Welcome to the December edition of City Matters, brought to you by Urbanicity in partnership with UN Habitat Best Practices and Local Leadership.

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Dubai International Awards for Best Practices to improve the Living Environment
An independent international jury, chaired by Ms. Banashree Banerjee of India, has announced the winners of the 2008 Dubai International Awards for Best Pactices to improve the Living Environment.
An international jury of experts meeting in Dubai, earlier this month chose 12 winners deemed to have made outstanding contributions to improving the quality of life in cities and communities. Local governments at the European Development Days, Strasburg, from 15 to 17 November 2008.

The jury reviewed some 436 submissions for the 12 awards which each carry a USD 30,000 prize. The prize money, a trophy and a commemorative certificate will be presented to the winners at an award ceremony still to be scheduled.
The five-member jury, chaired by Ms. Banerjee, an urban management specialist, included Dr. Beacon Mbiba of Zimbabwe, who lectures at Oxford Brooks University, UK; Dr. Paolo Salvida, a professor at Sao Paolo University in Brazil; Dr. Roberto Ottolenghi, an urban development expert from Italy; and Mr. Abdulla Mohammed Rafia, Assistant Director General of Dubai Municipality. The Chair of the Technical Advisory Committee which undertook the pre-selection, Dr Jose Antonio Corraliza from the University of Madrid, Spain, assisted in the deliberations.
The jury based their decisions on criteria of tangible impact, partnership, and sustainability and also took into account additional criteria of leadership and community empowerment, gender equality and social inclusion, and innovations that can be replicated. They also looked at responsiveness to climate change and inclusive technology

The European Development Days, the European Commission’s principal event for development co-operation, convened for their third edition in Strasburg (France) from 15 to 17 November 2008.
The role and activities of local governments came under specific focus thanks to the central theme of this year’s event ‘The Local Dimension of Development Cooperation’.

The European Platform of local and regional government is born
The European Platform of local and regional government for development was launched on 16 November 2008 to a packed audience on the occasion of the European Development Days, in Strasbourg.

African mayors in cooperation pact with Chinese district
African Mayors from the Lake Victoria region signed an agreement with the Yangpu District of the Municipal Government of Shanghai for enhanced cooperation and exchange programmes. The agreement was signed during the fourth session of the World Urban Forum in Nanjing.

In Total, $75 Billion Approved for Mass Transit
United States Government / Politics Mass Transit The Wall Street Journal Transit Funding Transportation Voting
"To be sure, last week's votes won't guarantee a prolonged boom for rail and transit systems -- or for companies supplying the equipment. "

100% Twinning; CEMR website goes live
A virtual multilingual meeting place for local government from Europe and beyond: the new twinning website of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) is now online!

President Obama and Local Governments: A Partnership With Potential
It’s no secret that President-elect Obama has instilled a new sense of optimism in people who are passionate about climate protection, both in the United States and across the globe. In President-elect Obama, local governments have a new partner who has promised to listen to their needs and address their priorities.

Bringing about sustainable change in markets
Freiburg, 12 November 2008 - An energy-efficient future was on the international agenda at the Procura+ Seminar on ‘smarter engagement with the market’ on 6-7 November 2008 hosted by the City of Birmingham (UK).

‘Access to services is not only defined by distance’, says EUROCITIES
Presenting the views of Europe’s biggest cities at an EU Conference on Territorial cohesion and the Future of Cohesion Policy held on 31 October in Paris, Hella Dunger-Löper, Permanent Secretary for Building and Housing of Berlin, emphasised the importance of territorial cohesion for strengthening cohesion policy and addressing disparities that remain between and within EU territories.

European Bike Sharing Programs Transform Cities
Paris' bike sharing program is well-known, but not alone - these programs are flourishing throughout Europe. The key to their proliferation lies in the new technology they utilize. This article highlights the 'third-generation' Barcelona program.

UN-HABITAT report projects steep growth of African urban population
Although worldwide urban growth is expected to slow, a new report by UN-HABITAT is projecting the reverse in Africa with the continent’s urban population being projected to more than double by 2030.

THE U.S. Conference of Mayors call for a mainstreet stimulus plan to create jobs, stimulate economy
“Mayors have been saying all along that the job situation is dire and only getting worse. Today’s unemployment numbers indicate a rapid deterioration in the job outlook for Americans; and thousands more jobs will possibly be lost before President-Elect Obama takes office in January. The bottom line is Main Street is hurting. Americans need jobs now and our economy desperately needs help at the Main Street level.

ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability welcomes Mumbai as 1000th Member
Nanjing, China, November 6, 2008 - Mumbai, the financial capital of India, joins metropolises such as Johannesburg, Sao Paolo, Seoul and Los Angeles, as well as smaller communities, as the 1000th Member of ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, a global association of local governments committed to sustainability.

UN-HABITAT Launches Opportunities Fund for Urban Youth-Led Development
UN-HABITAT on Tuesday unveiled a groundbreaking US$2 million fund to finance inspiring youth-led development projects around the world.

Harmonious urbanization, the talk of all Nanjing
As delegates from around the world exchanged views in the newly built giant Nanjing convention and exhibition centre on Tuesday, the buzzwords on everyone's lips at the fourth session of the World Urban Forum were "harmonious urbanization".

The IACP book on port cities goes on sale!
The IACP invites you on a superb voyage to port cities with the brand new book published by the association: Portcities 13:28 GMT. 80 port cities all round the world have taken part in the preparation of this work which is exceptional not only for its contents but also for the quality of the edition.

A glittering opening of the Fourth Session of World Urban Forum
The mayor of the Chinese city of Nanjing, Hon. Jiang Hongkun, China's Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, Hon. Jiang Weixin, and H.H. Dejiang Zhang, the Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China, welcomed delegates to the fourth session of the World Urban Forum.

How well does your region fare? Check the regional yearbook 2008
Eurostat's 2008 regional yearbook is available: some 200 pages on life in the regions of the European Union, candidate countries and EFTA countries.

World Urban Youth Forum draws to a close
The hugely successful World Urban Youth Forum drew to a close in Nanjing with calls for more inclusion of young people in decision making.

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To read the full stories and more news, please visit http://www.urbanicity.org/Site/News/default.aspx

January

Intelligent Cities Conference

World Future Energy Summit

The Permanent Oil Crisis

Urban Futures: the challenge of sustainability

World Mobility Forum

Water Efficiency in Urban Areas

International Conference on Humane Habitat

Good Urban Governance for Inclusive and Sustainable Cities

New Partners for Smart Growth

Climate Change and Urban Poverty

Heritage in Asia

Sustainable Urban Design

February

Intermodes 2009

European Renewable Energy Policy Conference

Space. Contestation and the Political

The City and Networks

Counter Terrorism Conference

International Conference on Design Principles and Practice

March

Transforming the Metropolis

Contesting and Sustaining the City

Green Cities

INTED 09

International Advanced Mobility Forum

Sustainable Cities and Regions

Parallel Patterns of Urban Growth

Urban Water Management

The Health Cities Conference

3rd Annual City Development

For a full listing of forthcoming conferences, visit: Urbanicity Events

To receive updates for this calendar, please register here

Register Now - INTERMODES 09
4th & 5th February 2009, Brussels, Belgium

INTERMODES is the first international convention devoted to intermodality in passenger transport.
Intermodality is an organised connection between various modes of transport, during a single trip, which aims at offering travellers a door-to-door unbroken journey.

It takes into account all transport modes: air traveling, trains, taxis, individual cars, car-sharing, biking, walking, etc...

Intermodality introduces fluidity into travel, and everything involved with it : interoperability, signage, electronic ticketing, accessibility, real-time information, safety, comfort.

INTERMODES is aimed at all international players in the passenger transport sector: elected officials, international authorities, community groups, manufacturers, operators, researchers wishing to contribute towards perfecting intermodality on the domestic and European levels and/or developing solutions that promote intermodality.

These solutions will be presented during the Convention and through the associated modular exhibition, an innovative - multimedia only - exhibition concept.

This first edition of INTERMODES will focus on the EU new member states.Benefit from a reduced rate by booking now.

More information and online registration is available at www.intermodes.com

“The Permanent Oil Crisis: Challenges and Opportunities”, what about Transport & Infrastructure?
21 and 22 January 2009 The Netherlands

According to the IEA World Energy Outlook 2008 that was published last November 12th we will, by the year 2015, need at least 7 million more barrels oil per day than will be produced at that time. This is likely to lead to large oil price increases and volatility within the next decade which will inevitably result in technological, economic and sociological challenges.

