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Distinguished Leaders Dialog Series

Earth - A Planet in Peril
The Challenge: Building Sustainable Cities
Inaugural Distinguished Leader Dialogue Series
Public Policy Center
Tuesday, February 3, 2004
School of Architecture Auditorium

Keynote Speaker: The Honorable Jeremy Harris, Mayor, City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii

WELCOME REMARKS
Richard A. Dubanoski, Dean
University of Hawaii, College of Social Sciences

Dean Dubanoski gave a brief introduction of the Public Policy Center, which was started a few a years ago in the College of Social Sciences. He explained ways the Center is working to enhance the quality of life in our community, region, and nation. These include:

A new Public Policy Graduate Certificate program.
Research.
Community engagement/involvement which activities include this event (the Inaugural Distinguished Leader Dialogue Series.

INTRODUCTION TO SERIES AND SPEAKERS
Susan Chandler, Director
Public Policy Center

Distinguished UH Panel:

Dr. Nancy Davis Lewis, Director of Research Program, East West Center
Dr. Stephen Meder, Associate Professor, University of Hawaii School of Architecture
Linda Colburn, Moderator and professional facilitator with "Where Talk Works."

SLIDE PRESENTATION BY MAYOR HARRIS

The Mayor's slide presentation included data and indicators that point to an Earth in crisis. The Mayor asserted that we can prevent catastrophic results by developing sustainable cities. He presented details on how this can be done and how we can avert the impending global crisis. The following are highlights of his presentation:

1. Global and regional population growth:

The current global population of 6.3 billion people is projected to increase to nearly 9 billion by the year 2050.
There is a projected decrease in birth rates from 2.83 to 2.02 children per family in 2050, however, the birth rate in developing countries is still increasing.
There is longer life expectancy--people are expected to live to between 65-74 years of age in 2050.
World population is expected to level out to 11 billion in last half of this century.
Developed nations will become 12% of the world's population in 2050.
Population in the least developed counties will double between 2000-2050.

2. Urbanization and the rise of mega-cities:

Today's urban population is the same size of the earth's TOTAL population in 1960.
The numbers of cities are increasing and the number of people in those cities is increasing.
A mega-city is a city that includes a population of at least 10 million people.
By 2015 there will be over 20 mega cities (mostly in the Asia-Pacific region)

3. Poverty, urban and rural:

With environmental degradation increasing, the results are less sanitation and significant increase in chronic disease.
900 million people are living in slums - this will double in 30 years
Cities are growing at a rate of 1 million people a week.
People are escaping rural areas because lands are being farmed out.
People come to the city to find a job, medical care, etc. and many end up not finding work and end up living in poverty
The richest 20% of the world's population is receiving 85% of world's income. The poorest 20% of the world's population is living on 1.4% of the world's income
When people move to cities, the costs of public transportation, housing, water, garbage collection, and childcare, etc., all increase.

4. Environmentally caused disease:

40% of the world's deaths are attributed to environment, for example: air pollution from industry, cooking, the "Asian Brown Haze." Respiratory disease is the leading cause of death in China.
7% of the world's deaths are due to lack of sanitation, for example: raw sewage and the lack of clean water.
It costs billions of dollars for counties to deal with these environmentally caused diseases.
Over 20 million people have died of HIV/AIDS in just 20 years.

5. Ecological footprint of cities:

The ecological footprint of a city is the area needed to produce food and fiber and energy necessary to support its population.
We are currently in deficit. The U.S. consumes more than it produces and the U.S. requires more hectares than any other country.
The amount of crops, animals and bio-matter we extract each year exceeds what the planet can replace by 20%.
Resource use and environmental consumption needs to be reduced.

6. Energy issues:

The U.S. economy is based on high consumption, compared with a country like China
Energy consumption and non renewable energy (burning oil, gas, etc.) is increasing in the U.S., but developing countries' rate is growing faster. This produces carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases that pollute the air.
More than 85% of our energy comes from fossil fuels and the future looks worse: By 2020 reliance on fossil fuels will increase by 32% (U.S.).
Americans consume twice as much energy per person as the British, French, Swedes, Norwegians, or Japanese.
2.5 billion people don't have access to modern energy sources.
In Asia the demand for primary energy will double every 12 years.

