Featured items include:
Please contact Ms Stephanie McCarthy, Manager, Global Compact Cities Programme via email , to discuss any aspect further.
]]>The State of Australian Cities 2010 report progresses the cities agenda at the national level, setting the context and scope for further involvement by the Australian Government in urban policy and planning. The next stage will involve the development of a national cities strategy that outlines the Australian Government’s approach to achieving more productive, liveable and sustainable cities in the future.
A copy of the full report is available here: State of Australian Cities 2010 (.pdf)
]]>As of 1 June, the confirmed Signatory Cities are:
This business led forum will discuss the Global Compact, corporate citizenship and responsible investment in the Australian business context and the role of business and government leadership in driving responsible practice and sustainable development nationally, regionally and internationally.
Appointment of members of the Steering Committee of the GCNA and the Network Contact Point will also be voted and confirmed.
]]>“This conference provided an opportunity for companies, public authorities, and other interests to discuss collaboration with respect to making cities and towns more sustainable in economic, environmental, and social terms”, said Gavin Power, Deputy Director of the UN Global Compact. “With more than half of humanity living in urban centres, and this trend expected to grow, the ways in which cities – in partnership with others – manage urban planning will be critically important in the coming years and decades”.
Key observations and perspectives offered at the conference included:
Professor James presented the publication to the City of Melbourne on Monday 1st of March, 2010. The City of Melbourne has been supporter of the Cities Programme since its initiation at the Committee for Melbourne in 2002.
Professor Paul James, Director of the Cities Programme, said that at a time of concern around civic culture and sustainability we need practical tools for re-thinking problems confronting world cities.
“The central tool within the Cities Programme is being utilized by 13 cities who have taken on major projects which demonstrate leadership and innovation at an international scale.
“Current projects span all continents and show improvements to topical urban issues including the role of business in climate change, slum rehabilitation, water management and the prevention of unethical behaviour,” Professor James said.
The City of Melbourne is currently piloting research methodologies with Global Cities Institute at RMIT University, which are focussed toward the residents within the central business district and their awareness and understanding of the responsibilities and governance of climate change adaptation.
The international launch of the publication will be held in Rio de Janeiro on the 23rd of March at the UN Habitat World Urban Forum, which is the world’s premier conference on cities. Members of the International Secretariat from RMIT University were selected to provide a technical training session to the forum delegates.
]]>This is wonderful news and the training session titled, “How to Effectively Incorporate Sustainability into Urban Governance” will be available for government, business and civil leaders to attend.
The World Urban Forum is one of the most open and inclusive gatherings of its kind on the international stage. It brings together government leaders, ministers, mayors, diplomats, members of national, regional and international associations of local governments, non-governmental and community organizations, professionals, academics, grassroots women’s organizations, youth and slum dwellers groups as partners working for better cities.
For further details and to register your interest online, visit the WUF5 website.
]]>There is a countless number of iindividuals who are part of a Local Secretariat and continue to promote the 10 Principles of the Global Compact and the Cities Programme within their spheres of influence.
The International Secreatariat extends their appreciation to these people who so generously give their time to educate others about the benefits of engaging in the Cities Programme. We look forward to our continued work in 2010.
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How to articulate the knowledge production strategic communities in urban areas? How to stimulate collective innovation, the transactional behavior and use of cyberspace for the largest share of citizens?
]]>Connecting the Dots: How Climate Change Transforms Market Risks and Opportunities.
This report charts the intimate interaction of climate change with other key issues on the global agenda, and identifies the requirement this places on governments and international agencies to develop a new level of policy coherence. It warns business that both the success or failure of climate policy will transform the landscape of risk and opportunity for investment. The report further urges the faster and more imaginative development of partnerships between governments, international agencies, businesses and civil society organisations.
Champions of the Low-Carbon Economy: Why CEOs are Ready for a Global Climate Agreement.
Forty chairmen and CEOs of corporations from around the globe were interviewed for this report. These chief executives indicate that climate inaction is too costly to their businesses and the world. They support a strong global climate agreement and are ready to lead the resulting world economy.
Chief Executives Taking a Stand for Climate Action.
