24/09/2006

ICLEI Asian Membership Environmental Forum (18-20 September 2006. Suwon, Korea)

Suwon City (Korea) recently hosted the ICLEI Environmental Forum from September 18-20. The sessions and technical field visits focused on green purchasing, integrated water resources management and policies for climate change prevention. Ms Aparajita Sarangi, Municipal Commissioner, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation and Vice President, City Managers’ Association Orissa participated in the Forum.

Ms Sarangi, presented Bhubaneswar city experience under Cities for Climate protection Campaign. She presented a small initiative of Building Energy Efficiency during the Climate Change session. Ms Sarangi stressed on the success of such cost effective options and informed Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation is planning to take up large scale Energy Efficiency activities in all public buildings.

Ms Sarangi also informed about the new initiative on Local Renewables Model Communities Network. This project is funded by German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and GTZ, focus on improving use of renewable energy and energy efficiency at local level .

During the forum participants visited environmental initiatives taken up by City of Suwon. They visited state of the art Sewage Treatment Facility which is also used for Sports activities. Participants were also exposed to Korean Culture through Cultural evening and martial art show at Hysoweng Fortress (World Heritage Site) at Suwon.