An economic sector that will seriously be affected is Transport and Infrastructure. Fuel intensive ways of transportation (road transport, aviation) will become more expensive, whereas less fuel intensive transportation (rail transport) may expect a boost. This will have serious implications on our transport logistics and consequently on urban design. A new way of thinking about energy and a fossil fuel-dependent society is necessary.

At the international congress The Permanent Oil Crisis, Challenges & Opportunities, leaders from many sectors will address the challenges we face and suggest how to turn these into business opportunities in order to make a difference.

For more congress information or registering, please visit www.permanentoilcrisis.com

Register Now - Counter Terror Expo 2009
10-11 February, London

Counter Terror Expo will bring together the major international organisations involved in countering the threat across the globe.

Counter Terror Expo will provide a high level conference featuring international expert speakers who will debate the most critical and topical issues concerning the international counter terrorism community. The conference features multiple streams covering: Business Continuity & Critical Infrastructure.

With a unique focus on counter terrorism, don’t miss this opportunity to hear the most up to date global security issues from senior representatives of organisations including NATO, INTERPOL, United Nations and ACPO :

• Find out the latest thinking and strategies to maximise inter-agency collaboration
• Hear in-depth analysis of the current national and global terrorist threats
• Discover new core competences and how to work to optimum operational efficiency
• Gain a better understanding into the psychological profile of the mind of the terrorist
• During an attack: How to quickly enhance interoperability to close the capability gap
• Implications public and media communication: how to handle both

Workshops: In addition to the main conference Counter Terror Expo will also feature a range of practical and technology focused workshops. The workshops format will allow an in depth look specific technologies being deployed in the counter terrorism arena and will also be explore the technologies through a series of real life case studies to provide understanding of the equipment and its role in the fight against terror.

Exhibition: Counter Terror Expo focuses on the international threat of terrorism and what can be done to tackle the threats and strengthen state security. Counter Terror Expo will showcase a wide range of high technology security solutions from over 120 leading vendors.

More details are available at: http://www.counterterrorexpo.com

Call for Papers - REAL CORP 2009

REAL CORP 2009 asks for future perspectives of cities and the role of planners in shaping the liveable cities of tomorrow.
Although major parts of the world are blessed to live in peace and economic wealth at the beginning of the 21st century, the world is facing serious challenges like climate change and environmental issues as well as rising energy consumption and competition on scarce natural resources, ongoing globalisation with fundamental changes in economic and working environment around the globe, demographic changes, like aging population in Europe and rapid urbanisation in Asia.
In a changing world cities have to advance and to adopt to stay what they are and have always been:

• drivers of innovation and social improvements,
• centers of economic activities, science, knowledge and arts,
• and the best places to live for the vast majority of people.

REAL CORP 2009 deals with the challenges and perspectives for cities and asks how they might look like and be organized and managed in the future, with a special focus on the role of information and communications technologies in urban development.

The major questions to be dealt with at the conference in April 2009 and related to which we invite your contributions are:

• What makes cities smart, sustainable and integrative – and livable?
• How can cities and regions take advantage of globalisation and keep their local character - how to "gLOCALize"?
• How can planners help cities find the way to a successful future?
• Government, governance, mediation, participation and planning - are there models for short-term and long-term perspectives?
• Are there technologies that can support the above-mentioned goals?
• Are there best practices for "livable cities of tomorrow"?

As usual, complete information and latest news is always available on the website www.corp.at

Conference Update – Singapore International Water Week 2009
22-26 June 2009

Singapore opens Marina Barrage

Singapore’s global hydrohub aspirations have been given a major boost with the opening of Marina Barrage by its Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on 31 October. This new icon in Singapore’s Marina area creates Singapore’s 15th reservoir and the first right in the heart of the city. Besides boosting Singapore’s water supply, the barrage also alleviates flooding in the low-lying city areas and provides a lifestyle venue for all to enjoy.

The idea of Marina Barrage was conceived more than 20 years ago. A massive 10-year clean-up of the Singapore River, one of the main rivers feeding the Marina Reservoir, was completed then. Back in the 1970s, Singapore River was like an open sewer – dirty, smelly and heavily polluted, a stark contrast to the clean and free-flowing Singapore River of today. It was Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, then Singapore’s Prime Minister, who had the vision of building a dam across the Marina Channel to turn the body of water into a freshwater reservoir.

This unique project is one of the best examples of how Singapore has successfully integrated its water solutions with the growing needs of urban cities. By adopting a holistic approach to water management and investing in technology, the city-state has overcome its water challenges in the last 40 years putting in place a diversified and sustainable water supply known as the Four National Taps – water from local catchment, imported water, reclaimed water branded NEWater and desalinated water.

