RESILIENT CITIES LEADERS FORUM

Organisers:

CITIES AND URBAN REGIONS

Cities and urban regions are growing not only in size, but also in the way they impact the global economic

and cultural spectrum. This trend can be seen in demographic growing areas (Asia), and also in demographic

declining areas (Europe). In our globalizing world, national borders are becoming less important. Cities and

regions are competing on national and international levels to secure their position. These densely populated

and developed urban regions and cities are often located around river deltas due to the historical benefits for

connectivity, trade, defense, food production and quality of life. But the intensive urbanization of these areas,

resulted in a high vulnerability to the impacts of climate change, as seen by last years floods in Europe, South

East Asia and the with impact of Hurricane Sandy along the East Coast of the U.S.A..

The combination of the increasing global importance, continuous urbanization and increasing vulnerability,

requires an adaptive and resilient approach towards sustainable urban development. Strategies to integrate

water management and climate resilience into urban planning is a necessity.

Two recent reports refer to the global situation and risks related to the thematic focus of the Resilient Cities

Leaders Forum 2015 [RCLF]. These reports have been released by the OECD and World Economic Forum.

Short summaries of these reports are presented on the next page.

RESILIENT CITIES LEADERS FORUM

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 4TH 2015AMSTERDAM RAI

RESILIENT CITIES LEADERS FORUM RESILIENT CITIES LEADERS FORUM2 3

OECD: RESILIENCE AND CITIES

According to the latest OECD study: strengthening resilience,

which is defined as the ability not only to resist and recover

from adverse shocks, but also to bounce back stronger than

before, and to learn from the experience (OECD, 2014). Cities

contribute to resilience, given the fact that three quarters of the

population live in urban areas and this share is expected to rise

to 86% by the middle of the 21st century. Because of the cities

accumulated population and capital assets, their complexity

created by networks of infrastructure systems, and their

geographical tendencies to be located in coastal areas ensures

vulnerability to climate change and natural disasters. Therefore

resilience at the level of cities are important elements to identify

when considering resilience as a country or globally.

Cities resilience has four dimensions.

(1) Economic resilience

(2) Social resilience

(3) Institutional and governance resilience

(4) Environmental resilience

(OECD, 2014)

WATER CRISIS AS NO1 GLOBAL RISK AND CITIES RESILIENCE

World Economic Forum (WEF) has launched in January 2015 the

10th edition of The Global Risks 2015 Rapport. (Klaus Schwab

is the founder and executive Chairman World Economic Forum).

This 10th edition of the Global Risks report presents the most

urgent risk of our lives, which will be more intensively shaped

transformative forces that are under way already.

The WEFs Global Risks Perception Surveys showcase

future risks (climate change, water crises, biodiversity loss

and ecosystem collapse, extreme weather events, natural

catastrophes, man-made environmental catastrophes, etc.)

are increasing in frequency and impact. At the same time these

risks show a clear and strong interdependency on a regional,

most often urban scale. For many of the climate change

problems, different levels of mitigation and adaptation measures

are involved. Some solutions for the city ask for measures

elsewhere, thus increasing the complexity. Although this

increases the complexity of these risks and their impacts, this is

also the scale where we (man) can adapt to and mitigate these

risks. This is where we can and must act.

This year, WEF Report puts the impact of Water Crises as #1

risk. Water is becoming the global connecting task. Two billion

people will be devastated by 2050, four billion in 2080 if we

continue with our current practices. Of all worldwide disasters

90% are water- related, Global urbanization gives us growth,

prosperity, emancipation and development opportunities, but

climate change, sea level rise and increasing impacts of these

risks put a lot of pressure on our cities, societies and citizens,

on our economies and ecology. If we dont act the system will

collapse and then we are the victims of our own failure and

missed opportunity.

Water is at the heart of this uncertain future, it is through water

that we feel the impact of climate change the most. Water is

essential for our economy, our social and cultural being. Water

quality defines our economic and societal prosperity and water

risks too much or too little define our societies vulnerability.

Water is an urban matter, an asset if right, and a severe risk if

not. And while urbanization has this emancipatory capacity, it is

the collective of water issues that puts these urbanizing places

at higher risk and thus undermining the emancipatory curve.

Water connects economy and ecology and on the urban regional

scale we can adapt and mitigate and thus strengthen our cities

and our communities worldwide. Comprehensive water & urban

strategies -key for cities to become resilient

(World Economic Forum, 2015)

WORKING TOGETHER

Worldwide more and more governments in collaboration with

their societal partners from business, academic community

and NGOs have the ambition and take steps towards more

resilient urban water management, matching long term planning

with short term investments. The comprehensive approach

of combining water management and urban planning is

essential for this ambition, aligned with inclusive processes of

collaboration and innovation.

Collaboration across counties, regions of expertise and

stakeholder groups is necessary to effectively address global

risks, provide strategic guidance and advice on the methodology

of comprehensive water management and climate resilience into

urban planning.

There is a clear demand for comprehensive urban strategies

that integrate water management and climate resilience into

cities comprehensive urban planning. Inclusive processes for

development and implementation must include all stakeholders

from the start to ensure capacity building, local buy in and

awareness as well as investment opportunities across all sectors.

Partnerships based on strong global networks and blue growth

are key for unlocking the potential of water assets in cities

across the globe, and thus greatly contribute to real resilience.

Comprehensive water and urban strategies are key for cities to

become resilient, turning challenges into opportunities.

