Engaging Civil Society for Promoting Environmentally Sustainable Cities in Asia: From the Perspective of Cleaner Transport and Waste Management

Clean air, clean water, and clean land are the integral elements of environmentally sustainable cities. However, urban cities in the Asia and Pacific region have witnessed significant population increase and economic development together with a range of health and environment issues. This rapid growth has led to increased demand for transport facilities and supplies. In many cities, expansion has occurred without appropriate development planning, while the provision of required infrastructure and service has fallen behind. As a result, most of the Asian cities have been significantly affected by transport related socio-economic and environmental problems. These include – vehicular air pollution and associated public health and environmental impacts, noise pollution, road accidents, traffic congestions and associated economic loss. Inefficient use of energy resources, greater use of non-renewable fossil fuel, and loss of potential natural habitats and land resources present another façade of problems. A range of initiatives ranging from local to global level have urged for sustainable transport strategies with a focus to strengthen regional and national programs, including through public-private partnerships and active role of civil society through participatory process. At best, three key stakeholders – state/local government, market/economy/business and civil society/communities – cooperate in a positive and mutually reinforcing manner.