Not all cities in Asia are overpopulated, urban jungles. Some cities in the region are a thriving oasis of green while others are on their way to becoming models of green initiatives. The Green Cities Initiative is addressing rapid urbanization challenges in Asia by bridging the gap between urban planning and environmental management and improving financing for green city initiatives.
Transcript
Title: How Green is your City?
Description: Not all cities in Asia are overpopulated, urban jungles. Some cities in the region are a thriving oasis of green while others are on their way to becoming models of green initiatives. The Green Cities Initiative is addressing rapid urbanization challenges in Asia by bridging the gap between urban planning and environmental management and improving financing for green city initiatives.
VO: It comes alive every day. Vibrant, energetic, pulsating with life. Each day, they walk on its streets. They move with the rhythm of time. Homes, schools, offices occupy its space. People go about their routines. Living their hopes, their fears, their dreams. All in the place they call, home.
But what if their home bursts to the seams. The changing weather hurls its fury. The temperamental climate coupled with polluted air and water, too many people and the sea rising in coastal places leave the place called home vulnerable…decaying…
Until one day it may become a vacuum, a mere shadow of its once vibrant self.
The steps towards a livable city begin today through the Asian Development Bank’s Green Cities Initiative program.
SOT: Amy Leung
Director, Urban Development and Water Division,
Asian Development Bank
The ADB Green Cities Initiative aims to put into practice the ADB Urban Operational Plan up to 2020. We’re starting with Southeast Asia, with the focus with secondary cities through supporting our developing member countries to realize their green growth strategies into green city realities.
The initiative is an attempt to take theory to practice in rapidly urbanizing into practical green cities action plan. Strengthening urban planning and environmental management will lead to improved liveability of the cities and I’d like to call the liveability triangle of land, air and water.
VO: Already some cities in Asia and the Pacific are thriving oasis of green while others are on their way to becoming models of green initiatives.
By working together with each other, cooperating, moving towards clear-cut goals, cities can thrive, flourish and come alive each day.
SOT: Amy Leung
Director, Urban Development and Water Division,
Asian Development Bank
The Green Cities Initiative addresses rapid urbanization challenges in Asia by first of all, bridging the gap between urban planning and environmental management; by better coordinating the many sectors involved in urban planning; by linking cities to green finance; and importantly is to ensure long-term commitments to realize long term visions of the cities in the region.
We believe that the solution should be socially inclusive. It should involve community participation and green cities should be flexible in choosing the approach to make the cities green.
VO: Inclusive steps that allow a city to move along with the vibrant rhythm of life.
