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
Consultation Workshop on GMS Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security Program (SAFSP)
GMS Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security Program (SAFSP): The proposed TA will build on accomplishments of the two phases of the Core Agriculture Support Program and support the implementation of Strategy for Promoting Safe and Environment-Friendly Agro-Based Value Chains in the GMS and Siem Reap Action Plan, which was endorsed by the GMS Agriculture Ministers in late 2017. The SAFSP interventions will focus on areas such as (i) climate-smart and gender-conscious agricultural value chains, (ii) food safety and quality, and (iii) water-food-energy nexus in a warming world (through the adoption of climate-friendly agricultural adaptation practices and technologies).
SAFSP will focus on ADB’s value addition in advancing the use of advanced digital technologies, leveraging investments and applying integrated solutions on the safe, environment and climate-friendly agro-based value chains in the GMS. The TA will assist GMS towards becoming a more integrated, prosperous, inclusive, resilient and sustainable subregion, by focusing on principles such as “food safety for all, climate-friendly agriculture, inclusiveness of small farmers, gender empowerment, corporate social responsibility, good governance, benefits for all GMS countries, and integration with ASEAN”.
The SAFSP will have the following themes to be implemented over 5 years:
1. Greening of agribusiness supply chains
2. Inclusive and gender-conscious food value chains
3. Financing climate-friendly agribusinesses
4. Food safety and quality standards, certification and traceability
5. Cross-border animal health and value chain development
6. Water for food security in a changing climate
7. Agricultural adaptation in the context of water-food-energy nexus
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) organized a workshop on the GMS SAFSP on 3-4 April 2019in Kunming, People’s Republic of China. The workshop was divided into six sessions, where each session discussed (i) key challenges for each seven themes, (ii) current status (e.g. policies, building capacities and mobilizing investment for infrastructure), and best practices that could be replicated, (iii) key priorities for action, and (iv) advantages or disadvantages in adopting a regional approach.
More than 80 participants attended. Delegates included senior government officials from 6ADB developing member countries, senior staff from international and regional development organizations, including ADB, non-government organizations, academia, and the private sector.
The agenda and presentation materials can be downloaded below.
Consultation Workshop on GMS Climate Change and Environment Sustainability Program (CCESP)
Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Climate Change and Environment Sustainability Program (CCESP): The proposed knowledge and support technical assistance (TA) on CCESP will build on the key achievements of two phases of the Core Environment Program and support the implementation of the GMS Core Environment Program Strategic Framework and Action Plan 2018-2022, which was endorsed at the Fifth GMS Environment Ministers’ Meeting held in 2018. The CCESP will focus on creating enabling conditions to leverage additional investment in priority areas such as (i) green technologies and sustainable infrastructure; (ii) natural resources and ecosystem services; and (iii) green growth, climate resilience and disaster risk management.