“Innovating Cities” “Cidades Inovadores de Programa de

Cidades do Pacto Global da ONU”

Elizabeth Ryan, UNGCCP

Conferencia Internacional Cidades Inovadores, Curitiba Brazil, Maio 2011.

The Cities Programme

The Cities Programme facilitates collaboration between

government, business and civil society

to enhance sustainability, resilience, diversity, and adaptation

within cities in the face of

complex urban challenges.

The UN Global Compact The Cities Programme is the urban arm of the

United Nations Global Compact

• The UN Global Compact is the largest corporate social responsibility initiative in the world

• It has 7,000 signatories in 135 countries.

• 2000 are now non-business

At the first level with Cities Programme, City mayors sign on to the UN Global Compact principles

UN Global Compact Principles

Human Rights • Principle 1: Support and respect for the protection of internationally proclaimed

human rights;

• Principle 2: Active rejection of human rights abuses.

Labour Standards • Principle 3: Upholding of the freedom of association and effective recognition of

the right to collective bargaining;

• Principle 4: Support for the elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labour;

• Principle 5: Upholding of the effective abolition of child labour;

• Principle 6: Support for the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment

and occupation. Environment • Principle 7: Support for a precautionary approach to environmental challenges:

• Principle 8: Undertaking to promote greater environmental responsibility;

• Principle 9: Encouragement of the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies.

Anti-Corruption • Principle 10: Work against all forms of corruption, including extortion and bribery.

The Cities Programme

International Secretariat based in Melbourne, Australia working with the New York office of UN Global Compact

Model developed in Melbourne

used in all Innovating Cities

More than thirty signatory cities

Fourteen leading Innovating Cities

The Cities Programme

• Supported by corporate, education, NGO

partners -

– Accenture, Fuji Xerox, Microsoft, World Vision,

RMIT University

• Supports Cities with sustainability expertise -

systems, tools, facilitation, advice and

research

Global network between cities is in development

World-leading Innovating

Cities

Three-year projects tackling seemingly intractable problems

Model of multi-sector governance:

Government,

Corporate,

Civil society

Sustainability Framework

Innovating City projects:

Unique to each city

Locally developed and driven

Sustainability framework of social domains:

Economic,

Ecological,

Political,

Cultural

Innovating Cities As-Salt, Jordan ― Urban Heritage

Asker, Norway ― Corruption

Berlin, Germany ― Health Care

Japshadpur, India ― Water Sustainability

Jinan, China ― Traffic Safety

Le Havre, France ― Sustainable Tourism

Melbourne, Australia ― Residential Resource-Use

Milwaukee, USA ― Water Sustainability

Porto Alegre, Brasil ― Slum Rehabilitation

Plock, Poland ― Sustainable Urban Development

San Francisco, USA ― Climate Change

Tshwane, South Africa ―Sustainable Industrial Change

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia ― Urban Development

tackling complex urban-sustainability issues

Innovating City Case Study -

Milwaukee, USA

Context

• Milwaukee is located on the USA side of the Great Lakes region - 25% of world’s fresh water

• Economic base was traditional manufacturing - now reduced

• Initial impetus for city collaboration was to rebuild economic strength

• Initiated by Spirit of Milwaukee - Business council

The Journey - Economic

1. Research of business community to identify

strength (consultants then University)

2. Eventually identified 150 businesses - water

products and services

3. Research academic expertise - discovered

large group of water scientists working for

40 years

4. Formed Milwaukee Water Council

Multi-sector team

• Corporate - Milwaukee Water Council

• Civil Society - University of Winconsin, Discovery World

• Government - Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage Council

Ecological

• Complex sewerage systems and management

• Domestic backfill in floods

• Changed lake environment - prize fish can’t live in Lake

Collaborating to manage Ecology

- government & civil & corporate

• Great Lakes Water Institute – Marine life

– Water quality

• Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage Council – Working with multiple

agencies to unify systems & regulations

– With Water Council formed Great Lakes Council, incorporating 7 states and territories (inc. 2 in Canada)

Cultural - Discovery World

Discovery World - Philanthropic supported centre for innovative experiential science and technology education

Community research

Social research identified:

• Lack of community value for water

• Surprising lack of connection with water

• Lack of access and use of the lake in some communities

Thirst

‘Thirst’ - community education and communication project

Urban Aquaculture

Sweet Water Organics:

• Unused factory

• Model organic system to grow fish & vegetables in urban settings

• Also social & education program - schools and veterans

The Future:

Milwaukee - World Water Hub • Sweet Water Organics

receive $500,000 IBM

award:

– through Milwaukee Water

Council

– to take urban aquaculture

model across world

• Milwaukee receives US

Water Prize

• Water Centre in

development:

– 7 story, 100 year old

warehouse

– Business and water

researchers

– Start up assistance for

water businesses

• International Alliances:

– Singapore, France,

– Developing countries

Obrigada

UN Global Compact Cities Programme

www.citiesprogramme.org

Director, Professor Paul James

Manager, Elizabeth Ryan +61 3 9925 3407

+61 425 773 359