UEM Newsletter

Vol. 9, Issue 1, April 2008

Urban Environmental Management (UEM) Field of Study School of Environment, Resources and Development Asian Institute of Technology Pathumthani, Thailand

SEA-UEMA Project Supplement

Highlights
Global Warming and Climate Change Nonthaburi takes interest in addressing global warming and climate change issues at municipality level.
Whats Inside?
Graduate Education Sub-sector Networks Gender and UEM Action Research Applications of UEM Lessons Lessons Learned New Publications 2 4 5 6 7 9 11

Gender Training A national training was held in Bandung, Indonesia to integrate gender equality in UEM projects at the local level. >page 5 Prof. S. Kumar highlighting climate change issues
>page 7

Lessons from Demonstration Projects Policymakers address the urgent need to improve existing policies on solid waste and wastewater management as well as sanitation practices in Lao >page 8 PDR.

Participants at the training Pilot Projects Five pilot projects are up and running and are expected to contribute in enhancing Public and Private Partnerships.
>page 11 Junkshop in Cavite, Philippines

Mr. Souksakhone (Right) explaining sanitation problems

UEM Newsletter is published three times a year by the SEA-UEMA project coordinated by the UEM Field of Study, School of Environment, Resources and Development, AIT, Thailand.

Graduate Education
UEM Alumni Updates Dr. Malik Asghar Naeem, UEM 2003 graduate from Pakistan, completed his PhD degree in December 2007 from the Centre of Urban Planning and Environmental Management at the University of Hong Kong. His PhD thesis, entitled Stakeholders Perceptions of Corporate Social Responsibility: Case Studies from Bangladesh and Pakistan, investigates and compares the role of the business sector in achieving the goal of sustainable development. He recently joined Sida-AIT Urban Research Planning Project as a Senior Project Associate. Dr. Tep Makathy, UEM 2003 graduate from Cambodia, completed his PhD degree in Urban Engineering from Graduate School of Engineering, University of Tokyo, Japan in March 2008. His PhD thesis was entitled Policy Adjustment for Managing Unplanned Land Sub-division Development in an Immature Planning, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. He is now working as urban planner at the Municipality of Phnom Penh.

New UEM Students Sabrina Islam New faces joined the UEM Field of Study in the January 2008 term. Two are regular master students (one each from Lao PDR and Pakistan), one is an exchange student from the Universite de Montreal, Canada and one is from the Philippines. The latter is the first student under the newly opened Post-graduate Certificate program in UEM.

K. Onedavong

G. Ali

G. Immarigeon

P. L. D. Queblatin

Apart from masters students, four doctoral students have joined this semester, three of whom are from Thailand and one from Malaysia. The students are now settled in their AIT environment and are busy preparing for final exams and assignments, all leading to the acquisition of higher level education to contribute towards better planning and management of the urban environment.

D.K.B. Khailani 2

S. Pumpinyo

R. Phatpan

R. Klinsrisuk

SEA-UEMA Project Newsletter, Vol. 9, Issue 1, April 2008

Graduate Education
Stimulating Changes at UEM FoS Sabrina Islam UEM FoS is experiencing stimulating changes with the onset of the consolidation phase of CIDA-AIT SEA-UEMA project. Such changes include the addition of project experiences in the courses taught by each faculty member, launching of the new course Assessment and Implementation of Development Projects, inclusion of field visits for hands-on demonstration, student interaction with project implementers, and development of upcoming mandatory course on gender equality in UEM. The new course offerings and curriculum changes have largely been inspired by experiences and lessons learned from the SEAUEMA Project. In line with these changes, the UEM FoS has launched a Gender Thesis Award competition from January 2008 semester and opened internship opportunities from August 2008. The Gender Thesis Award will be given to the student whose thesis best tackled gender as a cross-cutting theme in UEM. Meanwhile, the internship program will allow UEM students to work and gain experience under SEA-UEMA Project partner organizations in the region. These changes will not only make the UEM curriculum more interesting and interactive but also more rewarding. These will enable students to interact more with faculty members and gather knowledge based on demonstration and research projects for practical knowledge on urban environmental management practices with better competence in integrating gender equality in UEM work. Construction Waste Management and Gender Ektewan Manowong Findings from a post-doctoral research supported by the SEA-UEMA Project has noted that women have higher concerns on construction waste issues but they are less encouraged and have less power to make decision in managing the waste. With gender-recognized policies and techniques adopted for construction waste management, the construction industry can reduce social problems within organizations and environmental impacts to local communities. The opportunity for construction operatives to generate benefits from construction waste is broadly open while needing appropriate investment and support from both the government and private sectors. This research is currently in the stage of data analysis. The final Construction waste outcome is expected to contribute good practices of construction waste management in Thailand as well as the Southeast Asian countries.
SEA-UEMA Project Newsletter, Vol. 9, Issue 1, April 2008

Sub-sector Networks
Professional Training Program on Evaluation of UEM Projects Christine Widjaya SEA-UEMA Project conducted the Professional Training Program on Evaluation of UEM Projects on December 17-19, 2007 in AIT. The training was a follow up on the PTP on the Implementation of UEM Projects Integrating Gender Equality in Southeast Asia held last year.

