by 2030. The RASP is Sydney's first Sector Plan setting out actions to: Foster Innovation in sustainable design and construction of new developments; ‘Raise the Bar’ by advocating for increased minimum environmental performance targets in new buildings; ‘Build Capacity’ of owners and building managers to identify, approve and implement projects; ‘Activate upgrades’ through financial incentives and a ‘High Rise Leaders’ retrofit program to overcome the challenges to implementation; and ‘Empower Communities’ to engage in sustainable choices and positive resident behaviour change.

  Profile

Carbon Measurement & Planning

• Portland - 2015 Climate Action Plan

  The 2015 Climate Action Plan (CAP) is Portland’s fourth-generation climate plan, building on two decades of systematic climate action since the city’s first plan in 1993. Since then, carbon emissions have fallen 35% per person and 14% in absolute terms, even whilst the city added 160,000 residents and more than 75,000 jobs. 

   

   

  Profile
• Seoul - Promise of Seoul

  ‘The Promise of Seoul: Taking Actions against Climate Change’ is an action plan to curb toxic GHGs and respond to climate change. The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) announced the Promise of Seoul at the ICLEI World Congress held in April 2015. The SMG set ten fields of action plans based on citizens’ opinions collected from the Citizen Committee for Green Seoul, the city’s most representative body of eco-governance, and the Citizen Commission of One Less Nuclear Power Plant. 830,000 Seoul citizens took part in Seoul’s commitment to reduce one ton of carbon dioxide per person. Together with these active participants, the SMG aims to curtail GHG emissions by 25 per cent, or 1 million tons, by 2020 and 40 per cent, or 2 million tons, by 2030, from 2005 levels.

  Profile
• Vancouver - Greenest City Action Plan (GCAP)

  Vancouver's Greenest City Action Plan (GCAP) sets out a bold vision to become the greenest city in the world by 2020. GCAP comprises 10 goal areas covering jobs, carbon, the built environment, the natural environment and food, each with specific 2020 targets that address three overarching focus areas: zero carbon, zero waste and healthy ecosystems. The approximately 160 actions completed or underway ensure that the targets will be achieved and that the city is transparent and accountable on its progress.  

  Profile

Finance & Economic Development

• Johannesburg - Green Bond

  In 2008, the City conducted a detailed climate change vulnerability assessment in order to assess the impacts of climate change, which was instrumental in helping the City understand its climate risk to ensure it responds accordingly. The Green Bond was a step in the right direction in creating funding opportunities to assist the City in preparing and implementing integrated inclusive and long-term adaptation strategies designed to reduce vulnerability, thus cementing its commitment. Green initiatives that will receive funding through the Green Bond include the Biogas to Energy project, the Solar Geyser Initiative and dual-fuel buses, as well as other projects that are critical to reducing the City’s GHG emissions.

  Profile
• London - London Green Fund (LGF)

  The London Green Fund (LGF) is an investment fund set up to finance infrastructure schemes to help reduce London’s CO2 emissions. It is the first low carbon infrastructure fund in the UK, backed with EU funding. The inability to secure funding is a key barrier to establishing low carbon infrastructure, particularly those of small or mid size. The Mayor of London has allocated $172 million of public and EU funds to attract and unlock private capital to boost the scale and pace of delivery of low carbon schemes. The LGF consists of three sub-funds providing:

  - Equity finance for waste infrastructure

  - Loans for energy efficiency measures for public and commercial buildings and district energy systems

  - Loans for energy efficiency measures for social housing

  To date, $165 million has been invested in schemes valuing $1.1 billion, a seven-fold leverage.

  Profile
• Toronto - Toronto Atmospheric Fund

  In 1991, Toronto City Council had the foresight to become the first city in the world to establish a municipal climate agency funded by a dedicated endowment. Inspired by an international climate conference held in Toronto in 1988, the Toronto Atmospheric Fund (TAF) embodies the idea that cities have a critical role in addressing the global climate crisis. TAF has an impressive 25 year track record, fostering multiple innovative urban climate solutions and supporting a city-wide 25% GHG reduction in Toronto, compared to 1990 levels. A recognized leader in impact investing - with over 80% of its endowment now invested for climate impact - TAF has a special focus on using innovation to help direct flows of public and private capital towards urban climate actions.