In support of Seal the Deal!, the UN’s global advocacy campaign for a fair, balanced and effective post-Kyoto climate agreement at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 15), the Global Compact Office is reaching out to participants to galvanize the global business voice for climate action. Chief executives were asked to share brief testimonials, expressing why they support an effective climate agreement. This publication presents a selection of these testimonials.
To download a copy of these publications, please visit the UN Global Compact website at http://www.unglobalcompact.org
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JUSCO initiatives within the Basti Water project include rain water harvesting projects, community owned infrastructure projects and community education initiatives. These activities have helped communities enormously by providing a continual water supply, improving the cropping / agricultural base from 3 months to 6-9 months and dramatically decreasing the number of waterborne diseases and related health issues.
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Professor Paul James, Director UNGCCP is currently on his way to England where he has been invited by the University of Salford, to give a keynote address at The Smart City Futures Conference.
The Cities Programme is continuing to gain momentum around the globe, as business, government and the community sector utilize the Cities Programme as a platform for inter-sectoral collaboration as an effective way of governing complex urban challenges. Cities are at different stages of engagement with Greater Amman Municipality, Jordan and City of Pune, India currently in negotiation with the City Mayor.
To assist in responding to external interest and inquiry, our updated website now provides a user friendly overview of the engagement process and illustrates the activities, outcomes and requirements of each phase.
There is now a comprehensive resource set available for member cities to utilize during the different phases of engagement, which are to be used in conjunction with facilitation from the International Secretariat.
In July, Ms Caroline Bayliss, Deputy Director, UNGCCP and Ms Stephanie McCarthy, Manager, UNGCCP travelled to Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, India, who has been a longstanding UNGCCP member city.
Jamshedpur is a fascinating city, with its effective governance strategy at the centre of its success. Jamshedpur’s origins are afforded by the large scale steel plant, which is owned and operated by Tata Steel. It is the world’s sixth largest steel plant and celebrated 100 years in 2007. Tata Steel has a rich history in investing in social infrastructure and providing for it people. Jamshedpur Utilities and Services Company Limited (JUSCO) is a full subsidiary of Tata Steel and is India’s first private sector comprehensive urban infrastructure services provider. JUSCO provides utilities (water, electricity, sanitation) to over 50,000 in the Bagan Areas and surrounding districts and rural areas near Jamshedpur.
The inaugural UN Habitat Business Forum was held in New Delhi from 7-9 July. The theme, ‘Innovative Cities’ showcased examples of how cities are responding to issues including affordability, slum rehabilitation, water and sanitation and other utility provision.
The Forum also provided opportunity for the launch of the ‘Global Campaign for Sustainable Urbanization,’ which is a five year initiative, which will advocate for urban management issues to be an integral part of policy setting and across government agendas.
The Forum was well attended with representation from China, India, Africa, Europe, USA and Australia.
More recently in Melbourne we met with representation from the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) to discuss the recently launched TOUR.pact.GC initiative. This is a collaborative initiative between the Office of the Global Compact and the UNWTO and seeks to provide a platform for cities to showcase their sustainable tourism initiatives.
Finally, thank you to those member cities who sent through their contributions to the UNGCCP Annual Review. We encourage member cities to continue to send news and related media articles about their projects. The Annual Review is currently being reviewed by the International Secretariat and will be made available on our website upon completion.
Please direct any inquiry about the UNGCCP to Ms Stephanie McCarthy, Manager UNGCCP at stephanie.mccarthy@rmit.edu.au
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Professor Paul James, Director, UNGC Cities Programme will visit the Local Secretariat (project team) in late April, 2009.
In March, 2008, Milwaukee representatives met with members of the International Secretariat to discuss how the government, private and civil sectors could work collaboratively to tackle the complexities of water management. Since then, the City of Milwaukee have demonstrated their commitment and established an entire governance framework to engage the government, private and civil sectors of the community.
The project will be led by the Milwaukee 7 Water Council and will adopt the goals set forth by the new University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Science, with a focus on maintaining and impoving water quality system dynamics, health and sustainabilty, freshwater and technology and policy and management.
The Water Council is aligning the regional freshwater research community and water-related industries to establish the Milwaukee Region as the global capital for freshwater research, economic development and education by:
- Establishing the Milwaukee Region as the global “water hub”
- Providing outreach to water companies looking to move into the area
- Advancing water-related industry, research and business opportunities.