Participants at the training program Presentations and discussions include evaluation techniques and tools with emphasis on gender equality aspects using results-based management (RBM), basic communication, use of evaluation findings and case studies related to UEM projects. Twenty nine partners and implementers, who are actively working in UEM interventions, joined the training. The final presentation of each project group and their feedback reflected their enthusiasm to apply knowledge from the training. The training is expected to improve their project performance. UEM FoS Hosts Canada and Sri Lanka Municipality Team Christine Widjaya Two Canadian municipal specialists and eight representatives of the Sri Lankan local government team within the framework of the Canada/Sri Lanka Municipal Cooperation Program (MCP) visited UEM Field of Study on January 9, 2008. MCP, which is also funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), supports the national post-tsunami rehabilitation and reconstruction in Sri Lanka by assisting local governments restore ser vices and actively include citizens in reconstruction planning and decision-making. During their trip, MCP delegates visited the SEA-UEMA Project site School Garbage Bank in Ayutthaya. They also visited other solid waste management sites such as Pobsuk Recycling Centre in Pakret Municipality, the Bio-Fertilizer under the Royal Development Project (Nonthaburi Province) and the Community Garbage Bank in Wat Klang Community in Bangkok. 4

Visitors at the school garbage bank in Ayutthaya

SEA-UEMA Project Newsletter, Vol. 9, Issue 1, April 2008

Sub-sector Networks
From Local to Global: UEM Collaborations to Achieve the MDGs Giovanni Velez SEA-UEMA Project, together with the National Municipal League of Thailand (NMT), organized a Policy Workshop on Collaborations for UEM Applications in Achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on March 26, 2008. The workshop was a side-event of the ASEAN Roundtable Meeting on MDGs held on March 24-25, 2008 to launch the AIT Center of Excellence on (R-L): Prof. B. Soegijoko, Dr. B. Mekvichai, Dr. V. Nitivattananon, MDGs. Ms. P. Kictham, Dr. E. Sajor; Prof. S. Kumar, Mayor Y. Wirangkul Government officials from Thailand, such as Mayor Yongyut Wirangkul of Tah Klong Municipality and Acting Chairman of the NMT and Dr. Banasopit Mekvichai, Deputy Governor of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), attended the policy workshop. Both stressed the importance of cooperation among agencies at the local, national and international levels in undertaking environmental activities to achieve the MDGs. Prior to the workshop, selected SEA-UEMA network members attended the ASEAN Roundtable Meeting on MDGs and gave a presentation on the accomplishments of the project and its contribution in achieving the MDGs. Participants in the meeting also visted the Wat Kean School Garbage Bank in Ayutthaya Municipality, a SEA-UEMA Project site, to learn how urban environmental management interventions are helping achieve specific MDGs. Looking forward, the SEA-UEMA Project will support the AIT Center of Excellence on MDGs by providing professional support programs, policy advocacy and campaigns, and the development of relevant UEM courses using lessons from the field. National Gender Training in Bandung Held Urban and Regional Development Institute (URDI) organized a National Gender Training on Integrating Gender Equality in UEM Projects in Bandung, Indonesia on January 2931, 2008. It was organized in cooperation with SEA-UEMA Project local gender expert, Anny Andaryati. The training is expected to finalize the gender analysis framework on UEM and customize case studies that are suitable for local context. It also attempts to improve the participants knowledge and skills in integrating gender equality perspectives in implementing UEM projects. Laksiri Chomchuen