COMPREHENSIVE WATER & URBAN STRATEGIES - KEY FOR CITIES TO BECOME RESILIENT AT AIWW

The 2015 Amsterdam International Water Week (AIWW) has the

theme of Comprehensive Solutions for a Circular Economy and

Resilient Cities. AIWW has a full program of high level meetings,

debates and dedicated sessions for Resilient Cities.

The part of the program, as presented in this paper, will mainly

cover the importance of a comprehensive approach towards the

role (and impact) of water in cities, food and drought security,

sustainable development and the worldwide growing importance

of environment, social as well as economic growth.


AIWW Resilient Cities Leaders Forum (RCLF) will contribute to the

debate on how cities think about global risks, mitigate them and

strengthen resilience. That will be done on the basis of concrete

cases presented by the cities and their partners and will focus

around the following themes:

Designing with water;

Water partnerships a shared commitment to developing a

common vision;

Blue economy engine for resilient city development /

innovative business models/ products;

Resilient financing;

Resilient governance.




CONTENT

The main role of the RCLF will be supporting discussions from

a variety of perspectives, regarding comprehensive strategies

of resilience for water- and urban planning. Cities will share their

successes as well as answer two central questions: Whats

currently happening? and What is next?

WHATS CURRENTLY HAPPENING?

Which cities have a strong foundation for building resilience

against the impacts of climate change and what are the key

drivers and criteria responsible for this resilience capacity? Are

the current processes for planning, design and resource/capital

management responsive to the emerging environmental, man

made, social, economic, ecological and climate related risks?

WHAT IS NEXT?

How does resilience change the way we think about cities and

how do we act to improve urban development? What are the

opportunities and what are the challenges? How do we ensure

that (local) governments, NGOs, communities and businesses

take the process of making cities resilient to extreme weather a

priority? Is adapting cities to climate change enough? What is the

role of cities in mitigating these impacts? Where can the financial

support be found? Is public private collaboration the solution?

And when do we connect professionals with people and build

real partnerships across all pillars of society?

ROUND TABLE SESSIONS

The centrally positioned round table sessions will be introduced

by the keynote speaker Mr. Dominic Waughray - Senior Director

and Head of Environmental Initiatives of the World Economic

Forum. Following the keynote introduction there will be an in-

depth round table discussion.

ROUND TABLE SESSIONS SET UP

Each round table session will be hosted by an acknowledgeable

chairman. These chairmen will set the pace of the discussions,

while focussing on one of the five RCLF themes. City leaders

will have the opportunity to share their achievements and

challenges associated with their citys water resiliency. The main

objective of the round table sessions is to share and discuss

specific challenges and opportunities associated with each citys

case, as well as to introduce a fresh perspective for embracing

resiliency.

OUTPUT ROUND TABLES:

An understanding of the required next steps in resiliency

for the discussed city cases.

Desired achievements before the next International Water

Week in 2017.

Conclusions of the day, important lessons for the plenary

final keynote.

ATTENDEES: UPON INVITATION ONLY

The attendees for the RCLF 2015 will be high level executives

from the various participating cities, as well as invitees from

relevant global and professional networks. The invitees will come

from the following target groups:

Global municipalities (mayors, executives)

Real estate and project developers

Investors

Urban planners / architects

Consultants


ROUND TABLES SESSION

FIVE THEMES - FIVE TABLES

LEADERS FROM ALL INVOLVED SECTORS PARTICIPATING AT THE ROUND TABLE SESSIONS

DESIGNING WITH

WATER

WATERPARTNERSHIPS

BLUE ECONOMY

RESILIENTFINANCING

RESILIENTGOVERNANCE

CHAIRMAN .

GOVERNMENT - CITY LEADERS

FINANCE / INSURANCE

NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

KNOWLEDGE INSTITUTES / CONSULTANTS



1. DESIGNING WITH WATER

Designing with water promises a sustainable approach, in which

water supply, sanitation, storm water and waste water are no

longer managed by isolated entities nor separated from urban

planning and economic development. Planning for the water

sector is integrated with urban planning and sub- sectors such

as land use, real estate, infrastructure, landscape, recreation and

energy sectors; as to avoid fragmented policy formulation and

decision making while increasing economic efficiency. Cross

sectoral relationships are strengthened by a common working

culture, addressing the collective goals and respective benefits,

as well as negotiations of differences in power and resources.

Integrated water and urban strategies consist of all aspects of

water management: environmental, economic, social, technical

and political. It is an opportunity and inspiration for leaders and

institutions from the cross over water and urban sectors to be at

the forefront of innovative policies that will ultimately create more

sustainable solutions to the development of resilient cities .

2. WATER PARTNERSHIPS

A broader participation is needed to underline the urgency of

immediate joined actions on water resilient cities. A successful

approach requires engaging citizens and local communities in

the process of developing solutions for the problems of water

and urban management. Integrated water and urban solutions

must be globally addressed (understanding of generic trends,

joined forces, experience and knowledge exchange) and locally

implicated (combination of the best knowledge experts with

the local know- how and specific solutions). The creation of

awareness, involvement and participation as well as an active

role of public, private and social sectors are crucial. Therefore

the opportunity exists for leaders to address/ define the need for

a partnership, initiate or join the water resilient cities partnerships

on the global, regional and /or local level.

3. BLUE ECONOMY

Blue Economy economic engine for resilient city development.

The market for technologies to adapt to climate change such

as protection from floods and drought is rapidly growing.

Especially considering that the cost of repair damages is

estimated to be about 6 times higher than the cost of adaptation.