  Profile

Green Energy

• Amman - EV Solar Charging Pilot

  The pilot aims to promote a transition towards zero emission Electric Vehicles (EVs), which are to be charged strictly from solar energy. The pilot will provide proof of concept and identify technical, legal, and institutional hurdles to larger scale deployment; as of 2015, it includes 10 charging stations and close to 150 EVs. Whilst the private sector provides the technology and equipment at no charge, Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) provides the sites for the PV panels as well as overall facilitation (including space on GAM buildings and the transport terminal for the EVs). Current partners include the national government, private companies (AllCell, Hyseo, BMW, Nissan, Renault, Total), USAID, and the French Embassy. 

  Profile
• Vancouver - Vancouver Neighbourhood Energy Strategy

  A Neighbourhood Energy System (NES) (also known as a ‘district energy system’) is a shared infrastructure platform that provides heating and/or cooling services for multiple buildings. With a target to achieve 120,000 tonnes of annual CO₂e reduction by 2020, the Vancouver Neighbourhood Energy Strategy focuses on high density areas of the City. Key actions include: (1) the conversion of existing Downtown and hospital campus steam heat networks from fossil fuels to wood chips; and (2) establishment of new NESs to serve new developments and to replace fossil fuel boilers in existing buildings. 

  While the City owns one existing NES (Southeast False Creek), it is taking a proactive role to leverage private sector expertise and financing capacity for other initiatives. The Vancouver Neighbourhood Energy Strategy has established enabling tools to facilitate private sector investment in low carbon infrastructure

  Profile
• Washington DC - District of Columbia Government Wind Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)

  In 2015, the District of Columbia government entered into a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Iberdrola Renewables that will supply approximately 30% of the District government’s electricity from a 46 megawatt wind farm. This is the largest wind power purchasing agreement of its kind ever entered into by a U.S. city, and secures a favorable rate that is projected to save District taxpayers $45 million over the next 20 years through lower electricity rates.

  The District’s groundbreaking PPA was developed and executed following a balanced risk management strategy and a highly structured energy procurement policy. This work is guided by the DC Department of Energy and Environment's Sustainable DC Plan, which establishes policy for the city to source 50% of its energy from renewable sources -- and cut its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in half -- by 2032. The DC Department of General Services (DGS) is advancing the District government’s operations toward these goals through the wind PPA, planned expansions of onsite solar electricity generation, including a 12.5 megawatt solar project, and leading edge energy efficiency programs.

  Profile

Smart Cities & Smart Community Engagement

• Boston - Greenovate Boston

  In 2010, in the process of updating its climate action plan, the City of Boston recognised that it had a proliferation of different programmes in energy, transportation, air pollution, food, and solid waste, each with its own brand and logo and all contributing to the City's overall climate and sustainability goals. The City worked to create an umbrella brand that would unify the others and establish a broad platform for communication, community engagement, and recognition of achievement, i.e. Greenovate Boston (GB).

  GB links programs in different departments given their often inter-related nature. It simplifies community outreach, because departments can use a common platform for communicating with constituents. GB helps constituents see the relatedness of various programmes, so that residents who may be particularly interested in City Hall’s programmes may become aware of, and participate in, other programmes that are also part of GB.

  Profile
• Melbourne - Smart Blocks

  From 2012-13 the City of Melbourne, in partnership with City of Sydney, key industry bodies and sector NGOs, led the successful co-design, development and implementation of a national program to engage and support apartment buildings and their communities to become more sustainable. What emerged from this process was Smart Blocks. The program enables the retrofit of apartment buildings to increase energy efficiency and renewable energy generation. It’s underpinned by a comprehensive web tool that equips stakeholders within a building with tools to work collaboratively, learn about apartment living and sustainability, and manage projects from initiation to completion. The web tool is supported nation-wide through specially designed workshops and events hosted by local government and industry partners across Australia.

  Profile
• New York - GreeNYC

  GreeNYC’s is a sophisticated marketing-driven and data-driven behaviour change programme. GreeNYC was conceived with the intention to shift away from using the shaming, guilt, and fear-inducing approaches that have been commonly and unsuccessfully used to drive environmental behaviour change. GreeNYC has conducted extensive research specific to New York to demonstrate the potential environmental impacts of key public education campaigns and how to message and plan campaigns to achieve them. GreeNYC’s 2014 ‘Stop Junk Mail’ campaign and 2015 ‘B.Y.O.’ campaigns are examples of recent campaigns targeting a high impact area (solid waste) using tailored marketing techniques for messaging and media planning. To increase the accessibility of the programme, the mascot ‘Birdie’ was created, and designed to be not an authority on all things environmental, but instead a New Yorker, engaging in the behaviours he is encouraging.

