SPECIAL FOCUS International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP) Low carbon cities A message from ISOCARP about its 45th World Congress to be held in , Portugal between 18 -22 October 2009 ment

Old Porto riverside Ph o t o © Universit y o f Po r t o – Fa c u l t y o f En g i n e e r i n g

Sponsored state Message from the Presidents 2009 will be an extremely important year in terms of the political decisions that are needed to combat climate change. The world’s governments will be meeting in Copenhagen this December to discuss and, we sincerely hope, agree upon a successor to the Kyoto Protocol, which in 1997 started the faltering attempts to curb emissions of greenhouse gases. The summit, COP 15, will be the most important global climate change meet- ing ever because there is so much at stake for the future of our planet, its human populations and all the other life forms that live on it. Pierre Laconte Paulo Pinho President of ISOCARP President of the Local Organising The science is now clear about the link between Committee man’s activities, the build up of greenhouse gases and the warming of the climate system. With their increasingly sophisticated model- ling systems, climatologists are now able to ferent parts of the world, for example, the devas- quacy of food and water supplies, as well as other predict, with a reasonable degree of confi- tating drought in south eastern . key resources. At the same time, the deforestation dence, the likely future effects of this warm- We have reached this present position in just 10 that reduces the earth’s capacity to absorb carbon ing within the different regions of the world. human generations. The sober scientific evidence dioxide continues on a massive scale. The present However, the effects are already becoming suggests that we have a maximum of 10 years to trends are in the wrong direction. clear, as is evident from the massive shrinkage stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations at a level There is thus a huge weight of responsibil- of polar sea ice, the rapid retreat of the world’s that would avoid potentially catastrophic climate ity on the leaders who will be attending COP glaciers, and the rising mean sea levels which change. We face this threat at a time of continu- 15. To achieve the drastic cuts in greenhouse threaten many of our largest cities. They are ing population growth that is coupled, on the one gas emissions that are needed, we will have to manifest too in the extreme weather patterns hand, with rising material expectations but, on act on a range of fronts combining technologi- and events that are being experienced in dif- the other, with growing concerns about the ade- cal solutions with the pursuit of new and less

