2012年-世界发展银行全球_Addressing_Climate_Challenges_in_ECA_Cities_63页_3mb

Summary of Document: Addressing Climate Challenges in ECA Cities

Core Content

This document explores the challenges and opportunities of addressing climate change in cities across the Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region, with a particular focus on buildings efficiency, public services infrastructure, and urban form. It highlights how the legacy of the Communist era, the transition to market economies, and the potential for sustainable development can shape the effectiveness of climate change mitigation efforts.

Main Topics and Key Points

1. Cities and Climate Change

• Cities are major contributors to GHG emissions, responsible for up to 70% of global emissions and 80% of primary energy demand.
• Local authorities are crucial in implementing sustainable policies that balance economic growth with environmental protection.
• Climate change mitigation can yield multiple benefits, including reduced energy costs, improved quality of life, and increased employment and economic growth.
• Energy efficiency in buildings is a key lever for reducing emissions, with potential savings of up to 80% using existing technologies.
• ECA region has a high potential for reducing building-related emissions due to its urbanization level and recent trends, despite a historically high carbon footprint.

2. Buildings Efficiency

• Buildings account for 40% of global primary energy use and up to 30% of GHG emissions.
• Emissions are mainly from building operation, especially heating and cooling.
• Energy efficiency in buildings is considered a cost-effective and impactful strategy for emissions reduction.
• UNEP emphasizes that energy efficiency measures can lead to significant co-benefits, including job creation and economic activity.

3. The Communist Past: Quantity over Quality in Building Construction

• Post-WWII construction dominated the ECA region, with over 80% of the dwelling stock built in that period.
• Flat panel buildings were the standard, made from cheap, prefabricated concrete, leading to poor thermal performance.
• These buildings often had thin walls, flat roofs, and poorly framed windows, increasing energy consumption.
• Russia is a notable case, with 53 million flat panel apartments built, housing around 170 million people.
• Thermal inefficiency is widespread, with buildings in Russia consuming up to 53% of GHG emissions, double the global average.

4. Residential Buildings – The Proliferation of Energy Inefficient Flat Panel Buildings

• Flat panel buildings are the dominant type in ECA cities, with significant variations across countries.
• USSR had the highest share (56%) of flat panel housing, while Romania had around 26%.
• These buildings are energy inefficient, losing heat through un-insulated walls, windows, and flat roofs.
• High transaction costs and mixed ownership in apartment blocks complicate energy efficiency investments.

5. Public Buildings – Large and Inefficient

• Public buildings from the Communist era were generally more energy efficient than flat panel residential buildings.
• They were built with brick masonry, had thicker walls, and were designed for longer lifetimes (50–100 years).
• However, they were often over-sized, with large rooms and poor thermal performance due to poorly insulated windows and flat roofs.
• Ownership structures for public buildings are more complex, with some under central government, others under local authorities, and a few privatized.

6. The Transition Present: High Transaction Costs Hinder EE Investments

• The 1990s transition saw rapid privatization of residential buildings, leading to high housing ownership rates.
• Ownership encourages energy efficiency investments, as homeowners have a direct incentive to improve their properties.
• However, high ownership rates can hinder rental markets and inter-city migration, which are important for resource optimization and innovation spread.
• Apartment buildings with many owners face coordination challenges for common area improvements, as transaction costs are high and consensus is difficult to achieve.

7. Residential Buildings – Many Apartment Blocks with Even More Owners

• Most ECA cities have high home ownership rates, often over 70%, with many living in apartment buildings.
• Mixed ownership in apartment blocks raises transaction costs and coordination issues for energy efficiency upgrades.
• Landlords are reluctant to invest in energy efficiency because they cannot directly benefit from cost savings, and tenants are hesitant to invest due to the temporary nature of their occupancy.
• Housing associations are rare, with Russia having only 10% of apartment buildings with such associations by 2010.

8. Sustainable Future: Insulating, Leading by Example, Promoting EE

• Thermal insulation is a key strategy for improving residential building efficiency.
• Public buildings can lead by example, promoting energy efficiency through demonstration and policy.
• Promoting EE at home involves educating citizens and encouraging the adoption of energy-saving technologies and practices.

9. Efficiency of Public Services

• Public services like waste, sewage, water, and street lighting are also critical for climate change mitigation.
• Waste management has become more problematic due to increased trash and improper disposal.
• Sewage systems are often crumbling, requiring significant investment for upgrades.
• Water systems are designed for continuous population growth, but face challenges in adapting to changing urban patterns.
• Street lighting has seen reductions in emissions due to outages and bulb changes, but future improvements are needed.

10. Sustainable Future: Investing, Reducing, Professionalizing

• Investing in public services is essential for long-term sustainability.
• Reducing emissions through improved infrastructure and management.
• Professionalizing public services to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.

11. Urban Form

• Compact cities were the norm in the Communist era, offering benefits like economies of scale and resource efficiency.
• The transition period led to urban sprawl, increasing energy consumption and reducing efficiency.
• Densifying urban areas is a key strategy for the sustainable future, as it can help reduce per capita energy use and improve quality of life.

Conclusion

• The ECA region has a high potential for reducing GHG emissions through energy efficiency and sustainable urban development.
• Historical building practices and ownership structures pose significant challenges to achieving these reductions.
• Collaboration, policy, and investment are essential for overcoming these barriers and promoting a sustainable future.