An Integrated Approach to Urban Sustainability Planning

Project Summary:

The project aimed to support improved efficiency, greater resilience, and increased competitiveness in busy urban centers worldwide. Rapid urbanization makes it difficult for cities to develop in a safe, sustainable way. It should come as no surprise that knowledge from city leaders around the globe is one of the best ways to ensure that urban centers can overcome the fiscal and capacity constraints that hinder green growth. This project aimed to support and improve efficiency, greater resilience, and increased competitiveness in busy urban centers in Uruguay. This KGGTF/KGGP-funded program supported the Global Programs unit of the World Bank Group—a division that connects Bank operational teams with relevant knowledge from both within and without the Bank.

List of Activities:

• Kick off of pilot selection
• Final Selection of pilots for FY16
• Data collection and stakeholder consultation in FY16 pilot cities
• Finalize diagnostics and deliver to client cities
• Final Selection of pilots for FY17
• Data collection and stakeholder consultation in pilot cities
• Finalize diagnostics and deliver to client cities

Outcomes:

Output 1:

• Use developing new knowledge products to inform operations - Use of knowledge products

Output 2:

• Incorporate planning approach into pipeline projects

Output 3:

• Minimum 3 projects prepared and approved by WB

Outcomes:

The expected outcome was to operationalize within up to five Bank projects new knowledge, tools and capacity building that enabled selected cities to better plan for, and implement, efficient, resilient and competitive growth (for example through investments to ease capacity constraints, reduce emissions, improve air quality, increase benefits of public transit, strengthen resilience, improve financial sustainability, etc.)  The outcomes varied by city based on specific needs, opportunities and priorities. The project had a scaling effect by demonstrating the feasibility of these activities within Bank operations, which helped increase business development leading to improved and more sustainable planning in cities.

Collaboration with K-Partners and Others:

• WBG internal partners: Program Managers, Country Management Units, Climate Change CCSA, Environment and Natural Resources GP, Trade and Competitiveness GP, Global Facility for Disaster Risk and Recovery (GFDRR)
• K-Partners:  KRIHS is partnering with the unit on the incremental housing toolkit.  Seoul and KRIHS are partners in Metrolab and hosted the spring 2014 event in Seoul.  Strong relationships with Korean institutions and the presence of Korean secondees have enabled the unit to connect different Bank teams and activities with Korean experience in a myriad of formal and informal ways.  Given this longstanding and multi-faceted partnership with Korea, the Global Programs unit is particularly well placed to bring in Korean experience and to directly connect activities with Korean partner organizations.
• Other external partners: AECOM, C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, UN-Habitat, UNISDR, Inter-American Development Bank, the Rockefeller Foundation and its 100 Resilient Cities Centennial Challenge, and ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability.