TURNING URBANIZATION FROM CHALLENGE INTO OPPORTUNITY by Fardah

Jakarta, July 26, 2016 (Antara) - Urbanization was in the past often considered a problem or a challenge rather than an opportunity because many people who migrated from villages to cities usually ended up creating more slum areas for them to live in.

         The current model of urbanization is unsustainable in many respects. Many cities all over the world are grossly unprepared for the challenges associated with urbanization.

         Economic and development experts, however, believe that when well-managed, urbanization fosters social and economic advancement and an improved quality of life for all.

         Therefore, a new agenda is required to effectively address these challenges and take advantage of the opportunities offered by urbanization.

         It is projected that by 2030, the urban population of developing countries will double, while the area covered by cities could triple.

         Indonesia's urbanization is among the fastest in the world. Its urban population grew by 4.4 percent per year between 1960 and 2013, compared with 3.6 percent in China and 3 percent in India.

         By 2025, 68 percent of Indonesia's population is expected to be living in cities, compared to 52 percent in 2013.

         New Urban Agenda is among the main topics of discussion during a meeting of the Preparatory Committee of the United Nations Human Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) currently underway in Surabaya, East Java, from July 25 to 26, 2016.

         The preparatory meeting (PrepCom3), in which some 4,500 delegates, including 33 ministers from 193 countries, are participating, was the last opportunity for member states to deliberate and agree on the New Urban Agenda before Habitat III in Quito, Ecuador, from October 17 to 20, this year.

         The New Urban Agenda will be the outcome document agreed upon at the Habitat III cities conference. In turn, it will guide the efforts around urbanization of a wide range of actors - nation states, city and regional leaders, international development funders, United Nations programs and civil society - for the next 20 years.

         The new urban agenda should promote cities and human settlements that are environmentally sustainable, resilient, socially inclusive, safe and violence-free, as well as economically productive, UN-Habitat Executive Director Dr Joan Clos said in his address in Surabaya, on July 25.

    
He believed that much of the success in achieving the goals of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda will depend on "building sustainable cities."
    Indonesian Vice President M Jusuf Kalla, who officially opened the PrepCom3, in his remarks, called changing the perception of urbanization from negative to positive.

         "So far, urbanization has been considered negative. (We must think of) how to make it positive and useful. It is an old notion that a large population is a burden. But China, which has a large population, can make good progress. They become good consumers and producers," he said.

         Housing and settlement are problems facing all developed and developing nations. "All of these are a part of our lives, and that is why we always have settlement dilemmas," he said.

         Indonesia is undergoing a historic transformation from a rural to an urban economy.

         Some 50 years ago, nearly 30 percent of the global population lived in urban areas and 70 percent in rural areas, because the agricultural sector was an important part of job opportunities, he said, adding that today, a majority of the population lives in urban areas.

         In the next 30 years, 60 to 70 percent of Indonesia's population will live in cities, he predicted.

         The global population, which currently stands at 6.7 billion, is expected to increase to 9.9 billion in the next 30 years, while at the same time, large tracts of farmland will be needed to meet their food needs, he said.

         Nearly 30 percent of the Indonesian population is currently employed in the agricultural sector compared to 40 percent a few years ago.

         This means, the greater the success of the agricultural sector, the smaller the number of people looking for jobs in urban areas. But if the agricultural sector failed and the number of jobs declined, people would move to urban areas whatever the situation, he said.

         Kalla called for international cooperation to build cities that are livable in view of the growing urban population in the world.

         "Urban population is certainly growing everywhere. Therefore, the challenge is how to make cities livable for everyone," Kalla stated.

         Indonesian Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono in the meeting voiced the Indonesian Government's commitment to applying the New Urban Agenda as a reference for the country's urban settlement development.

    
The government is implementing a "100-0-100" urban plan program, or 100 percent access to sanitation, zero slums and a 100 percent potable water network by 2019, the minister said.

         With this target, he said, the Ministry of Public Works seeks to realize livable and sustainable neighborhoods that are supported by accessible basic services.

         "The program is actually in line with the new urban agenda proposed by the PrepCom3," the minister added.

         Habitat III is the UN agenda organized every 20 years to ensure joint commitment towards sustainable urban development. 
    The Habitat I was held in Vancouver, Canada, from May 31 to June 11, 1976, to discuss the issue of a livable settlement for all.

         The Habitat II was held in Istanbul, Turkey, from June 3 to 14, 1996, to discuss efforts to improve the quality of life in urban areas and to build awareness about the importance of sustainable settlement for urban areas in the future.

         More comprehensive preparations and consultations regarding Habitat III happened in the past couple of years through various meetings including PrepCom 1 held in New York, and PrepCom 2 held in Nairobi.

         As part of the preparations for the PrepCom3, the event's organizing committee held roadshows in eight cities from April to June 2016. The cities were Semarang (April 28), Denpasar (May 10), Yogyakarta (May 17), and Solo (May 24), in addition to Pelambang (June 1), Makassar (June 8), Bandung (June 15), and Jakarta (June 23).

         According to a report of the World Bank, Indonesia can benefit more from urbanization by prioritizing urbanization issues in the national development agenda, and addressing issues through a comprehensive approach.

         Other actions that can help Indonesia benefit more from urbanization include financing of urban infrastructure that can take advantage of domestic options; strengthening the managerial capacity of city governments; and carrying out policy reforms that make it easier to invest in infrastructure development. ***4***
(f001/INE/B003)   
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