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resource intensive paths for human develop- example the Mediterranean Basin, the western ment. We must move rapidly towards a low USA, southern Africa and north eastern Brazil – carbon economy in which those emissions will suffer a further decrease in water resources are a fraction of what they are now. due to climate change. By contrast, areas in high latitudes that are already wet will receive even An emphasis upon the cities more rainfall. Worldwide, sea level rise threatens Over half of the world’s population now lives the integrity of many coastal cities while extreme within cities. Because they concentrate peo- weather events will increase in their intensity. On ple and activities, they place a particular bur- the other hand, some regions might benefit in the den upon the world’s resources. Their future medium term, in terms of crop yields, for exam- is crucial in the search for sustainability and, ple, before negative effects become more general. if we are to put the world on a lower carbon The Congress seeks to address the realities path, action based upon the cities will form a for cities and urban regions in different parts major part of the solution. of the world. What is the right way forward for Integrated public transport in Zurich, Switzerland Spatial planning and effective city man- specific cities? Should they adapt to observed Ph o t o © Ch r i s Go s s o p , ISOCARP agement will be crucial in bringing this and anticipated climate change, or should the about. ISOCARP’s 45th World Congress to be emphasis be on mitigation, to tackle the causes held in Porto, Portugal this October explores the of climate change, as part of the collective effort that provide clear routes to low carbon cities? role of planning and of all those involved in the to reduce the build up of greenhouse gases? The There is then the question of how necessary planning and development process, in the drive view of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate growth should be channelled. Is land recycling to achieve less resource intensive, low carbon Change (IPCC) is that, globally, a mix of strate- automatically the best option in terms of carbon cities. As this special supplement describes, the gies that includes both mitigation and adapta- emissions or can planned urban extensions or Congress provides a major opportunity to dis- tion is required, but which ingredient should be new settlements perform as well, given the right seminate and share experience about strategies prioritized in any specific city, or are both equally designs? What does practical experience tell us? and practical approaches to the planning and important? And where the needed emphasis is on restructur- Sponsored state design of low carbon cities. This will be achieved There is also the challenge of how we can best ing or upgrading of older places, how can we best through a combination of keynote presentations, foster and plan for new technologies aimed at achieve this in ways that also lead to improved en- technical seminars, workshops, technical tours saving energy or reducing resource depletion. In ergy efficiency and reduced carbon emissions? and other events, providing much scope for de- particular, there are immense opportunities for ment bate and the reaching of conclusions regarding the development of renewable energy industries, Theme 3: Integrating transport, best practice. amongst which wind power is the most mature. community energy, and waste/ As a final note, we are delighted that Renewables, energy efficiency and green indus- recycling strategies UN-HABITAT has agreed to play a major role tries generally have the potential to create many Land use planning cannot on its own guar- in our Congress. millions of jobs worldwide and to transform city antee low carbon cities and high environ- We look forward to welcoming you to Porto economies. Will green industry be the sign of a mental quality; a spatial planning approach this autumn! successful city in the 2020s? is vital, whereby land use considerations can be integrated with infrastructural planning. Theme 2: The role of strategic land use Thus, efficient public transport systems, and Five critical themes planning measures to manage or restrain the unbri- Porto 09 builds upon the results of ISOCARP’s The link to planning for low carbon cities is dled use of the private car, can play a major Congress on urban sprawl held last year in Dal- through the concept of sustainable develop- role in limiting carbon emissions. Local en- ian, . In sustainability terms, the unre- ment. However, while we can readily recog- ergy planning, providing for energy efficient strained, land consuming patterns of much nize urban sprawl as the antithesis of sustain- building layouts and designs, efficient local urban growth – the manifestations of sprawl able development, it can be more difficult to electricity and heat generating plant, and the – are the opposite of what we need to achieve. define city structures that work well in those widespread use of renewable technology, has Encouragingly, speakers at that Congress were terms. So a key question for the Congress is also a substantial part to play. And effective able to point to numerous examples of schemes how at the strategic scale we should shape waste planning, through waste minimization, where planning has been able to shape cities our cities and urban regions as sustainable, recycling, and composting, as well as energy that are more respectful of the environment low carbon places and how we should formu- recovery in appropriate cases, makes better in its widest sense. Through its five discussion late and implement our plans to that end. use of resources, and limits landfill disposal th themes and its plenary sessions, the 45 Con- In any one place, there may be a number of op- and emissions. gress continues the debate. It asks how in prac- tions. From a European perspective, the conven- The Congress will look at planning ap- tical terms should low carbon cities be planned, tional planning wisdom is that a reasonably high proaches for these sectors. Thus, on trans- designed and delivered? density, a mix between housing and employment port, it will address demand management to uses, and a degree of self containment are among reduce the need to use the car, for example Theme 1: Tackling the effects of the pre-requisites for low carbon areas. But how through pricing and car parking policies, climate change on our cities and universally valid is such a vision? Also, given that while Porto’s award winning metro system urban regions – today and tomorrow sustainability has economic and social, as well as indicates what can be done to foster the use According to the climatologists, there is a high environmental dimensions, how should we set the of public transport. On energy, Porto 09 will level of confidence that already dry areas – for priorities, or are there genuine ‘win win’ strategies explore the concept of community energy

