Dr. Shobhakar Dhakal urges the science, policy and practice communities to develop new solution-oriented  knowledge towards deep de-carbonization of cities as a keynote speaker to Cities and Climate Change 2017 Conference at PIK (Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research) on 21^st Sept 2017. Cities are key to new global actions for short and long-term consistent to Paris Agreement, New Urban Agenda, SDGs and Sendai Framework for DRR.

Presentation slides are here

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Photo Credits: (Emma and Prajal)

What is G-STIC? The G-STIC 2017 conference aims to accelerate the development, dissemination and deployment of technological innovations that enable the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are 17 internationally agreed ambitious goals to move the world to a more sustainable future by 2030. Focused on integrated technological solutions that are good for the planet, for the people and for the economy, G-STIC 2017 provides a unique chance to join the global technological innovation community that is single-mindedly devoted to enabling transitions to less carbon and resource-intensive economic development models.

Click here: Program, summary and key messages: “Urban Design and Sustainable Buildings” Theme in G.STIC

Theme ‘Urban Design and Sustainable Buildings”

•Highlighted key challenges and opportunities for sustainable building with focus on energy
•Presented key technologies and knowhow that are critical
•Provided insights on key barriers for these technologies
•Discussed key policy changes that needs to happen for transformative change

Key findings and messages from the Thematic Session

Sustainable buildings are key cornerstones of the global sustainability quest – Buildings account 32 % of global final energy use (2010); 19 % of energy-related GHG emissions (including electricity-related) (IPCC, 2014); linked to resources consumption, energy and climate security; rapid urbanization; 80 % of current energy use in buildings globally could be ‘locked in’. Cost-effective and best practice technologies can help us to stabilize or reduce energy use from current level as opposed to doubling or tripling by mid-century in BAU scenario. The avenues for innovation in sustainable buildings are many – Construction materials; energy efficient building design; improving efficiency in operation of the buildings. Practices have shows that new building design knowhow and practices can reduce 2 to 10 fold reduction in energy in new buildings (incl behavioral change) IPCC (2014). In existing buildings 50 – 90 % energy savings have been achieved throughout the world through deep retrofits which involved Building envelop considerations, lighting, insulation, HVAC, and other technologies. The economic argument of energy is clear, these technologies enable construction and retrofit of very low- and zero-energy buildings often at little marginal investment cost typically paying back well-within the building lifetime. Further, new opportunities due to digital age are already evident such as building automation, sensors, IoT, integrated lighting amongst others. However, there are considerable barriers to tap large potentials offered by technologies. Some of key ones are, lack of awareness, imperfect information, split incentives, transaction costs, inadequate access to financing, and industry fragmentation. Market forces alone cannot achieve diffusion of technologies and technological knowhow for the scale of needed transformation. Strong policies are necessary for generating demand for ‘sustainable’ buildings and upscaling best practices. A broad portfolio of effective policy instruments is available to remove these barriers.

The key message of the Thematic sessions are the followings:

• Thinking systemic and integrated approach: LCA approach (construction materials, building design, operation and automation etc.); optimizing multiple benefits (resources, energy, comfort, cost etc); a suits of technologies (integrated technologies) (no silver bullets); majority of technologies already exist, some are evolving
• Several technologies are key, namely, passive design, multiple-systems integrated in the same buildings to suit different seasonal requirement, local-climate sensitive design, better integration of renewable energy at design stage itself, retrofitting existing buildings, integrated lightings, IoT applications and automation (BEMS, sensors) inside the buildings
• Comprehensive building codes are necessary which should include building envelopes, mandatory codes, LCA consideration, new standards and labeling for new developments aimed at housing developers
• Technical demonstration of benefits are important for awareness creation. Many positive externalities are often not quantified and needs better communication
• Enabling investment and innovative financial mechanisms in energy efficiency in key since economic arguments of energy efficiency is yet strong and the incremental costs are smaller
• Making incentives right is key aspect of needed policies. Policies must aim for transformation change – policies must create demand for sustainable buildings, start acting NOW!!

Dr. Shobhakar Dhakal delivered plenary keynote talk (titled “Low Carbon Cities: Knowledge and Action Gaps and Opportunities for Asia”) today to The joint international conference of 3rd International Conference of Low Carbon Asia and Beyond (ICLCA 2017) and the 6th Annual Meeting of the Low Carbon Asia Research Network (LoCARNet) at Century Park Hotel in Bangkok scheduled for 1-3 Nov 2017.