Combining safety measures with urban interventions lowers the

cost but most importantly creates added socio- economic value.

4. RESILIENT FINANCE

Investing in a long term strategy with short term implementation

actions is essential for the development of water resilient cities.

However most governments are under tight budget constraints

and many developing countries already spent a large proportion

of their national income to meet the basic needs of their

population. Solidarity and broad responsibility for investing in

a short and long term future is required. What are the financial

models for that? How can we organize everyones financial

involvement?

5. RESILIENT GOVERNANCE

Well governed water and urban management organization

models. How to transform an existing governance system into

a more adaptive one? What are the different factors: social

networks, trust and leadership? Why do certain governance

systems change and why do certain governance systems

not change? Why is so difficult to pit adaptive governance

into practice? How to deal with the complexity of governance

systems: multiple actors, multiple levels, multiple scales,

increasing complexity, fragmentation and interdependency as

well as non linearity within policy processes?

PROGRAMME*

DATE: WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 4TH 2015TIME: FROM 9.00 - 18.00 HRS.LOCATION: AMSTERDAM RAI09:00 10:00 AIWW CONFERENCE KEYNOTES ON URBAN RESILIENCE, LOCATION EMERALD ROOM

HENK OVINK, SPECIAL ENVOY FOR INTERNATIONAL WATER AFFAIRS, THE NETHERLANDS

10.05 11.25 AIWW WORKSHOPS

10.05 11.25 MORNING BREAK

11:30 11:45 REGISTRATION WORKSHOP - CURRENT EFFORTS OF CITIES ON THE TOPIC OF RESILIENCY,

LOCATION EMERALD ROOM

11:45 13:05 AIWW WORKSHOP:

RESILIENT CITIES, CURRENT EFFORTS OF CITIES ON THE TOPIC OF RESILIENCY ,

13:05 14:05 LUNCH BREAK Served on the balcony (level +1) between exhibition halls 1 and 2. Please use the

stairs in hall 1 to enter this balcony

14:05 14:25 REGISTRATION - RESILIENT CITIES LEADERS FORUM, LOCATION EMERALD ROOM

14:25 OFFICIAL START OF AIWW RESILIENT CITIES LEADERS FORUM,

14:25 14:50 OPENING SESSION


14.30 14:40 KEYNOTE PRESENTATION

DOMINIC WAUGHRAY - WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM, SWITZERLAND

14:40 14:50 Q & A

14:50 15:15 INTRODUCTION OF THE AFTERNOON, CITIES AND FIVE THEMES

15:15 15:50 HIGH LEVEL ROUND TABLE SESSIONS (PART 1)

15:50 16:00 FIRST ROUND OF REFLECTIONS

16:00 16:45 HIGH LEVEL ROUND TABLE SESSIONS (PART 2)

16.45 17:15 PLENARY DISCUSSION: OUTPUT FROM CHAIRMANS AND EXPERTS

17:15 17:20 CLOSING RESILIENT CITIES LEADERS FORUM


17:20 17:50 FINAL KEYNOTE AIWW CONFERENCE

*) programme may be subject to change


MIAMI

MODERATOR KEYNOTE SPEAKER

HENK OVINK

SPECIAL ENVOY FOR INTERNATIONAL WATER AFFAIRS,

THE NETHERLANDS

Henk Ovink was appointed by the Dutch Cabinet as the first

Special Envoy for International Water Affairs (2015). As the

Ambassador for Water, he is responsible for advocating water

awareness around the world, focusing on building institutional

capacity and coalitions amongst governments, multilateral

organizations, private sector and NGOs to address the worlds

stressing needs on water.

Henk is Principal for Rebuild by Design, the resilience innovation

competition he developed and led for the US Presidential

Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force where he was Senior

Advisor to the Chair. He has been Director General for Planning

and Water Affairs and Director for National Spatial Planning for

the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment.

He teaches at Harvard GSD and is member of the International

Advisory Board for the City of Rotterdam. He was Curator for

the 5th International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam 2012

Making City, curates the debate series Design and Politics: the

next phase for Aedes Network Campus Berlin and initiated the

research program and is chief editor of the series of publications

with NAI010 Publishers on Design and Politics.

DOMINIC WAUGHRAY

HEAD OF PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, MEMBER

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE, WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM,

SWITZERLAND

Dominic has led the environment and resource security agenda

at the World Economic Forum since 2006. Dominic has a degree

in Geography from the University of Cambridge (1992) and a

Masters in Natural Resource Economics from University College

London (1994). He was the inaugural natural resource economist

at the UK Natural Environment Research Council 1994-1998; and

was with the consultancy Environmental Resources Management

1998-2005, where he became Managing Partner.

In 2006 Dominic joined the World Economic Forum as the

inaugural Director of Environmental Initiatives to build the

Forums engagement in environment and resource security

issues. The World Economic Forum is now an established

contributor to the global environment agenda, in particular in

relation to promoting public-private cooperation. Current areas of

activity include Water Security, Climate Change and Sustainable

Growth /Circular Economy. In 2014 Dominic was invited to join

the World Economic Forums Management Committee to head

World Economic Forum public-private partnerships. Dominic is

an International Fellow of IIED; an Associate Fellow of the Royal

Institute of International Affairs; a Trustee of The Climate Group,

Chair of the 2030 Water Resources Group Executive Committee;

and Chair of the UNFCCC Momentum for Change Advisory Panel

on Climate Finance.