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the developers who will carry out the work, and pects, stimulates research, and improves to the communities that will be directly affected. awareness on major planning issues. Its main Spatially, there will be two elements to this, the event is its World Congress held annually in new developments that will be planned and a different city each year. Other activities in- designed following low carbon principles and clude its Urban Planning Advisory Team and the remodelling of older areas. There is also the Young Planning Professionals programmes. question of skills, in what for many will be an en- The Porto Congress will include presenta- tirely new area of work. tions on both of these (see below). So who should take the lead in this process, The Society’s publications include the central or local government or other agencies? ISOCARP Review which is produced annually How should the low carbon city be financed and in conjunction with the Congress. This attrac- Solar housing in Freiburg, Germany who should be the financiers? What monitoring tive book features many of the most notable Ph o t o © Ch r i s Go s s o p , ISOCARP schemes are needed to measure environmental case studies presented at that event. Other performance over the longer term? The switch publications include the International Man- strategies, as well as action to combat the from present practices to low carbon cities is go- ual of Planning Practice (IMPP), a unique growing incidence of heat islands in dense ing to require considerable management skill, compendium of, and commentary upon, the cities where the priority is to keep the city and a great willingness to innovate. We believe world’s planning systems. The Society also cool. Porto’s own sustainable energy action that participants in our Congress will gain many runs a number of awards; these include its plan will provide an important case study. useful ideas. Awards of Excellence which are conferred annually in recognition of exceptional urban Theme 4: Design for low carbon cities initiatives. Planning, by itself, has often been too ‘broad ISOCARP – knowledge brushed’ to cope with the necessary detail for creation and sharing Advisory teams a quality living and working environment. ISOCARP is a global association of experienced The Urban Planning Advisory Team (UPAT) That is the domain of urban design. Good professional planners. It was founded in 1965 to Programme seeks to assist individual cities design is the key to creating successful places bring together recognized and highly qualified and regions in the pursuit of specific plan- ment that are sustainable in the broadest sense. planners. Today, the ISOCARP network con- ning projects and programmes. There is a growing recognition of what con- sists of both institutional and individual mem- A UPAT gathers a select group of expert stitutes good design and there are numerous bers drawn from more than 70 countries. It is a international planners, members of ISO- examples from around the world of success- non-governmental organization recognized by CARP, in a multi-skilled, fast response team Sponsored state ful places that both function well and are at- the (UNCHS) and the Council that works on a specific urban or regional tractive in architectural and landscape terms. of Europe and it has formal consultative status planning issue. Within one week, the UPAT But the new dimension is the need for those with UNESCO. generates a report that provides the commis- places to be low carbon as well. The objectives of ISOCARP include the im- sioning local authority or other body with The Porto Congress will address the ingre- provement of planning practice worldwide. recommendations that may serve as a basis, dients of low carbon design. As a key ques- ISOCARP encourages exchange between or as guidelines, for design strategies for the tion, what are the characteristics of an energy planners, promotes the profession in all as- target city or area. A group of students and/ efficient, resource conscious, building layout and how can these best be secured within both new developments, and within existing ones, often the more difficult challenge? And, underlying this, what standards of energy ef- ficiency should we be aiming for? Good, low carbon design also implies plac- es that are well connected but where there is a reduced dependence upon the car. Also, open space and landscaping are vital as a balance to intensive built development; they are crucial to human health and well being, to biodiversity and to moderating the urban climate. There is another dimension too, in terms of local food production; this can have both economic and social benefits as well as reducing ‘food miles’.

Theme 5: The management and delivery of low carbon cities The move towards low carbon cities will place immense burdens upon those responsible, from the public authorities and related agencies, to Ph o t o © ISOCARP-Si t g e s II

