The 9th Regional Workshop on Integrated Resource Management in Asian Cities: The Urban Nexus marked the end of a 6-year success story of integrated resource management in 12 cities in South and South East Asia. The Urban Nexus project was implemented by GIZ in partnership with UNESCAP and ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability and funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The workshop, held on 22-23 May 2019 was attended by more than 100 delegates from project countries including India, Indonesia, Mongolia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. Also in attendance were non-project country participants from the Nexus Regional Dialogue in the MENA region and the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC).

In his welcome remarks, Dr. Alexander Raubold, Economic and Commercial Counsellor of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, said: “A lot has been achieved in the six years of intensive collaboration between the 12 Nexus partner cities and the 7 Nexus partner countries. More than 55 cross-sectoral Nexus infrastructure investment projects amounting to more than USD 600 million have been elaborated and presented to respective financing organizations such as national governments and donors. Smaller investment projects below USD 1 million have been taken up by the Municipalities and financed within their own budgets.”

The two-day workshop featured multi-stakeholders dialogue on successful implementation by cities advancing innovative, integrated resource management solutions through the application of the Nexus approach. This aims to integrate the planning and management processes of the energy, water and food/land sectors, minimizing trade-offs and optimizing synergies. Best practices between cities, regional/provincial and national governments, meso-level organizations, the private sector, international financing organizations, and academia were shared. Linking the activities with the Global Agendas such as the SDG’s and the Paris Climate Agreement was also emphasized.

With the conclusion of Urban Nexus project, Emani Kumar, Deputy Secretary General of ICLEI (Local Governments for Sustainability) and Executive Director of ICLEI South Asia, pushed away the worries, stating that “this is not the end but the beginning of Nexus. It is just about to unfold.”

From the article “Safeguarding finite water-energy-land resources for future generations” by: Ruth Erlbeck, (GIZ Project Integrated Resource Management in Asian cites: the Urban Nexus, published at www.thai-german-cooperation.info/en_US/)

BANGKOK, THAILAND - The Eight Regional Workshop on “Integrated Resource Management in Asian Cities: the Urban Nexus” held in Bangkok, Thailand from November 14 to 16, 2018 was organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP) in partnership with German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) and Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI) with the theme, “Leveraging Innovation and Broadening Stakeholder Engagement to Build the Business Model for Urban Nexus Efforts.”

More than 80 participants from China, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines attended the event. Included in the delegation from the Philippines was the BISCAST Team comprised of the College President, Dr. Richard H. Cordial, Engr. Analyn A. Madrid, Ms. Xiela Patricia B. Azañes, and German consultant, Mr. Werner Haberzettl.

The event included an interactive market place session where eight cities served as “sellers” of Nexus solutions, presenting their “products” through posters. Workshop participants served as “buyers” and were given time to visit each market stall. Naga City and BISCAST, represented by Mr. Werner Haberzettl presented the CCRPH to the buyers who mainly asked about the project’s status, implementation challenges, and costs.

The workshop highlighted the role of the academe in promoting innovation and sustainability through Urban Nexus Approach towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable

The Nexus Center through its Nexus Focal Person, Engr. Analyn A. Madrid, represented BISCAST in providing valuable inputs along sustainability and resilience agenda during the workshops sponsored by the leading international organizations in addressing issues on sustainability and resilience.

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and UN-Habitat together with the City Government of Naga spearheaded the Strategic Planning Workshop for Localizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Naga City last 1-2 October 2019. The activity was undertaken as part of the implementation of the project, “Localizing the 2030 Agenda through a Sustainable Urban Resource Management (SURM) Approach”. It specifically focused on solid waste management and livelihood opportunities. Naga City is one of five pilot cities in the Asia-Pacific Region chosen as beneficiary of this project. Different sectors and stakeholders in Naga City worked together for planning the next three years on how Naga will design and implement innovative solutions that can leverage policy and institutional change for Sustainable Urban Resource Management. The BISCAST will also be working with the other universities in Naga City in addressing the issues on waste water and sewerage system.

Along the agenda of resilience, the Asian Development Bank together with NEDA Region V spearheaded the 2^nd National Workshop last 20-21 November 2019 in Legazpi City, Albay. The activity was part of the project under the ADB-Regional Technical Assistance 9513: Advancing Inclusive and Resilient Urban Development Targeted at the Urban Poor, which aims to strengthen the capacity of government to design and implement investment projects supporting the resilience of the urban poor. The workshop was held to discuss the results of the country study obtained during the first workshop and to serve as venue for discussing recommendations for potential program areas for building resilience of the urban poor in the national and local context. Recommendations provided by BISCAST during the brainstorming session include: utilization of the climate change resilient house and other capacity building models developed through the research and extension programs of BISCAST.

DANANG, VIETNAM - Two faculty members from BISCAST College of Engineering and Architecture, Engr. Analyn A. Madrid and Engr. Bennyvic Joyce J. Esguerra, were sent to attend a series of workshops on the Urban Nexus Approach and Training of Trainors (ToT) in Danang City, Vietnam last October 30 to November 2, 2018.

The training workshops were sponsored by the GIZ Urban Nexus Project and the Department of Science, Education, Natural Resources and Environment (DSENRE) of the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) of Vietnam. Said activity was facilitated by Mr. Rupert Prossinagg and Ms. Désirée Bösemüller from Denkmodell GmbH in Berlin.

The first 2-day workshop focused on the application of the Urban Nexus approach. Engr. Madrid presented BISCAST’’s best practices of the Urban Nexus through her presentation on Climate Change Resilient Pilot House (CCRPH) of the College. The second two-day training was the ToT where participants gained knowledge on different didactic methods that can be used in conducting seminars/workshops/trainings.

Comes April, an echo seminar on the Urban Nexus methods and ToT will be conducted in BISCAST to be attended by various stakeholders.

ULAANBAATAR, MONGOLIA – BISCAST, through the effort of the German-based GIZ, has successfully linked with another international partner. Successful negotiation was achieved when the Nexus Consultant, Mr. Werner Haberzettl visited the Mongolian University of Science and Technology last July 2018. Under the Urban Nexus Integrated Resource Management Project, several cooperation possibilities were discussed particularly in the field of Efficiency and Climate Change Resiliency in the building sector.