RESILIENT CITIES CASES

AMSTERDAM

BARISAL

BOSTON

BRISBANE

BYDGOSZCZ

CAPE TOWN

COPENHAGEN GDANSK

JAKARTALISBON

NEW YORK POZNANROTTERDAM

TORONTO


RESILIENT CITIES LEADERS FORUM ROUND TABLE CHAIRMEN

DESIGNING WITH WATER

ROELOF BLEKER

Roelof Bleker is chairman of te regional water authority

Rivierenland. This is the water authority with the largest task in

The Netherlands regarding the reinforcement and maintenance

of dikes and water retention to prevent flooding. In the planning

process the water authority is known for the involvement of

stakeholders and making use of design competitions. In

these projects a lot of technical innovations are used, that are

developed in cooperation with private partners.From 2001 until

2010 Roelof was an alderman for urban planning, housing and

culture in the city of Enschede. After the city was struck by a

major firework disaster he was responsible for rebuilding a large

area of the city. For this redevelopment plans and the resulting

new district, he won national and international awards in urban

planning and citizen participation.

WATER PARTNERSHIPS

CAROLIEN GEHRELS

Carolien Gehrels joined ARCADIS in 2014. She is the European

Director for the Big Urban Clients program in Continental Europe

on the local and regional economy of water-related projects.Teun

holds a master degree in environmental and natural resource

economics and has over 15 years of experience in water and

environmental projects in the Netherlands and abroad. He is

also member of the editorial board of the Journal of Water

Governance.

RESILIENT FINANCE

STEFAN NIJWENING

Stefan Nijwening is an expert in water governance, economics

and finance and has over 15 years of experience in a wide range

of water and resiliency projects and processes all over the world.

At the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure & Environment he worked

on the development of the Delta Program and the new flood risk

management policy in The Netherlands. Soon thereafter applying

this Dutch Delta Approach in New York as part of the Rebuild

by Design process and in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. The past

years, while working for financial and PPP consultancy company

RebelGroup, he shifted his attention towards water stewardship,

innovative business models and funding and financing water

and resiliency programs. At this moment, Stefan is the strategic

advisor for innovative partnership development at the Dutch

Water Authority Vechtstromen. Working closely with a wide range

of public and private sector stakeholders in the country-wide

Climate Active City movement that Water Authority Vechtstromen

has initiated.

and the city executive for Amsterdam/Rotterdam.

Carolien helps ARCADIS local urban teams generate integrated

and sustainable urban solutions that span across all of its

business lines.

Carolien has a degree in the Dutch language from

Groningen University, with a specialization in organizational

communications.She has served as a consultant for federal

entities and municipalities for the management consultancy

company Berenschot and as Director of Berenschot

Communications. In that role, she led the international city

marketing programs for Amsterdam and Maastricht and coined

and promoted the I Amsterdam strategy that is still successful.

She became an alderwoman and Deputy Mayor for the City of

Amsterdam in 2006. Her portfolio extends across: economic

affairs, art and culture, local media, participation, monuments,

infrastructure and water, business, competition and purchasing

BLUE ECONOMY

TEUN MORSELT

Teun Morselt is director of Blueconomy, a consultancy firm

specialized in sustainable economy (www.blueconomy.nl).

He started Blueconomy with the idea that water is not only

essential to live, but can also be seen as a key value driver to

urban economies. Many cities have come to the insight that

water within the city is a key-asset and potential money-maker

to SMEs along the riverside and shores. Blueconomy assists

municipalities and governments in assessing effects and impact

RESILIENT GOVERNANCE

GERHARD VAN DER TOP

Dr. ir. Gerhard van den Top is the Chairman of the Amsterdam

Regional Water Authority, In 2006 the Regional Water Authority

and the water departments of the City of Amsterdam merged

to form Waternet, the first integrated watercycle utility in the

Netherlands. Before joining the Water Authority, he served

as Managing Director of Vitens Evides International (VEI), an

international partner utility in the field of urban services, and

Executive Strategy Consultant for Shell Global Solutions, as

well as executive roles at the WWF College for Conservation

Leadership and World Wide Fund for Nature. He also held

a University Lecturer position at Leiden University in the

Netherlands. Dr. van den Top holds an Engineering Degree in

Tropical Land and Water Management from the Wageningen

Agricultural University, and a PhD in Environmental Science from

Leiden University.



CITY: AMSTERDAM

City representative:

Dr. ir. Gerhard van den Top

Chairman

Amsterdam Regional Water

Authority

Dr. Udo Kock

Alderman Water and Finance

City of Amsterdam


SUSTAINABLE AMSTERDAM

In Amsterdam working on resiliency initially started on a local

level. In several processes and initiatives within the city climate

change started to become an issue. The national Dutch Delta

Program was the trigger to analyze the climate issues in a

more integrated way. The city and the regional water authority

collectively put resiliency on the regional agenda by relating

climate change to water management and city planning issues. A

quick scan of the issues served to raise awareness and activate

stakeholders, both public and private.

Nowadays climate adaptation and resiliency is a part of the

sustainability agenda Sustainable Amsterdam. In different

programs we work on custom-made strategies and solutions

with specific stakeholder networks. The program Amsterdam

Rainproof focusses on mainstreaming the many small scale

green infrastructure measures in public and private physical

renewal projects. Therefore a combined public and private local

urban network is set up. While in Water Resilient Westpoort,

where we work on a better protection of critical infrastructure

against coastal and fluvial flooding, the network consists of the

national government, water authorities, provinces, the emergency

management organization, Port of Amsterdam and several big

public and private companies.

