International Forum on Sustainable Infrastructure: Integrating Climate Resilience and Natural Capital into Transport Infrastructure Planning and Design
Ha Noi, Viet Nam 17 to 18 May 2017
A forum for decision makers and experts to deliberate and draft guiding principles for planning, designing and financing climate-resilient and ecologically sound transport infrastructure.
The Key Issues
The pace of global infrastructure investment is accelerating dramatically. For transport infrastructure alone, 25 million kilometers of roads will be added by 2050 – with 90% in Africa, Asia and Latin America. In the Asia-Pacific region this translates to about $8.3 trillion dollars of transport infrastructure investments projected between 2016 and 2030.
This connective transport infrastructure, as well as other forms of ‘linear’ infrastructure such as energy networks and water supply systems – move people, goods, water and power and are essential for an efficient functioning economy.
But, how can we ensure that the quality and viability of this infrastructure is secure over the long term? Linear infrastructure plans and sustainability cannot be at cross purposes, as environmental degradation and climate impacts will lead to costly bottlenecks, delays and project cancellations – increasing risk and decreasing ‘bankability’ of investments.
In addition, most nations have agreed on targets for sustainability through their commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. These include the need for resilient, ‘low carbon’ and ecologically sensitive infrastructure that will not erode the welfare of current and future generations, or the productivity and stability of the planet’s natural systems.
The Five Forum Themes
These themes will support the preparation of “guiding principles” for integrating climate resilience and natural capital into transport planning, design and finance.
- Designing ecologically sensitive transport infrastructure: Capitalizing on opportunities and addressing constraints generated by biodiversity and ecosystem services.
- Integrating disaster risk reduction and climate change: Assessing risks and benefits, resilient and low-carbon approaches, and the use of natural infrastructure.
- Facilitating finance: De-risking and promoting climate-friendly, environmentally sustainable and ‘bankable’ projects to attract institutional investors.
- Improving options with better planning: Integrating natural capital and climate into spatial and strategic planning to increase opportunities for multiple benefits.
- Strengthening the enabling environment: Policies, laws and regulations to reduce environmental risks and increase incentives for sustainable infrastructure investing.
Organizers
The forum is co-organized by the Asian Development Bank, the World Wildlife Fund, the Viet Nam Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment, and the Greater Mekong Subregion Environment Operations Center.
Forum materials including the application form, the agenda, and workshop presentations will be uploaded to this page when available.
Resources
See also
GMS Working Group on Environment 24th Annual Meeting
The 24th Annual Meeting of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Working Group (WG) on Environment reviewed the achievements of the GMS Core Environment Program Phase II and discussed the way forward. WGE AM-24 was hosted by the People’s Republic of China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) with support from ADB through the GMS Environment Operations Center.
The WGE AM-24 was followed by thematic discussions that covered the proposed new programs entitled: "GMS Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Program (CCESP)" and "GMS Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security Program (SAFSP)" which are aligned with three out of seven operational priorities of Strategy 2030 approved by the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Board in 2018.
The CCESP will focus on ADB Strategy 2030’s operational priority: tackling climate change, building climate and disaster resilience, and enhancing environmental sustainability, while SAFSP will focus on ADB Strategy 2030’s operational priority: promoting rural development and food security. Both programs will support ADB Strategy 2030’s operational priority: fostering regional cooperation and integration.
Digital Technologies for Advancing Food Security, Climate Action and Environmental Sustainability
To assess current status of application of digital technologies in four areas:
1.Sustainable agriculture
2.Food traceability
3.Climate action (mitigation and adaptation)
4.Environmental sustainability
To solicit views from the representatives of the government, private sector, development partners and academia on most appropriate technologies, needs and gaps, and future priorities for action in the GMS
To identify opportunities for public-private partnerships in deployment of digital technologies in the GMS