GI-REC explains Urban Metabolism

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Publication uploaded: Urban Metabolism for Resource-Efficient Cities: from Theory to Implementation

A publication of the Global Initiative for Resource Efficient Cities (GI-REC) has been uploaded today. Entitled “Urban Metabolism for Resource-Efficient Cities: from Theory to Implementation,” it is a collaboration between the Sustainability Institute and UN Environment under the framework of GI-REC.

Click here to download it or go to the publications section for more information.

 

 

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Integrating Resilience and Resource Efficiency in Cities – a Session at the Resilient Cities Congress 2017

Held during the Resilient Cities Congress 2017, organized by ICLEI, this session presented the range of solutions, experience, and knowledge that integrated resilience and resource efficiency agendas offer at the local level.

Moderated by Ms. Martina Otto, Head of the Cities Unit at UN Environment, the event started with the official launch of the UN Environment publication officially launched the UN Environment publication entitled “Resilience and Resource Efficiency in Cities” co-authored by Dr. David Dodman of the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), a member of the Global Initiative for Resource Efficient Cities. Dr. Dodman provided the audience with the key messages from the report: how a resilience agenda and a resource efficiency agenda have grounds for mutual reinforcement. He added that in spite of the possible tensions between the two, achieving both agendas at the city level can help meet broader sustainability objectives.

The session also involved a panel discussion with the participation of another GI-REC member represented by Mr. Blake Robinson of the Sustainability Institute in South Africa as a panel member. Also on the panel was Ms. Barbara Emanuel, Manager for the Food Strategy of the City of Toronto, Canada.

The Urban Metabolism framework, which shows allows for a city to be analyzed like an organism, and aids in the decision-making process through an analysis of the resource flows in a city. It was underlined that there are some difficulties in getting data (particularly on food) especially since a lot of the flows come from the informal sectors.

The panel also discussed the necessity for interconnections between different departments as a key point in building resilient cities. Moreover, it underlined the importance of equity. Those most vulnerable are those who are impacted in a disproportionate way, and that this and generational impacts should be taken into account.

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Partners’ Meeting held during the Resilient Cities Congress in Bonn, Germany on 4 May 2017

The Global Initiative for Resource Efficient Cities (GI-REC) held its 2017 Partners’ Meeting on 4 May 2017 in Bonn, Germany. This meeting was held during the Resilient Cities Congress, an annual event organized by ICLEI, a member of the GI-REC Advisory Board.

The meeting was attended by 14 partner representatives. The initiative’s communications plan (a fruit of the 2016 discussion) was one of the topics of discussion, along with the concept of Urban Metabolism and the terminologies used in relation to it.

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