Amsterdams experience on resilient governance is shared in

many partnerships with cities worldwide, among others Sao

Paulo, Casablanca, Hanoi, Mumbai and Beijing. With other cities

there is an extensive knowledge exchange. Lessons learnt from

the 2011 cloudburst in Copenhagen and the 2012 hurricane

Sandy in New York are used to improve our own resilience

programs.


CITY: BARISAL


Mr. Ahsan Habib Kamal

Mayor City of Barisal


CLIMATE ADAPTATION PLAN AND VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS BARISAL

The city of Barisal is located in the Bangladesh delta at the

northern shore along the Kirtankhola river. Barisal is one of the

oldest municipalities in Bangladesh and holds a population of

approximately 300.000 inhabitants. In Barisal currently runs a

resilient city project: Climate adaptation plan and vulnerability

analysis Barisal.

This climate resilient city plan sponsored by KfW (German

Development Bank) and is innovative in the sense that it

rapidly works towards funding ready projects. Furthermore,

it is innovative in the sense that it is working with the SWISS

Re Climada model. This model maps the possible damage to

property value via different climate scenarios at district level

and 100 m grid level. With this Climada model more technical

and small innovative, non technical adaptation measures

are identified. These measures are prioritized along with all

relevant stakeholders and in addition to effectiveness and

efficiency. Also institutional feasibility of implementation and

long-term funding is evaluated. From the selection of measures,

a package of measures is distilled that maximizes the synergy

between economic growth (tourism) and urban development.

By developing packages of finance-ready key projects of these

measures are now being researched on feasibility.

This approach used to make Barisal more resilient to the effect

of climate change is innovative and will lead to faster deployment

than the typical master plan approach. Thus, the findings of this

approach are relevant to other cities and resilient city for the

Dutch government and other donors besides KfW.


CITY: BOSTON

CLIMATE READY BOSTON

In the fall of 2014, the GRC contracted with the Rebuild by

Design (RBD) organization to help design a long-term climate

preparedness planning process for the Greater Boston region.

The City of Boston and the Green Ribbon Commission (GRC)

have worked with the RBD team (after their role in the Sandy

Rebuilding Task Force )to adapt their process for the Boston

region, based on the unique characteristics of our region.

This planning process, now called Climate Ready Boston,

(CRB) will be led by Environment, Energy, and Open Space

Cabinet (EEOS) of the City of Boston in collaboration with

the GRC. It will provide a planning framework and technical

foundation for long-term climate preparedness in the City of

Boston, consistent with the Citys Climate Action Plan, approved

by Mayor Walsh in January, 2015. CRB will be undertaken in two

phases at a cost of about $3.5 million over two years. The project

will:

1. Clarify climate impact projections for the City of Boston;

2. Integrate and synthesize the many vulnerability assessments

already underway;

3. Identify high risk neighborhoods, infrastructure and physical

assets;

4. Develop solution strategies to address those risks. A public

engagement process is being developed to involve key

stakeholders, citizens, and policymakers.

Mr. Bud Ris

Senior Advisor

Barr Foundation

Green Ribbon Commission



1

1% Flood Hazard in Downtown Boston

450% increase in

Downtown and South Boston

Waterfront land at risk under the new floodplain

zones


IMAGE

Mr. Dr. Piet Filet

Convenor -

Flood Community of Practice

Brisbane


CITY: BRISBANE

BRISBANE

The location of Brisbane in a unique geographic intact catchment

area (13,700km2) is seeking solutions which will strengthen

the economic, socio-cultural and environmental position of this

urban area in the context of increasing threats to the reliability

of the annual supply of water resources. Longer droughts

combined with periods of intense heavy rainfall require a new

way of water management. Management for water resilience

needs to shift from managing for averages to managing for

a future where severe shocks can come at any time. Dealing

with this increased uncertainty needs to be incorporated in

the governance arrangement for the greater Brisbane region

where the annual demand is forecast to grow from 227,000ML

to 516,000ML over the next 30 years. Making the shift towards

strategic long term planning and transcending short term politics

is the valued pathway that is sought.

How does this pathway establish the following core features:

a leadership that sets the water resilience vision and is the

focus for a collaborative governance arrangement

a vision that has a duration that is enduring - and is

independent of the political cycle and is driven by an

engaged community perspective

establishes a political and community behavior that

ensures there is an enduring proactive commitment to

better manage the future impacts from future extreme water

events(periods of droughts and flood events)

liveability excellence for everyone: Where surplus water

underpins a vibrant region with lush sub-tropical avenues, all

year round use of outdoor smart-irrigated sporting fields

and fountains where people flock to celebrate and relax in

the splendour of a water resilient world City.



Mr. Rafal Bruski

Mayor of Bydgoszcz

Mr. Grzegorz Boron

Head of Environmental Units


CITY: BYDGOSZCZ

BYDGOSZCZ

Bydgoszcz, a city with c.a 360 thousand inhabitants,

harmoniously grows alongside the banks of the Brda and Vistula

rivers. The city and the rivers live in symbiosis, since people

use the properties of the Brda its beauty and energy in a

reasonable way, while the atmosphere of the city waterfront is

unique. The Bydgoszcz Water Junction system is one of the most

valuable legacies of the city and a main element of the water-way

linking eastern and western Europe.