  Profile

Solid Waste

• Durban - Buffelsdraai Landfill Footprint and Buffer Management

  The Buffelsdraai landfill is managed as a closed loop system; anything that comes onto the site should not leave in any form. The waste is compacted and covered every day to minimise the chances of odour release or fly and vermin breeding. Landfill gas is extracted and currently used for flaring, thus reducing methane's GHG potential. In the near future, the city plans to use the gas as fuel for vehicles or to generate electricity. 

  The landfill buffer zone has now become a conservation area. A coastal forest re-establishment project has been established: the local community are given seeds and cuttings and grow these to then exchange them for vouchers for items such as bicycles, food, paying school fees or any other services. To date, 723,000 trees have been planted, and 200 hectares have been rehabilitated to coastal forests.

  Profile
• Milan - Waste Management in Milan – Food Waste Collection

  In 2011, Milan had an overall recycling rate of 35%, composed of mainly dry recyclables like paper, glass, plastics and metal collected curbside. Food waste was only collected from commercial sources. In order to improve waste management, the Administration decided to introduce the source separation of residential food waste. After extensive planning, collection started in November 2012 in the southwest area of the city and was progressively extended to the whole city in June 2014.

  Citizens collect their food waste at home in compostable bags. When the bags are full, they are placed in 120 liters bins left curbside twice a week. The food waste is delivered to two transfer stations, where it is taken to an anaerobic digestion and composting facility. In January 2015, the overall recycling rate was 53.5%. 

  Profile
• Wuhan - Ecological Restoration Project of Jinkou Landfill

  In January 2009, the city of Wuhan proposed plans of comprehensive control, ecological restoration and comprehensive utilisation for the closed landfill of Jinkou. In 2012, Wuhan decided to restore Jinkou landfill in an ecological way, and to redevelop the area as the main meeting place for the 10^th session of China’s International Garden Expo in Wuhan in 2015. 

  At the beginning of 2014, the landfill was ecologically restored, by introducing different plant varieties, promoting the continuity of the fundamental ecological system, improving the foundation soil quality, purifying the remaining soil and restoring green land. Two sections were heavily polluted and another two sections were moderately polluted, which would have taken 30 years for natural degradation to occur.

  Profile
• Yokohama - Yokohama 3R Dream Plan

  The Yokohama 3R Dream Plan aims to reduce waste and its impact on the environment through the “3Rs” (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), and to ensure the environment’s health for the enjoyment of future generations. The 3R Dream Plan builds upon collaboration with citizens and businesses to not only separate and recycle waste, but also to undertake efforts to reduce waste directly. Specifically, Phase 2 of the Plan includes 3 goals:

  - Cutting total waste and resources by at least 5% by 2017 based on 2009 levels

  - Cutting GHG emission from waste disposal by at least 25% of 2009 levels by 2017

  - Seeking safe, secure and stable operations from collection to transport to treatment

  These targets are to be achieved by sharing information among stakeholders on current waste disposal issues, promoting lifestyle changes to cut waste, offering detailed advice to respond to the diversifying needs of a changing society, and achieving safe and stable waste management by extending the lifespan of incinerators and landfill sites. 

  Profile

Sustainable Communities

• Johannesburg - Corridors of Freedom

  The City of Johannesburg is embarking on new spatial programmes in line with Johannesburg 2040, the Growth Development Strategy, based on transport-oriented development.

  Johannesburg's history has created a disconnected and segregated city, manifest spatially, socially and economically. The Corridors of Freedom attempts to transform Johannesburg, by rebuilding an inclusive and efficient livable city along a public transport backbone of rail and BRT. The future built environment envisaged along the Corridors of Freedom will be a mixed land-use type, dominated by high-density accommodation options, supported by vibrant economic activities, social facilities, retail development and opportunities for leisure and recreation. The intention is that residents will live closer to their workplace and be able to work, live and play without using private motorised transport. 

  Profile
• Stockholm - Stockholm Royal Seaport

  Stockholm has very high ambitions for sustainable development. Policies such as ‘The Walkable City’ and ‘Fossil fuel free 2040’, are world-leading. To further develop the city’s ambitions, the Stockholm Royal Seaport (SRS) has been pinpointed to test how to incorporate available best practices and become a model for sustainable urban development. 

  SRS is a major urban development project which, when finished in 2030, will have a total of 12,000 homes and 35,000 workspaces. It will feature the characteristics and density of an inner-city neighbourhood, with a broad mix of homes, amenities and businesses, as well as strategic infrastructure and international port traffic. The development builds upon a comprehensive community participation process and extensive cooperation between the city and industry. 

  Profile
• Wuhan - Construction of Gutian Ecological New Town in Hanjiangwan

  In 2013, Gutian Old Industry in Hanjiangwan was listed as a potential old industry reconstruction by the State Council. In 2014, the Government proposed to ‘accelerate reconstruction and development of Gutian, and construct a new ecological town in Hanjiangwan’. 99 chemical enterprises were relocated in April 2014.