“Ensuring that Singapore has an adequate and secure supply of water has been a massive national effort. Since independence, we have steadily expanded our water catchments and invested in water technologies,” said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the official launch of Marina Barrage. “We have also turned our vulnerability into a capability – today Singapore is well known for its knowledge and expertise on water management, and our water engineering companies have won contracts to build water facilities all over the world,” he added.

With the barrage in place, the reservoir will be converted into fresh water through natural flushing in six months to one year. With a water catchment area one-sixth the size of the island, Singapore’s first reservoir in the city can supply 10 percent of the country’s water needs. With this new reservoir, as well as two others under development, Singapore’s water catchment will increase from half to two-third of its land area by 2011.

The Marina Barrage will be the star showcase at next year’s Singapore International Water Week to be held from 22 June to 26 June at Suntec Singapore. With the theme, Sustainable Cities – Infrastructure and Technologies for Water, the second Water Week will offer global delegates opportunities to tour several of the country’s state-of-the-art water facilities including the newly completed Marina Barrage, Deep Tunnel Sewerage System and NEWater Visitor Centre. Through the event’s Technical Tours, delegates can get a deeper insight into Singapore’s experiences and know-how in finding sustainable water solutions.

Says Khoo Teng Chye, Chief Executive of PUB, Singapore’s national water agency, ‘‘We would like to share our experiences with the delegates who will be here to learn about infrastructural and technological water solutions next year. But most of all, we want to inspire visitors, especially those who come from countries endowed with very little natural water resources, that with good foresight, clear vision, sound governance and strong willpower, anything is possible and sustainability is within everyone’s reach.’’

d 5th December 2008, Faro, Portuga

Final Call for Papers – EVS 24 – Towards Zero Emission
May 13-16 2009, Norway

The International Electric Vehicle Symposium and Exposition (EVS) series, organized by the World Electric Vehicle Association (WEVA), is recognized as the premier event for academic, government and industry professionals involved in electric drive technologies.

Today, the EVS series is recognized as the global electric transportation industry's premier and largest forum, showcasing all forms of technologies in the market place and on the drawing boards--from low speed battery electric vehicles to fuel cell electric buses. The event attracts academic, government and industry leaders from around the world who are interested in exploring and understanding the technical, policy and market challenges to a paradigm shift toward use of electric transportation technologies.

Call for Papers
EVS-24 will host high-quality research papers from academia and industry in both lecture and dialogue sessions. While the first are more fitted for political or more general topics, the other presents the advantage of allowing direct discussion between the attendees and the authors. This last option is particularly suitable for more technical and complex papers.

Topics
While the main focus in clearly road transport EVS now open its scope to rail, marine and air transportation. There is indeed, for most of the dedicated topics, a clear parallelism between researches make for all types of electrically propelled vehicles whatever their application field.

Research projects comparing different technologies, their energy need or efficiency, their life cycle analysis or similar analysis including comparisons between technologies based on battery, hybrids, fuel cells/hydrogen, bio fuels etc and the impact to reduce emissions on a large scale in a well to wheel perspective

Submission deadlines
Receipt of the abstracts: 20th November 2008
Notification of provisional acceptance: 31st January 2009
Receipt of full paper: 30th March 2009
Notification of final acceptance: 15th April 2009
Deadline for registration of first author: 15th April 2009

To submit an abstract, please log in to: http://www.evs24.org/php/login.php

First Announcement - CEMR General Assembly 2009

How Europe's local and regional governments are preparing

Between 22 and 24 April 2009, CEMR will hold its general assembly in Malmö. It will be the perfect time and venue to reflect on the European issues that directly affect our towns and regions: the development of our public services, climate change and energy, economic growth and the environment, the state of local democracy, town twinning…

For three days, elected local and regional leaders, experts, representatives of EU institutions and other stakeholders will debate – and sometimes argue over – this fundamental question: are our towns and regions fit for the future? Are we ready for the challenges of today and tomorrow?

Be part of these debates. Join us in Malmö

The full first announcement can be downloaded in English, Francais, Deutsch, Espanol, ελληνικ, Português, Italiano and Svenska here

City Matters Bulletin is published monthly by Urbanicity Ltd 72 Fairview Crescent, Waiheke, New Zealand in conjuction with UN Habitat Best Practices and Local Leadership