For over 20 years Bydgoszcz has been implementing its

strategic approach of reconnecting the city to the water. It has

resulted in numerous development initiatives that enhance the

reputation of a water city: modern water and sewage treatment

plants, renovation of the city water supply system, regeneration

of Mill Island and river boulevards, a public water tram system,

construction of modern marina, hosting water events, and the

cultural tourist trail TeH2O, to name a few appealing ones. All

to create a vision of Bydgoszcz as the Water Capital City of

Poland.

By being actively involved in transnational european projects for

almost 10 years Bydgoszcz has gained knowledge derived from

participation in various EU programmes: LIFE, Europe for Citizen,

6th FP, but most actively in the Central Europe Programme.

Participation in these projects contributed to our revitalisation

programme for the City and initiated our involvement in climate

protection actions. The city has developed a programme for

climate policy, the vision is that Bydgoszcz would like to be an

energy-sustainable city by 2020, a leader in exploiting low-

emission technologies and enhancing climate protection. We

appreciate the bilateral cooperation with the Netherlands within

the Bydgoszcz Waterproof project, which has resulted in


elaboration of a set of water guidelines for spatial planners.

The immediate challenge for the city is regeneration of the rain

water system using innovative and climate friendly approaches.

There is still a lot of work ahead for Bydgoszcz:

1. Management of rainwater, rainwater retention, rainwater

analysis in catchments - a numerical model, planning

actions and investments on that basis.

2. Development of transport on the Vistula river, excellent

connection between the sea, the Baltic port in Gdansk and

the Kujawsko-Pomorskie region, the construction of the port

/ multimodal platform, the European Centre for Revitalisation

of Waterways.

3. The use of post-industrial heritage of the city related to

water, adaptation/reuse of the 19th century Rothers Mills for

new, contemporary urban functions, idea: Water gardens.

4. Development of water tourism, development of small

business on the waterfront.

5. Special protection of the cultural heritage of the city,

inclusion of the Bydgoszcz Canal on the UNESCO World

Heritage List.


CITY: CAPE TOWN


Ms. Belinda Walder

Alderman City of Cape Town


BUILDING RESILIENCE INTO CAPE TOWNS PLANNING

City of Cape Town, on a peninsula with a 300 km coastline at the

southern tip of Africa, is wrapped around Table Mountain National

Park, a World Heritage site, one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the

World. Cape Town is one of the few UNEP cities surrounding

a national park. The Cape Peninsula, a global hotspot for

biodiversity, lies within the Cape Floristic region, the smallest

of the six in the world but the richest. It has over 9000 plant

species, mainly Fynbos, with 70% of its species endemic. Rapid

urbanisation has surrounded the old formal parts of the city with

sprawling shack settlements creating a unique synthesis of urban

and rural elements around the protected natural space.

Global climate change means that Cape Town faces an increase

in sea level, storm surge frequency and intensity, extreme

weather events and heat stress, as well as shifting rainfall and

wind patterns that require mitigation and adaptive resilience.

Rising temperatures could alter the citys Mediterranean climate

to the point where its 9000+ unique plant species could become

extinct. Innovative management is needed for the citys already

scarce water supply.

With the longest urban coastline in South Africa, extensive

wetland coverage and often polluted urban watercourses,

Cape Town presents an important and logical case study for

the necessity of a water sensitive approach to managing and

designing the City. Building resilience into Cape Towns planning

is essential to provide safe living conditions for those living in

the low-lying, flood prone Cape Flats area and to protect the

irreplaceable floral kingdom.


CITY: COPENHAGEN


Ms. Lykke Leonardsen,

Head of Climate Unit,

Copenhagen Denmark


THE GAME CHANGER - Climate change adaptation in Copenhagen

Inspired by cities like New York, London and Rotterdam, in

2009 Copenhagen started working on the Climate Adaptation

Plan which got approved by the City Council in 2011. This plan

outlined the challenges the city faces as a result of changes in

the future climate and impact of weather.

In 2011 Copenhagen experienced heavy flooding following

periods of intense rainfall. This cloudburst showed its cities

vulnerability. Rainfall of 150 mm in 2 hours caused extensive

damage to critical infrastructure close to a billion euro. A game

changer it was, because of high political attention, change in

legislation and new finance mechanisms to enable surface

solutions were introduced. Copenhagen was prompted to

develop its citywide strategy on climate resilient and adaptation.

A Cloudburst Management Plan professionalized storm water

management. The utilities take care of the water management

on public land. The city takes care of space improvement in

connection with adaptation measures and private landowners

have to protect their own buildings and finance measures on

private land.

Modelling and data from events helped Copenhagen to create

a new infrastructure and follow the natural flow of water at the

same time. Over 300 projects, including project descriptions,

political processes and annual packages were implemented

in the plan. A business case showed a realistic future and the

financing adaptation in Denmark with mixed solutions improved

the cost flow.

The next step is adaptation. With a strong focus on urban spaces

and green adaptation and with the right cooperation and creation

the organization is setting up and projects are running.

This summer, after a cloudburst, one of our projects in the

Climate Quarter the new water park proved to be successful.

Copenhagen is on its way becoming a resilient city.


CITY: GDANSK

City representatives:

Mr. Wieslaw Bielawski

Deputy Mayor City of Gdansk

for Urban Policy

Ms. Joanna Bach-Glowinska

Head of Urban Initiatives

Laboratory at Gdansk

Development Agency

Associate Professor;

Department of Urban Design

and Regional Planning

at Gdansk University of

Technology


BACK TO THE WATER

Water has always been an important feature of Gdansks identity.

