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Part One of Two - City Planning Will Determine Pace Of Global Warming, Un-Habitat Chief Tells Second Committee As She Links Urban Poverty With Climate Change; Executive Director Introduces Human Settlement Reports amid Continuing General Discussion of Sustainable Development.

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M2 PRESSWIRE-31 October 2007-United Nations: Part One of Two - City Planning Will Determine Pace Of Global Warming, Un-Habitat Chief Tells Second Committee As She Links Urban Poverty With Climate Change; Executive Director Introduces Human Settlement Reports amid Continuing General Discussion of Sustainable Development(C)1994-2007 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

RDATE:30102007

Given the inextricable link connecting urbanization, urban poverty and climate change, the way in which the worlds growing cities were planned and managed would largely determine the pace of global warming, Anna Kajumulo Tibaijuka, Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) told the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) today.

As she introduced reports relating to the Committees agenda item on human settlement matters, Ms. Tibaijuka said the urbanization of poverty was now the biggest development challenge. With half the worlds population now residing in cities, and one billion slum dwellers living in life-threatening conditions, 2007 marked a turning point in human history. In addition, cities were responsible for 75 per cent of global energy consumption and 80 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions.

She said seizing the opportunity to reduce the vulnerability of cities to the effects of climate change should be a priority alongside improving the living conditions of the most vulnerable urban populations. Policymakers, planners, environmental specialists and citizens must now join forces and place cities and urban issues at the forefront of the sustainable development agenda.

Ms. Tibaijuka introduced the reports of UN-HABITATs Governing Council on its twenty-first session, the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the outcome of the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) and strengthening of the UN-HABITAT, and a note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report on the coordination and implementation of the Habitat Agenda.

The Committee then resumed its general debate on sustainable development, with several speakers indicating that climate change had devastated the lives of millions and natural disasters had set back development efforts. There was an urgent need for the international community to support developing countries by providing them with the tools to cope with and overcome not only the global warming effects ravaging their lands, but also to bolster their economies and environmental protection measures to build a truly sustainable future.

Thailands representative said the Kyoto Protocols Clean Development Mechanism must be carried out with respect to the needs of developing countries and for their benefit. Just as important in reducing the risks posed by uncontrollable events was disaster preparedness and response. The 2004 Asian tsunami had proved that early warning systems and knowledge-building were vital and in order to boost those efforts, Thailand had contributed $10 million to the Multi-Donor Voluntary Trust Fund for Tsunami Early Warning Arrangements in the Indian Ocean and South-east Asia.

While challenges remained, Thailand had already taken steps towards sustainability, he said. Sustainable development was deeply entrenched in its national agenda and the philosophy of a sufficiency economy had been fully integrated into its policies. That philosophy had already promoted sustainable agricultural practices to ensure food security for farmers, persuade locals to conserve forests as a means to secure its economic, social and ecological value, and promote sustainable energy development. In addition, it had inspired more prudent financial practices to prevent a repeat of the 1997 Asian financial crisis.

Ethiopias delegate said a more concerted effort was needed in Africa to push developing countries further towards sustainable development and to avert climate-change crises. In 2006 alone, flash floods had killed more than 700 people in Ethiopia, economically affected 670,000 others, displaced another 242,000, drowned many domestic and wild animals and damaged thousands of hectares of farmland. Too many obstacles stood...

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