For details: http://www.iclca2017.com/index.php

(Photo Courtesy: Dr. Subash Dhar, DTU, Denmark)

The conference aims to provide a high‐impact platform bringing together researchers and multi‐stakeholders from academia, government and industry in Asia to share their expertise, knowledge and experiences in order to facilitate and catalyze the transformation of Low carbon society in Asia and beyond.

Workshop on “Hydropower-based collaboration in South Asia: Socio-economic development and electricity trade“, 21-22 November 2017, International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Kathmandu, Nepal.

What are the challenges and opportunities for cross-border electricity trade in BBIN sub-region (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal)? Despite tremendous hydro-power potentials, the sub-region has been able to produce an extremely small fraction of power.

Dr. Shobhakar Dhakal presented the key findings of ongoing energy assessment of Hindu Kush Himalaya Region and emphasized the need for regional collaboration in South Asia. Distinguished participants from India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal had joined this workshop organized by ICIMOD and Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy of NUS Singapore.

What are key to move forward? Trust building at various levels (huge deficit), evidence-based information on multiple-benefits (yet murky), finding win-win options for all countries, and showcasing few success-stories to generate momentum.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-02409-z

Six research priorities for cities and climate change

Edmonton/Canada 6 March 2018: Co-chair of Scientific Steering Committee of www.citiesIPCC.org conference Dr. Shobhakar Dhakal joins Joined Press Conference at citiesIPCC conference with Canadian Environment Minister Catherine McKenna, Alberta Environment Minister Shannon Phillips, IPCC chair Hoesung Lee, UCLG Secretary General Emilia Saiz and City of Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson.

PRESS RELEASE: CitiesIPCC Conference Opens With Global Call for Collaboration and Science-Based Solutions

Dr. Shobhakar Dhakal delivered a keynote speech tilted “Rapid transition to low carbon cities: reflections from past assessments” at citiesIPCC conference (www.citiesIPCC.org) in Edmonton, Canada on 6th March 2018. Click for Slides (CitiesIPCC Conf)

The Plenary Session was moderator my Prof. Jim Skea, Co-Chair of IPCC WGIII. Other keynote speakers in the sessions were Prof. Andrew Gouldson of University of Leeds and Dr. Jürgen Kropp from Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.

With fellow co-editors, Cynthia Rosenzweig (NASA), Bill Solecki (CUNY) Patricia Romero Lankao (NCAR), Dr. Shobhakar Dhakal launches the Assessment Report on Cities and Climate Change of Urban Climate Change Research Network (UCCRN) in Edmonton on 5th March 2018.

The Urban Climate Change Research Network’s Second Assessment Report on Climate Change in Cities (ARC3.2) is the second in a series of global, science-based reports to examine climate risk, adaptation, and mitigation efforts in cities. The book explicitly seeks to explore the implications of changing climatic conditions on critical urban physical and social infrastructure sectors and intersectoral concerns. The primary purpose of ARC3.2 is to inform the development and implementation of effective urban climate change policies, leveraging ongoing and planned investments for populations in cities of developing, emerging, and developed countries. This volume will be invaluable for a range of audiences involved with climate change and cities: mayors, city officials and policymakers; urban planners; policymakers charged with developing climate change mitigation and adaptation programs; and a broad spectrum of researchers and advanced students in the environmental sciences.

The report is a multi-year effort comprising over 500 scientists from all over the world, and is published by Cambridge University Press. Details here: http://www.cambridge.org/gb/academic/subjects/earth-and-environmental-science/climatology-and-climate-change/climate-change-and-cities-second-assessment-report-urban-climate-change-research-network/

Dr. Shobhakar Dhakal is nominated as Coordinating Lead Author by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for it’s 6th Assessment Report. He will be co-leading Chapter 2: Emission Trends and Drivers of Mitigation Report, which is due mid-2021.

IPCC Press Release: http://www.ipcc.ch/news_and_events/pr_ar6_authors.shtml

AR6 Mitigation Report Author List: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/authors/report.authors.php?q=37&p=

Structure of AR6: http://www.ipcc.ch/meetings/session46/AR6_WGIII_outlines_P46.pdf