18 Nov 2009, 08.15 - 13.30,
Museum Bank Mandiri, Jl. Lapangan Stasiun No.1 - Kota

Reggy Hasibuan likes to joke around. The International Climate Champion even published his comedy video on YouTube. His skits induce quite a few smiles. But the man from Malang, East Java, is not joking at all when launching the initiative project “The Green Municipality of Malang” with mentor Amol Titus, CEO of IndonesiaWISE (Winning, Innovation, Sustainability, Excellence) and member of the Climate Advisory Committee. Reggy envisions transforming Malang as the first ‘green city’ in Indonesia.

A city can be termed an eco city when its local laws adopt ecologic and social justice values. As a rule of thumb, the city reduces its dependence on fossil fuels and synthetic chemical materials, cuts down on environmental damages, and fulfils its citizens’ needs fairly and efficiently.

The question is whether this idea is not too elitist and expensive for Indonesia. Whoever would be the propeller, bureaucratic party, or would small communities ready to work hard on practical actions suffice? Reggy and his team have prepared a concrete guide addressing those questions in the workshop on 18 November 2009. And of course, he is also seeking for invaluable feedbacks from the audience.

In The UK, several cities are already on the move towards becoming eco cities. A new study conducted by Forums for the Future suggests that although the environmental messages are spread across the country, some cities develop more progressively compared to others. The study measures the quality of life (employment rate, health and education) and the green credentials (recycling facilities, energy efficiency, carbon dioxide emission, air quality and the environmental policies (initiatives and commitments to counter climate change in the long run).

On the forefront are Brighton and Hove, followed by Edinburgh. The top five of the greenest cities are relatively prosperous. London, due to its size, tends to produce a higher level of carbon dioxide compared to other cities. However, it still manages to earn the tenth place in the rank because of its policies to address the climate change. For example, London has the second lowest transportation footprint figures, due to the high usage rate of public transportations. The lowest green credit goes to Liverpool because of the bad air quality and the lack of vision towards countering climate change.

UK’s experiences are beneficial case studies for the birth of green cities in Indonesia.