Tackle Urban Poverty and Develop Green Cities, Says Secretary-General

"There is the urgent need to tackle poverty as urbanisation continues."

Tackling urban poverty and developing green cities are two major challenges faced by nations around the globe, said Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon. He stressed that all states, particularly developing countries, need vision and planning for the future.

The Secretary-General made these points in a World Environment Day Message on 5 June 2005. He said: "There is the urgent need to tackle poverty as urbanisation continues. Many people in low- and middle-income Commonwealth countries live in overcrowded homes of poor quality that lack adequate provision for water, sanitation and waste management. The picture is particularly stark when you focus on slums and separate these out from the wider urban picture."

He stated that the Commonwealth, through an innovative partnership of Commonwealth institutions called ComHabitat, is supporting action on human settlements. ComHabitat is examining indicators of progress towards the Habitat Agenda, looking at mechanisms and options for urban finance, and working on issues related to urban governance and secure tenure. It provides opportunities for those working in these fields to share knowledge, experience, expertise, methods and insights with other practitioners.

Mr McKinnon said the second challenge is to make our future cities 'green'. "It is for all of us to make our cities more environmentally-friendly, to reduce the impacts that city dwellers have on the vital environmental resources that are their life-blood -- such as air quality, water resources and the climate.

"This requires us to play an active role. As professionals, by planning and implementing energy-efficient buildings and transport systems; as informed citizens, by supporting policies that promote effective waste management and the judicial development and use of energy resources; and as members of our family and community, by taking direct action ourselves. With their awareness and commitment, young people are often the ones who take a lead in persuading families and communities to improve their use of resources."

The Secretary-General mentioned that the Commonwealth Secretariat recently took steps to manage its own day-to-day waste and to use energy more effectively, increasing its recycling rate from 24 per cent to 63 per cent. He said electricity use was cut by 8 per cent, just by 'switching off' when equipment was not needed, and the amount of paper used by each staff member was reduced by about 17 sheets of paper a day. He stated that if everyone can do their bit to conserve energy and the environment, the combined effort will add up to a positive effect overall.

Mr McKinnon said cities and the environment have a close relationship with one another. He added that the city depends on the environment to absorb its wastes and provide basic life-services.

"To enable our cities to flourish in the future, we also need to invest in the environment today. Without effective management of watersheds, forest resources, rivers, and climate change and desertification, there can be no sustainable provision of clean water to cities in sufficient quantities to meet the demands of 2030. We must all plan and act now to create green cities of the future."

 

CNIS - the Commonwealth News and Information Service Issue 238, 8 June 2005

Key Links:

• Secretary General
• World Environment Day: 5 June 2005 - Message from the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Don McKinnon