7. Air pollution and global warming:

All of these factors contribute towards global warming (disrupts water patterns, impacts coastal areas, spreads infectious disease, affects agricultural production).
The U.S. emits more greenhouse gases per person than any other country in the world.

8. Natural resource consumption and deforestation:

More than half of the grain produced in industrialized and some developing countries is fed to livestock.
The over grazing of cattle is a major cause of desertification.
Deforestation - 80% of the earth's forests are gone - with the trees being used for energy, cooking, and agricultural land.
Tropical forests being depleted as well.
From 1940 to 1976, Americans consumed more mineral resources than the amount consumed by all humanity up until that time.

9. Water stress and water pollution:

We are in a water stress, or water shortage situation.
As the population increases, there will be insufficient fresh water available.
Agriculture uses creates an increased demand for water.
Polluted water requires even more water in order to dilute the pollution.

10. Habitat destruction and biodiversity trends:

Overfishing - 90% of the world's predatory fish have been wiped out
Habitat destruction - 36,000,000 acres are being destroyed annually, and an increase in the number of species that are being threatened with extinction.
Many rivers don't reach the oceans anymore. More than 20% of the freshwater fish are being over fished or becoming extinct.
Loss of biodiversity - habitat destruction and rates of extinction are unmatched in recent years. All ecosystems are in a steady decline.

11. Sustainable Cities are the answer:

The solution to the problems cited above is to focus on building sustainable cities.
Recycle resources, build reliable transportation systems that don't depend on non-renewable energy, recycle waste, etc.
Reduce the ecological footprint of our economy to improve the environment.
Conservation and re-use - it's technically possible.
Good environmental policy is good economic policy.
Develop economies that are sustainable.
Model cities after natural ecosystems where all components are interconnected into a stable system.
If we don't do anything about the situation, with so many people living on the edge, we could face a catastrophic realignment of human civilization within the next 50 years.

DR. NANCY LEWIS (respondent)

Dr. Nancy Lewis is a geographer and is trained in public health. She has been involved in international activities that address sustainability science. Her brief remarks puts the Mayor's presentation in a global context. She spoke historically about the Stockholm summit (Conference on Environment), the Bundtland Commission, the Rio Earth Summit, and the Johannesburg summit.

She explained that today's international development agenda is embodied in Millennium Development Goal 7 which relates to critical sustainability of the environment. She also talked about the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment which is assessing the current and future ability of ecosystems to meet human needs for goods and services. The focus is on environmental, social and economic sustainability. There is increased disparity between the haves and the have-nots both within and between countries. The U.S. has the highest levels of income inequality of any civilized country.

She ended by identifying Millennium Goal 3 which is designed to promote gender equality and empower women. Quoting Kofi Annan, she noted "there is not a tool more effective for development than the education of girls." State of the World's Children 2004, UNICEF.

In summary she concluded that there needs to be 10-fold decrease in resource consumption in developing countries in order to sustain ourselves in the future. Science and technology are only part of the answer. We must increase the efficiency with which we use energy, natural resources and other materials and decrease consumption.

DR. STEPHEN MEDER (respondent)

Dr. Stephen Meder is an Associate Professor in the School of Architecture at the University of Hawaii. Highlights of his presentation were:

The Center for Disease Control has looked at issues such as depression, disease, and obesity and how they are all linked to sprawl.
Solar Energy Potential. Of the top 5 states in the country, Hawaii is the leader for having opportunities in the areas of renewable/green energy- especially photovoltaic generated electricity. e.g. solar electrical, solar thermal, wind, geothermal, biomass, OTEC, SWAC, wave power.
We now have computational design tools to assist architects and engineers in creating more energy and resource efficient buildings that improve the quality of life of the people in and around them. more information on shadings on building, etc., to better design buildings. Solar energy can be a driving force in building design.
Need to reinvest in what we already have in urban centers. Solar energy panels can be installed on existing rooftops and the spaces between them.
Temperatures are going up (global warming) and sea levels are rising.
He estimates an increase in sea level by the year 2100.
He showed the audience a series of animations - now and in 2100-that depict the effect of sea level rise on Honolulu's waterfront. In the animations, the airport is inundated as are areas of downtown Honolulu and Waikiki. However, if we can stabilize global emissions by the year 2050, this will reduce the rising sea level by 28%.

QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION (moderated by Linda Colburn)

Q: Is the city developing a report card on the 5 areas of a sustainable economy? The five areas include: economy, energy, fuel energy (transportation), land use planning, and natural resources (ability to recycle wastes).
A: The Mayor responded that they are not really developing a report card, but the city has goals that are well on their way. He cited examples including: light emitting diodes on traffic signals, hydrogen power park at Kapolei, and his networking with other Mayors in the Asia and Pacific region. .

Q: What kind of policies (incentives/disincentives) does the city have in place that will encourage a sustainable city? Are there limits to urbanization?
A: The Mayor responded that all Oahu communities have sustainable community plans that establish urban growth boundaries and contain policies and incentives to locate urban uses in existing urban centers. He explained that he would like to freeze prime agricultural lands in perpetuity; however, this has met with political opposition. His planning director commented that the City Council zoning committee had just deferred action on Bill 74, which calls for the adoption of a primary urban center. People were asked to testify on February 18, 2004.

Q: Air Conditioning is a waste of resources. What are construction alternatives to air conditioning? Will you comment on your (Mayor's) assumption that the flight to urban centers will continue? What are the underlying reasons for the flight to urban centers? Why are you not looking at the county holistically? Why do you see it as urban or rural?
A: Meder explained that the perspective of waste is embedded in our culture. We need to first reduce the amount of energy and water that we use. We also need to develop conservation in our overall designs and look at it in a holistic way. This can reduce a lot of energy. We can also apply energy we are using in the most efficient way possible, e.g. seawater cooling.

The Mayor commented that the cheapest kilowatt of energy we can produce is the one we save. We need to decrease consumption. Geothermal reserves on Big Island are enormous. We can be a world model of a city that can exist on renewable energy. Take into consideration a change in behavior. The reality is that most of the reaction will take place in Asia. They are inundated to meet current needs. Population is growing faster than the resources. They're devoid of resources or the tools to meet existing needs, much less the future needs. Our government isn't setting the example - they're going after the fossil fuels.

Q: Population growth has been a public policy taboo topic. How can we bring the population issue to the forefront?
A. Population growth is not a taboo subject in the international arena. Family planning has been successful in much of the world, including many parts of Asia. It is interesting to look at the different states in India, for example, they have very different fertility rates.

Q: How will the City and County reduce incentives and subsidies to developers and make them pay for the cost of their development?
A. Special fees for waste water, off site costs, facilities charges. The Mayor would like to charge a one time special (real property) tax for land that is rezoned and urbanized. The money would come back to the community to provide off site improvements such as schools, but this faced difficult political hurdles.

Q: Can an ordinance be changed that's contrary to conservation? For example: the city requires hook up to Laie's new Sewage Treatment Plant.
A: Not in the Laie case. The best regulation of population growth is education and economic prosperity. Developed countries are going to have diminishing populations. Developing countries are the ones with problems as they will continue to grow in population.

Q: Is there an inherent conflict between the American dream and sustainable development?
A: This is an issue that involves people living with more; it's not about living with less. You have to see yourself as a part of a bigger picture. The original definition of the American dream involved the accumulation of resources and had less to do with measures of happiness. Now, people are people are not valuing the things they once thought they needed to be happy. It's unfortunate that it's taken us 50 years to come to that realization.

Q: The "Free Energy" concept has been destroyed because it tapped energy from our electromagnetic field. The concept has been taken out of textbooks because it would not allow the making of money in the production of energy. How are we supposed to produce renewable energy when we live in a capitalist society?
A: Energy companies have done everything they could to discourage people from moving away from fossil fuels. We've waited until the last minute to make the shift. Less consumption and less dependence on resources are essential if we are to move forward. Developing countries aren't focusing on this aspect because they have a whole different set of challenges to deal with. We need to change our basic values.

CLOSING REMARKS BY DOLORES FOLEY
Dolores Foley thanked all participants and speakers in this inaugural event. She also announced that there will be a community dialog on March 9, 2004. The topic is: The Challenge of Urbanization in Asia and the Pacific. The Mayor, Michael Douglas (Director of the Globalization Resource Center), and Jim Spencer (assistant professor, Political Science and the Department of Urban and Regional Planning will be the speaker.

Focus Areas

Distinguished Leaders Dialog Series