Singapore - The sustainable development of cities has emerged as a key challenge with urbanization occurring on an unprecedented scale, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Tuesday. "Good governance is vital in tackling this challenge, and achieving the right balance between economic growth, environmental protection, and high quality of life for urban dwellers," Lee told delegates to three related events - Singapore International Water Week, the World Cities Summit and the East Asia Summit Conference on Liveable Cities.
"The stakes are high and we have to get it right early," Lee told 6,000 government officials, scientists, industry experts and business leaders from more than 70 countries. "The welfare of our peoples depends on how well we harness our collective ideas."
Noting that all cities strive for clean air, clean water, good living environment and efficient use of resources, Lee said, "These goals cannot be achieved in isolation. They require a holistic approach, integrated with sound urban management policies."
Cities can improve their energy efficiency by encouraging use of public transport instead of cars, and not over-cooling or over-heating buildings, Lee said.
"To achieve results in energy efficiency and conservation, it is important to get the economics right," Lee said. "Energy, whether electricity or petrol, should be priced properly and not subsidized."
Increasing numbers of cities and countries regard access to water as a "security concern and a trigger of conflict," he said
"Global warming can aggravate this by altering existing water distribution patterns, intensifying drought and disrupting the lives of millions," Lee noted.
A major problem in many Asian cities is air quality," Lee said.
"The pollutants spread far and wide, borne on the winds for hundreds or even thousands of kilometres," he said. "Such trans-border challenges require us to look beyond local strategies and work closely with one another."
To manage growth well at the macro-level, cities need long-term vision and proactive planning, Lee said. At the micro-level, cities need a robust regulatory framework to prevent unbridled expansion and to control pollution and congestion.
The events over four days include more than 20 high-level meetings and workshops.
Cities summit delegate Rajendra Kumar, the deputy general manager at the Reserve bank of India, said he hopes to take some lessons back with him to India, where waves of rural dwellers are migrating to the cities.
"This puts a lot of strain on housing, the provision of water, sanitation, transport and infrastructure," he said.
Seven business forums are part of the agenda, with the focus on China, India, Japan, South-East Asia, Australia, Europe and the Middle East.
