1. DPA - Megacity Project Roundtable on "Links between Climate Change and Urban Planning"

Tuesday, March 8, 2011; 1.30 pm – 6 pm
Ho Chi Minh City
Department of Planning and Architecture (DPA)

Outline & Purpose

The mega-urban region of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) is one of the world’s regions most affected by climate change. In order to increase the resilience and adaptive capacity of the urban system of HCMC, risks and vulnerabilities are to be assessed and sustainable adaptation measures are to be developed and incorporated into urban decision-making and planning processes. Urban planning as mandated discipline to manage urban development processes on the one hand and to define the urban form and quality on the other hand offers manifold links to achieve a mainstreaming of climate change adaptation and mitigation.
The roundtable aimed to point out the close relationship between environmental and climate change related threats on the one hand and the urban form and land use pattern on the other hand. The significance of urban planning as discipline to manage both was stressed by all presentations and during the discussion. Focussing on the topics of urban climate and water management the roundtable provided knowledge on how climate change impacts influence the built environment and how the urban form can be adapted to these impacts. Finally, the roundtable gave insights to the objectives and key activities of the “Program to Respond to Climate Change” by the Department of Planning and Architecture (DPA) and provided international case studies of Municipal Adaptation Plans for Action.
The exchange of views, strategies, and experiences concerning climate change response reached a common understanding on how better urban planning can contribute to climate change adaptation and how urban planners and related professionals can equipped best to deal with these issues.
The roundtable aimed primarily to strengthen administrational capacity in the DPA, subordinated departments (e.g. Urban Management Divisions at district-level) and other relevant authorities (HCMC Institute for Development Studies, Urban Planning Institute, Departments of Natural Resources and Environment, of Transport, of Planning and Investment, etc.). Therefore, it was intended to assemble experts from these institutions. Additionally, the audience was broadening to representatives from local academia (HCMC University of Architecture) and to private stakeholders engaged in the fields of planning and building (planners, architects, representatives from developers, etc.).

Presentations

  1. Introduction to the Workshop
    Prof. Frank Schwartze
    Vice-Project Leader Megacity Research Project, University of Cottbus
    [1,15KB]

  2. Urban Climate Maps
    Prof. Dr. Lutz Katzschner
    Leader WP Urban Climate, Megacity Research Project, University of Kassel
    [4,3KB]

  3. Integrating Landscape and Waterscape
    Leonard Ng
    Director Atelier Dreiseitl Singapore
    [24KB]

  4. DPA’s Program to Respond to Climate Change
    Nguyễn Đình Hưng
    Vice-Director Department of Planning and Architecture HCMC
    [8,6KB]

  5. International Case Studies for Municipal Adaptation Plans
    Ronald Eckert
    WP 7, Megacity Research Project, University of Cottbus
    [2,4KB]

Workshop Report