Over the centuries the city developed in sync with its seaside

and riverside location. As well as giving Gdansk a unique

advantage in trade, defence and food production, the Vistula, the

Motawa and the Baltic Sea provided opportunities for leisure and

entertainment. Water has helped the city open up to other parts

of the world and become a gateway for inviting new ideas. Fight

for freedom and independence has always been part of the spirit

of the people of Gdansk. Indeed, water is fundamental to the

history and identity of our city.

Centuries ago Gdansks waterside location made its residents

wealthy and supported the citys urban and architectural

development. We can still enjoy the citys waterfront panorama

on the Motawa river built back then. Following the decline in

trade in the 19th c., Gdansks waterside location was the driving

force behind its rapidly developing shipbuilding industry and

related industries. The trend continued after the hardships of

World War II, restricting access to the waterfront sites for the

residents.

With the social and economic transformation of the late 20th

c. which started in Gdansk in 1980 and global changes in the

capital market and industry, the city lost some of its ties with

water. As a consequence, waterfront sites were abandoned and

fell into disrepair. Water and waterfront were no longer used like

they were in the past.

Thanks to efforts undertaken by the city authorities Gdansk

began its journey back to the water. With new leisure and

tourist facilities, most of them delivered by the city authorities

(Coastal Belt, Motawa, revitalisation, marinas), the sites have

been a magnet for waterfront residential developments built by

the private sector (south part of the Granary Island, Szafarnia,

Brabank). The increasing waterfront activity and growing number

of flats has captured the interest of investors leading to the

development of the Gdansk port, ship repair yards and others.

Today, perhaps even more than in the old days, water is offering

a huge potential for creating attractive spaces for recreation,

living and industry and ensures that the people of Gdansk can

enjoy a high quality of life.


Mr. Dr. Ir. Purba Robert Sianipar

Senior Advisor to Minister on

Economics and Maritime


CITY: JAKARTA

JAKARTA, TOWARDS LONG TERM RESILIENCY

Jakarta is facing serious problems related to land subsidence

and corresponding flood risks from upstream water as well as

from the sea.To address the sinking of Jakarta, the National

Government and the province of Jakarta (DKI) completed the

National Capital Integrated Coastal Development (NCICD)

master plan in November 2014. The NCICD strategy consists

of a broad set of measures including strengthening and raising

the existing sea wall and in the long term the creation of an outer

sea wall defence in the form of the Great Garuda (the Great

Eagle, the National symbol of Indonesia). NCICD has been

accepted as the direction to address the coastal emergency by

development of the coastal zone of Jakarta. In December 2014

and August 2015 the special parliament committee confirmed

the strengthening of the current seawall (NCICD phase A),

which should be ready within 3 years, but also requested the

further evaluation of NCICD phase B and C that consists of

building a giant sea wall. This complex project, apart from the

huge investments it will require, contains numerous risks and

uncertainties for which scenario analysis is being ongoing.

The governor of Jakarta is clear about the approach: Jakarta

should use state-of-the-art, but proven technologies, based on

lessons learned from other cities.



IMAGE

Mr. Dr. Philip Stoddard

Mayor City of South Miami


CITY: MIAMI

FACING SEA LEVEL RISE

Absent long-range planning, coastal cities throughout the world

will undergo devastating economic collapse long before full

inundation renders them unlivable. The United States has never

successfully planned such an urban depopulation, however, we

have two examples of unplanned urban depopulation, neither of

which we would wish to use as a model moving forward:

In 2005, 90% of the New Orleans regions 1.4 million

residents evacuated in the face of Hurricane Katrina. Storm

waters breached the dikes and flooded the city. Half the

population applied for emergency shelter in the storms

aftermath. The U.S. Congress authorized $63 billion in

emergency and reconstruction aid.

The city of Detroit, Michigan depopulated for economic

reasons, declining from 1.8 million during its heyday as an

auto-manufacturing center, to approximately 700,000 people

at present. In 2013, Detroit filed for the largest municipal

bankruptcy in U.S. history. Tens of thousands of buildings

lie abandoned, lots are vacant, street lights are off, and

municipal services are marginal.

Gradual and orderly depopulation requires a planned retraction

and reconsolidation of the core economy, infrastructure, and

government to allow jobs, education, transportation, and

municipal services to continue while the area depopulates

gradually.My question for discussion is:

How can a coastal city such as Miami plan and execute such an

orderly depopulation as the sea rises?



Mr. Jacek Jaskowiak

Mayor City of Poznan

Mr. Bartosz Guss

Director Real Estate

Department

Mr. Mariusz Wisniewski

Deputy Mayor City of Poznan

Mr. Marcin Przylebski

Head of Investor Relations

Department


CITY: POZNAN

NEW SYMBIOSIS BETWEEN CITY AND RIVER WARTA

Pozna is one of the largest Polish cities, famous for

entrepreneurship, the lowest unemployment rate in Poland

and high quality of life. In the city situated by the Warta river

much attention is paid to development of riverside areas. The

Warta river integrates Pozna with local communes and is an

opportunity to strengthen the metropolitan area.

In the past, the river played an important role in spatial structure

of the city and was used for economic and tourist purposes.

Unfortunately as a result of decisions made in the 1970s, the

riverside areas have been forgotten. Owing to the Warta River

Development Strategy prepared in 2012, the city authorities took

firm actions to return Pozna to the river. A breakthrough came

in 2015, when riverside areas became the most popular place in

the city, passenger ships returned to the river, and in the summer

the inhabitants and tourists could visit city beaches, a harbour

and a motorboat rental.