  The goal underlying Gutian Ecological New Town is to develop green infrastructure, including buildings and roads, 29.8 km of which are already built. When the project is completed, the green land area per capita will be 12.5 square meters, and Gutian will qualify as an ecological garden city. 

  Profile

Transportation

• Buenos Aires - Metrobus

  In just 4 years, Buenos Aires has developed a new transporte networkwith an extension of 50.5 km. The first BRT was implemented in 2011 with an extension of 12 km. Since then, the city has launched 4 new corridors: Metrobus 9 de Julio, Metrobus Sur, Metrobus Norte and Metrobus AU 25 de Mayo. The last two were inaugurated this year.

  Metrobus is a bus rapid transit (BRT) system including exclusive lanes and special stations, built at an elevated level to facilitate and accelerate the ascent and descent of passengers. Travel time becomes predictable and is reduced up to a 50%. The system has also a positive impact on the environment, cutting GHG through a lower consumption of fuel. The project also transforms public spaces by renovating sidewalks, redeveloping the urban environment and installing street lighting to ensure greater public safety. Metrobus also achieves better road safety for buses and cars (thanks to separated circulation flows that ameliorate traffic regulation) and for pedestrians (since it includes safer intersections and new pedestrian platforms).

  Profile
• London & Bogotá - Global Clean Bus Declaration and Summit

  Although cities are increasingly buying ultra low emission buses, by 2014 there had been no corresponding reduction in price as sales increased. Discussions with manufacturers made clear that this was because of a perceived lack of commitment to new technologies by a large enough number of cities. To address this, London and Bogotá, through C40, secured the signatures of 24 cities to a clean bus declaration committing them to purchasing more than 40,000 ultra low emission buses by 2020. By demonstrating the size of the potential market, it was possible to secure support from bus manufacturers, international finance organisations and other key stakeholders.

  London has committed £330m so that by 2020, all 300 single-deck buses in central London will be zero emission capable and all 3,000 double-deck buses will be hybrid. In Bogotá the aim for 2020 is that 1,200 buses will be replaced with hybrid or electric technologies.

  Since the summit a 10% reduction in average price for a hybrid bus has already been secured.  If the 24 signatory cities converted their entire bus fleets to ultra low emission technologies, there would be GHG savings of 2.78 million tons per year.

  Profile
• Nanjing - Nanjing New Energy Vehicle Promotion

  In January 2014, the central government launched a plan to have Nanjing, Changzhou, Suzhou and three other cities as a city agglomeration in the Jiangsu province for the second wave of New Energy Vehicle (NEV) promotion pilot cities.

  The Nanjing Municipal government set up the structure to define detailed rules for subsidies and electricity prices for EV charging and to promote the installation of charging facilities.

  As of now, 4,332 units of NEVs have been deployed in Nanjing, including 1,208 transit buses, 940 taxis, 1,311 inner-city commuting cars, 17 utility company cars, 647 private new energy cars, and 208 New Energy special cars. There are 3 battery-swapping stations and 14 battery-charging stations (equipped with 791 charging facilities): among the latter, there are 150 charging facilities in Shazhou, currently the largest separate charging station in the world.

  The NEV promotion includes government-issued incentive policies for new energy cars in terms of electricity price subsidy, NEV purchase price subsidy and charging station construction incentive policy.

   

  Profile
• Singapore - Making Public Transport the Choice Mode of Travel, and facilitating active mobility

  The Land Transport Master Plan (LTMP) 2013 aims to achieve the goal of ‘making public transport the choice mode of travel, and facilitating active mobility’ through:

  • Improved connectivity: Singapore plans to double its rail network to around 360km by 2030, placing 80% of households within a 10-minute walk of a train station, up from 60% today. The bus fleet available for public bus services will be expanded by more than one-third, to 5,400 buses by 2017. Singapore will build another six integrated transport hubs (ITHs) by 2023, in addition to the current seven, to allow more comfortable and convenient transfers between bus and rail, and quadruple the network of sheltered walkways to 200km by 2018, to connect residences, workplaces and amenities with train stations and bus stops.
  • More inclusive transport system: Singapore also aims to build a more inclusive transport system for the elderly and disabled by providing barrier-free access to transport hubs and nodes.
  • More support for active mobility: By 2030, every housing estate will have a comprehensive cycling path network and accompanying infrastructure, connecting residents from their doorsteps to transport nodes and key amenities.
  Profile