sustainable emerging cities

SUSTAINABLE EMERGING CITIES

what is a sustainable emerging city?

In Latin America and the Caribbean nearly 75 percent of the population lives in cities. In addition to large metropolises, the region has about 140 cities with less than 2 million inhabitants, whose economies and populations are growing rapidly.

These “emerging cities� still have the opportunity to grow in a sustainable manner. However, in order to succeed, they need to find new ways to provide public services, ensure safety, protect the environment, make efficient use of natural resources, and adapt to the challenges of climate change. Moreover, they need to practice effective fiscal management in order to be able to finance this type of growth.

what is the sustainable emerging cities platform?

It is a platform through which the Inter-American Development Bank will support municipal governments that seek comprehensive solutions for sustainable growth.

The goal is to introduce the concept of sustainability in all dimensions of the day-to-day management of a city, and to translate the concept into a prioritized investment plan.

The Bank helps cities execute diagnostic studies and design an action plan, and then provides support for the implementation of the plan.

what areas will the sustainable emerging cities platform focus on?

The platform will focus on three dimensions of sustainability.

1.

Environment and climate change

The environment and climate change dimension will focus on managing and protecting the local environment.

This will include programs to reduce air and water pollution, solid waste management, energy efficiency, disaster prevention, and climate change adaptation measures.

2.

Integrated urban development

The urban development dimension will examine the city’s design and its capacity to manage growth through effective planning and the rational use of land. Integrated solutions will be proposed to achieve equitable distribution of public services, clean and efficient urban transport, increased economic competitiveness and improved public safety.

3.

Fiscal sustainability and governance

The fiscal sustainability dimension will seek to strengthen the local government’s ability to prioritize and fund investment, build and maintain social and urban services, control spending and make decisions in a transparent manner.

how does this relate to my city’s current development plans?

The platform aims to strengthen and expedite the city’s development vision by means of a rigorous process designed to assess current priorities based on technical, social, environmental and financial criteria.

Additionally, the platform will bring greater visibility to the city’s action plan among national government entities and international donors.

what does the platform offer to participating cities?

• A methodology, consulting resources and technical support designed to expedite the process of analysis, diagnosis, prioritization and design of projects in an integrated manner.

• The opportunity to position a city at the forefront of the international movement toward sustainable urbanism.

• Access to a network of mayors, experts and national and international funding sources.

• During an initial stage, the IDB will collaborate with a group of emerging cities in the region to develop and test instruments and processes that will later be offered to other cities.

Inter-American Development Bank 1300 New York Avenue N.W. Washington D.C. 20577

www.iadb.org/cities