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Green growth, resources and resilience: Environmental sustainability in Asia and the Pacific
Posted on: 21 February 2012
By: mackene
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The UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) have released a report asserting that the challenges of resource constraints in the Asia-Pacific region are more serious than anywhere else, and proposing strategies for changing economic incentives to promote a green economy. The report was prepared as part of preparations for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20). The report consists of six chapters. Chapter 1 describes the evolving policy landscape in which rising demand for resources, together with increasingly apparent impacts from climate change, are bringing together economic, social and environmental crises. It warns that if current trends continue, the carbon dioxde emissions of the region are likely to more than triple by 2050. Chapter 2 includes a detailed examination of resource use and efficiency trends. Chapter 3 outlines policy actions for bringing economic growth strategies into closer alignment with the objectives of sustainable development. Chapter 4 describes how new governance challenges can be addressed internationally, regionally, nationally and locally. Chapter 5 includes strategies to promote increased resilience, enabling societies and economies to resist and adapt to shocks. The sixth and final chapter comments on the implications of the report for the two themes of Rio+20, “green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication” and “the institutional framework for sustainable development.”
The future of performance management post HRA reform
Posted on: 17 February 2012
By: mackene
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Following the abolition of the subsidy system this April, there will be a complete shift in the accountability of financial decisions from central government to local authorities. Being able to demonstrate excellent performance will be key for local authorities and Arms Length Management Organisations (ALMOs) as the new self financing system has the potential to link poor performance to the quality of tenants’ homes and expose poor decision making. This briefing outlines the processes that local authorities and ALMOs should have in place linking accurate forward looking performance data to key business planning decisions. It marks a renaissance in performance measures, as they become a highly valued source of accurate information that will help local authority and ALMO business plans remain solvent.
The riot report: How housing providers are building stronger communities
Posted on: 17 February 2012
By: mackene
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The Chartered Institute of Housing, the National Housing Federation and Inside Housing have jointly published a briefing paper which highlights how housing providers are helping to build stronger, safer communities.
Principles for nearly zero-energy buildings: Paving the way for effective implementation of policy requirements
Posted on: 15 February 2012
By: mackene
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The re-cast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) requires that from 2019 onwards ‘all the new buildings occupied and owned by public authorities are nearly zero-energy buildings’ (nZEB) and by the end of 2020 ‘all new buildings are nearly zero- energy buildings’. The European Member States ‘shall draw up national plans for increasing the number of nZEBs. Concepts and examples for nearly Zero-Energy or climate neutral buildings already exist in various countries and from different sources. However the views on how such buildings should be defined, and the means and techniques to achieve specific national targets show considerable differences across Europe. The definition of nZEB in the EPBD recast offers flexibility, but at the same time leaves uncertainties on the actual ambition level and CO2-emissions of such buildings.
Following its main mission to contribute to the improvement of the buildings’ energy performance across Europe, the Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE) started in December 2010 a study to support the EPBD implementation by developing a well-founded opinion on principles for nearly Zero-Energy Buildings, based on the current status and on existing concepts for low energy buildings. The nZEB study is designed to lead to: a common understanding of the issue around nearly zero energy buildings; knowledge on possible solutions to pending questions; proposals for suitable definitions; a clear view on the effects of such definitions; and a comparison of the results and recommendations for the steps towards common understanding of this term throughout of the EU.
Presentations from the launch event, held in Brussels on 11 November 2011, are also available.
Cities and flooding: A guide to integrated urban flood risk management for the 21st century
Posted on: 15 February 2012
By: mackene
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Urban flooding is a serious and growing development challenge for fast growing low and middle-income countries in East Asia, underscoring an urgent need to build flood risk management into regular planning of cities and towns, according to a new World Bank guidebook. The book provides operational guidance on how to manage the risk of floods in the face of urbanization, growing populations and long-term climate change trends.
Local Enterprise Partnerships
Posted on: 15 February 2012
By: mackene
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On 28 October 2010, the Government announced 24 partnerships that were ready to move forward and establish their local enterprise partnership boards. A further 15 partnerships have been announced since October. An overview of each of the local enterprise partnerships, along with a coverage map for each area, is available online.
Inexpensive progress? A framework for assessing the costs and benefits of planning reform
Posted on: 13 February 2012
By: mackene
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A new report, commissioned by the Campaign to Protect Rural England, the National Trust and the RSPB, considers the argument that the planning system holds back economic growth. The concludes that while there are costs in some sectors, there is no evidence that planning has large, economy-wide effects on productivity or employment and that the draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is unlikely therefore to have much effect on growth.
The impacts of London 2012: Researching the supply chain challenges for the UK events industry
Posted on: 9 February 2012
By: mackene
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The International Special Events Society (ISES) UK has published the findings of a study into the supply chain challenges facing the events industry in 2012. The research has been focused on identifying what actions have been taken so far to increase supply capacities over a period that covers major events such as the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the Olympics, Paralympics and the Cultural Olympiad. It is hoped that this research will offer and inform decision makers in the UK events industry on how to face the challenges of a supply-constrained environment.
Build to let: Rethinking the use of housing benefit to help families out of temporary accommodation
Posted on: 9 February 2012
By: mackene
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The New Local Government Network has published a report that reveals London’s boroughs could build a new generation of council houses, avoid disrupting the lives of poorer citizens and save money for the Exchequer in the process. This could allow them to build 9500 new homes for London and save £56m in the process.
Non-mainstream housing guidance: a literature review
Posted on: 9 February 2012
By: mackene
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Given the plethora of design guidance in existence for non mainstream housing client groups, including older and vulnerable people, this publication is the result of a review commissioned by the Homes and Communities to help investment partners, project commissioners, local authorities and designers decide which design advice would be most useful for their project. The purpose of the exercise was to bring together the range of existing guidance and to direct partners to the most relevant design guidance for a specific development type or user group.
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