Apart from seasonal activities, large investment projects are

planned simultaneously.

An inseparable element of the relation between the city and

the river are floods. In the history of Pozna, a couple of times

flood waters caused severe material losses, epidemics and

famines. Unfortunately, this risk is also valid today. River flows

are stabilized only to a limited extent by the impact of Jeziorsko

storage reservoir. The growing popularity of riverside areas and

navigation on the Warta river is favourable for discussion on the

future of the river.


One of proposed solutions is damming of Warta within the

boundaries of Pozna, to the ordinate of a high water average

(the present level of the upper limit of concrete strip). A stable

and broad river bed would enable implementation of many

interesting architectonic projects.

Currently, analyses are underway concerning the methods of

implementation of the investments, and financing opportunities.

In the course of research, solutions used in other cities,

especially Dutch ones, may prove useful.


IMAGE

Mr. Arnoud Molenaar

Chief Resilience Officer,

Manager Climate Proof

City of Rotterdam


CITY: ROTTERDAM

ROTTERDAM, IN TRANSITION TOWARDS A RESILIENT DELTA CITY

Cities are highly vulnerable to climate change, especially those

in coastal areas and river deltas. The effects of urbanization

and climate change are increasingly converging in dangerous

ways. How do we face these challenges and improve our

cities resilience and livability at the same time? Cities look for

integrated resilience strategies, technical innovations, new

coalitions and smart city planning. Water-sensitive urban design

is a key element in any citys development of climate resilience.

Rotterdam recently launched its climate resilience strategy,

based on an holistic approach. As the City implements its

climate change adaptation strategy, it develops a climate

proof environment while adding value to public space and

strengthening water and delta technologys economic value.

Over the last few years, the urban landscape was enriched

with several large-scale improvements like water squares and

220.000m2 of green roofs. Rotterdam has now reached the

phase of implementation on district level. In Zomerhofkwartier

(ZoHo), residents, housing associations, entrepreneurs and

many other stakeholders created an atmosphere of co-creation.

Catalyzed by the Benthemplein water square, ZoHo has become

a platform for creative initiatives, like depaving activities, rain

gardens and smart rain barrels. And in the process, climate

change adaptation drives increased social cohesion in the

district. Like many other cities, Rotterdam now also requires

city-wide deployment of small-scale solutions for successful

adaptation. In this perspective ZoHo is an interesting experiment

for us all.

How do we upscale ZoHo lessons and experience to other

districts? With urgent social challenges at the top of the list, what

adaptation drivers may help move other districts stakeholders?

What governance models and financial arrangement will suit

local situations? The need for a next step in climate resilience is

clear. This step will surely include integration of social challenges,

climate change, governance issues and transitions in energy

and digitization. Using its membership of 100 Resilient Cities

Rotterdams next step will surely be one towards a fully resilient

delta city.

Source: Gemeente Rotterdam, Arnoud Molenaar/Maarten de Vries

Title: Green Roof Festival - Rotterdam / Photo: Frank Hanswijk


Disclaimer:

The Resilient Cities Leaders Forum is part of the 2015

Amsterdam International Water Week (AIWW), held from

November 2th till November 6th 2015.

This years AIWW theme is:

Comprehensive Solutions for a Circular Economy and

Resilient Cities.

AIWW has a full program of high level meetings, debates

and dedicated sessions for Resilient Cities. As part of this

program the Resilient Cities Leaders Forum will mainly

cover the importance of a comprehensive approach

towards the role (and impact) of water in cities, flood

and drought security, sustainable development and the

worldwide growing importance of environment, social as

well as an economic growth.

Colophon:

Amsterdam International Water Week

Resilient Cities Leaders Forum - Brochure

Content and Concept:

Edyta Wisniewska, NWP - water & urban

Kevin Welling, NWP

www.internationalwaterweek.com

www.nwp.nl

The Hague, The Netherlands

October 30th, 2015

RESILIENT CITIES LEADERS FORUM EXPERTS TEAM

EDYTA WISNIEWSKA

+31 6 22 00 43 65

(MSc Architect and Urban

Planner) is an expert in water related

urban development with over 12

years of experience in urban and

water related projects and processes from around the world. Within

Netherlands Water Partnership, Edyta is responsible for developing

and executing strategies and initiatives aimed at integrating

planning and water management, as well as urban regeneration

and social sustainability at a global level.

ROB KOEZE

+31 6 52 53 46 45

(MSc in Environmental Science)

is strategic advisor at Waternet,

working both for the City of

Amsterdam and the Regional

public water authority Amstel, Gooi en Vecht. Rob coordinates the

contribution of Waternet in the Dutch national Delta Program, is

responsible for the Delta strategy for the Amsterdam Region and

the Program Amsterdam Water Resilient. The program aims to

initialize resilient spatial developments with special emphasis on

critical infrastructure. He has been working as a water management

consultant, both in the Netherlands and abroad, and in the public

domain.

KEVIN WELLING

+ 31 6 25 46 18 91

(BSc Urban Planner) has 15 years

of experience working for several

leading dutch urban design and

architectural studios as senior

designer and project leader. Working like a team player on small

scale urban renewal projects and on large scale masterplans, in the

Netherlands and Asia. Within his work Kevin is always seeking the

sustainable solution, social and environmental.

RESILIENT CITIES LEADERS FORUM

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