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or young planning professionals from the lo- cality complements the team. The UPATs hosted so far are: l 2004 La Rioja, Spain Regional, social and economic development l 2005 Sitges, Spain (I) Urban regenera- tion along the railway corridor l 2006 Cancun, Mexico Disaster man- agement l 2006 Schiphol, The Netherlands Mas- terplan for neighbouring authorities l 2006 Sitges, Spain (II) Historic centre YPP Workshop in Dalian, China The Porto metro pedestrianization Ph o t o © Ji a n g Li n g , c h i n a Ph o t o © Universit y o f Po r t o – Fa c u l t y o f En g i n e e r i n g l 2007 Rijswijk, The Netherlands New functions for an urban hub The Douro YPP Workshop will take place just l Urban regeneration l 2007 Schwechat, Austria Airport area before the Porto Congress. As befits the theme l Environmental improvement of Porto’s masterplan of the Congress, it will focus upon the benefits waterfront l 2007 Sitges, Spain (III) El Garraf re- of using sustainable energy in the built up areas l Contemporary architecture and cultural gional plan of the Douro Region, the world’s oldest demar- events l 2008 Cuenca, Spain Upgrading of the cated wine region, now listed as a World Herit- nUPAT and YPP presentations historic centre age Site by UNESCO. nPorto planning presentation l 2008 Lincoln City, USA City masterplan The YPPs will then present their main find- For more information about the Congress l 2008 Guadalajara, Mexico Appraisal of ings to a special plenary session of the Porto and about ISOCARP’s many other activities, the 2001 Panamerican Games Masterplan

Congress. Just after the main Congress, there visit www.isocarp.org u Sponsored state l 2008 Zurich, Switzerland Regional plan will be a second presentation and public dis- l 2009 Szczecin, Poland Metropolitan re- cussion back in the Douro Region. This will gion development involve Portuguese experts, technicians and politicians. There will be a presentation of the results of ment Young Planning Professionals from all over How to register the most recent UPATs at the Porto Congress. the world are invited to take part in future YPP ISOCARP would welcome further invitations Workshops which are planned in conjunction for UPATs from individual cities and regions. with the annual ISOCARP Congresses. For fur- Young planners ther information please visit: www.isocarp.org ISOCARP welcomes city and regional The Young Planning Professionals (YPP) Pro- planners from all over the world. The gramme is a crucial component of ISOCARP’s Congress is open to any interested indi- dedication to promote and enhance the planning More about the Congress vidual, party or organization, young plan- profession. The objective is to provide emerging The Congress will be held at the University of ning professional, expert and interested professionals with an opportunity to work in a Porto, which is well served by the city’s metro professional from other related disci- multi-cultural setting and share their experi- system. The programme is a very rich one plines (ISOCARP members and/or non- ences. Since 1991, ISOCARP has been organizing which includes the following: members). YPP Workshops, bringing together young plan- nPlenary speeches by: Carbon offsetting ners from all parts of the world. The workshops l Professor Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, Vice We have calculated the anticipated emis- are brief, but very intense, brainstorming plan- Chair of IPCC sions from this event and are offsetting ning and design exercises in which our young l Richard Rosan, President of the Urban- these through Climate Care. The cost of colleagues work on real-life planning problems Land Institute the offset is included in the registration in the host city in an area defined by the local au- l Professor Eduardo de Oliveira Fernandes, fee. Climate Care will fund projects in thority or university departments. President of Porto’s Energy Agency energy efficiency and sustainable energy Over a concentrated period of three to four l Professor Jacqueline McGlade, Executive around the world to reduce global carbon days, the YPPs work in closely-knit interna- Director of the European Environment emissions on our behalf. tional teams, exchanging ideas and learning Agency Registrations are handled online at from each other. The workshops, thus, pro- l Paul Taylor, Head of Urban Development, www.2009.isocarp.org, via the link to vide a synergetic platform where new ideas UN-HABITAT ‘Registrations’. and creative solutions to complex and multi- nTechnical seminars covering: Early bird registration is open until 31 faceted urban issues are produced. The tangi- l Energy, transport and the environment July 2009. ble results are then published in a Workshop l Low carbon cities – today and tomorrow Late registrations can be accepted until Report. The intangible ones, however, stay in nParallel workshops addressing the five arrival at Congress. the hearts and minds of the participant YPPs, critical themes ISOCARP accepts all major credit cards who not only learn from each other but make nTechnical tours, choices to include: and/or bank transfers. life-long friends. l The metro project

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