Joining representatives of over 180 countries together with observers from intergovernmental and nongovernmental organisations, and the media, the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) organised, along with Global Carbon Project (GCP) and National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), an official side-event at the United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Bali, Indonesia.The two-week meeting from 3-14 December included sessions of the Conference of the Parties COP 13/CMP3 to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), its subsidiary bodies, as well as the Meeting of the Parties of the Kyoto Protocol. The AIT session conducted on 6 December was entitled: Carbon Management in Cities: Gaps in Policy Discussions and Scientific Understanding. Attended by over 100 people, the session chaired by AIT’s Dean of the School of Environment and Resources, Development (SERD), Prof S Kumar, opened up discussions on the importance and role of cities regarding carbon management for mitigating global climate change.Scientists at the event agreed that more thrust ought to be given to urban issues surrounding the global climate debate. Specifically, this means attaching greater importance to not only mitigation at city scale but also to the adaptation measures of cities. Participants to the event heard that carbon management in urban areas is an essential component for addressing climate change. Indeed, the overarching theme of the entire session held that, cities must now lead the climate change agenda.Executive Director of GCP, Dr Shobhakar Dhakal, highlighted importance of urban carbon management in the context of global carbon management. He informed that recent urbanisation has been unprecedented in terms of speed and size and that urban areas now contribute to 70-85% of the global CO2 emissions. This figure is expected to grow significantly due to the rapid urbanisation in developing countries, especially in Asia. Although the response from science and urban policy makers in the past has been relatively weak, there was a view that opportunities will open up for carbon management at city scale in the future.Presenting a paper on “Carbon Emissions and Mitigation: Lessons from Cross-City Analyses in Asia”, AIT’s Prof Ram M Shrestha said that cities can reduce carbon emissions if proper policy directions are backed by sound scientific information. Instruments and tools, however, might vary across cities.

He also presented lessons of cities in Asia and discussed the role and implications of various policy instruments (including carbon tax) using Thailand as an example.Adding to the debate was Dr Richard Dawson of Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, who presented a paper titled “Beyond emissions: Scientific Challenges in Understanding Cities and Climate Change”. He shared Tyndall Centre’s work in London and suggested that innovative approaches to adaptation and mitigation can be developed by evidence-based integrated assessment of cities and climate change. Dr Dawson was of the view that the scientific community can provide the knowledge necessary for city authorities to act.Striking a similar theme in a paper titled, “The need for Pragmatic Carbon Management: Bridging the Science/Policy Divide at the Local Government Level”, Dr Debra Roberts of EThekwini Municipality (City of Durban), emphasised the importance of adaptation and mitigation issues for her city and information that decision makers need from science to develop appropriate policies.Speakers emphasised that cities should now take the lead on the global climate change agenda, both in terms of mitigation and adaptation. But this should be reinforced by adequate scientific information required for any sound policy making. Participants also discussed the need to link and improve communication amongst ongoing initiatives on the scientific and policy fronts, such as the C-40 initiative and others.Questions raised by participants concerned the impacts of polices such as carbon tax and biofuels for carbon management. Onlookers were reminded that recent studies have shown that biofuels may not be as carbon friendly as was previously thought. Similarly, discussions were held on the motivating factors for developing country cities for local carbon management. Cities are not only the source of carbon but are also at threat from adverse impacts attributable to climate change. Some cities like Durban and London have already witnessed this fact, so an integrated climate assessment for both mitigation and adaptation can help city policymakers, speakers said.The UNFCCC is an international environmental treaty produced at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), informally known as the Earth Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. The treaty is aimed at reducing emissions of greenhouse gas in order to combat global warming.For further information on AIT visit www.ait.ac.th