Group discussion during the program 5

SEA-UEMA Project Newsletter, Vol. 9, Issue 1, April 2008

Action Research
Phnom Penh Municipality Encourages Improvements in Urban Indoor Air Quality Arlene Nietes-Satapornvanit Results of the SEA-UEMA funded joint action research (JAR) project implemented by the Development Appropriate Technology (DATe) in Cambodia on improving indoor air pollution among urban poor households has generated interest among stakeholders, especially the Municipality of Phnom Penh. This was expressed by His Excellency Mann Chhoeurn, Vice-Governor of the Municipality of Phnom Penh (MPP), during the final consultation workshop on improving indoor air quality held in Phnom Penh on March 27, 2008. The workshop was organized by DATe and was based on the results of the JAR entitled Indoor Air Pollution as a Reflection of Gender and Poverty Issue a Study on Women, Health Behaviour Patterns and Kitchen in Phnom Penh. Thirty stakeholders from various related government agencies and nongovernment organizations as well as from the study. H.E. Mr. Chhoeurn provided information and insights on the municipalitys concerns for the Mother and child in the JAR study area environment related to urban poor communities. Thus, he said that the MPP is interested in the JAR results as a basis for policy decisions in reducing indoor air pollution for better health conditions especially for women and children. Currently, Phnom Penh has no instrument or mechanism to measure the level of air pollution in the kitchen. Mr. Chhoeurn said that the MPP is willing to conduct pilot projects based on the JAR results in resettlement areas where new housing units are being built. He expressed support and willingness of MPP and the communities to work together with DATe, SEA-UEMA Project and other interested organizations in making this possible. He suggested that an action plan for a pilot project to improve indoor air quality with target dates and identified responsibilities should be presented to the MPP so that this can be included in their work and budget plans. The plan should define the kind of cooking facilities, educating housewives, and providing loans for the appropriate facilities, structure and stoves. Participants with HE Vice Governor M. Chhoeurn (10th from right, standing) He also said his office can provide loans for cooking facilities under the Urban Planning Development Fund, in line with MPPs emphasis on improving the Cambodian capital to achieve the millennium development goals and in living up to the 2007 World Leadership Award given to Phnom Penh for Local Environment Renovation. 6
SEA-UEMA Project Newsletter, Vol. 9, Issue 1, April 2008

Applications of UEM Lessons

Nonthaburi Municipality Takes Action on Global Warming Leilani Gallardo Local government officials in Nonthaburi Municipality have their strong interest to take action in addressing global warming and climate change issues at the municipal level. Nonthaburi Province Vice-Governor, Mr. Chaowalit Thuptakong, and Nonthaburi Mayor, Mr. Somnuk Thanadechakul, acknowledged the need to implement local policies to address global warming and climate change. The local officials expressed this during a half-day policy workshop held on March 3, 2008, jointly organized by the Nonthaburi Municipality, in cooperation with the SEA-UEMA Project. During the workshop Mayor Thanadechakul noted the need for local governments to respond to the issue of climate change locally. This was echoed by Dr. Monthip Tabucanon, Director General of the Ministry of Natural Resources (MONRE), who discussed the effects of poor air quality on public health as (L-R): Dr. N. Coowanitwong, Dr. M. Tabucanon, Prof. S. Kumar, well as the resulting impact of dirty air Mr. C. Thuptakong and Mr. S. Thanadechakul on global warming and climate change. She then discussed the various initiatives being implemented by MONRE to mitigate global warming and climate change. AIT School of Environment, Resources and Development Dean, Prof. Sivannapan Kumar, also highlighted the urgency of addressing climate change issues, not only because it is a burning topic in the international community but more importantly because of its wide-ranging impact on lives of people. A SEA-UEMA demonstration project that promoted alternative measures to control open burning of agricultural residues such as rice straw was also highlighted. The project was implemented in Bang Bua Thong District in Nonthaburi and addressed local air quality problems to lessen the Participants listen to presentations during the dialog impact of global warming. Aside from the Vice Governor and Mayor, technical experts working in the Nonthaburi Municipality, Tambol Administrative Organization (TAO) local businessmen and rice farmers also attended the event.
SEA-UEMA Project Newsletter, Vol. 9, Issue 1, April 2008

Applications of UEM Lessons

Paving the Way for Sustainable Solid Waste Management Policy and Urban Wastewater Management & Sanitation in Vientiane Praja Shapkota The Public Works and Transport Institute (PTI) in Laos and SEA-UEMA Project jointly organized a roundtable meeting on sustainable solid waste management (SWM) policies in Vientiane on March 6, 2008. The event was attended by H.E. Mr. Sommad Pholsena, Minister for Public Works and Transport of Laos along with several senior government officials. The AIT team was led by Professor Sudip K. Rakshit, Vice President for Research and UEM Faculty members Dr. Edsel Sajor, Dr. Nowarat Coowanitwong and Dr. Ranjith Perera.

The roundtable meeting is a follow up of the policy dialog on sustainable SWM practices held on March 26, 2006 wherein several recommendations were made to pave a pathway for SWM to become part the Lao government policy agenda and to fill a gap in sustainable policies on SWM in the country.

Paticipants at the meeting During the event, Mr. Sommad indicated his support to any policy initiative geared toward improving SWM policies in Laos. He assured the participants that he would personally take up issues resulting from the meeting as recommendations for policy formulation in the national legislature. Aside from Mr. Pholsena, 19 senior bureaucrats attended the half-day roundtable meeting and discussed issues related to sustainable SWM practices and efforts to organize the various policy implications arising from successful local projects on SWM that can be used for national policymaking. A policy dialog on problems related to wastewater management and sanitation practices in urban and suburban Vientiane was then held in afternoon of March 6, 2008 and the following day. The dialog disseminated lessons and discussed policy implications from two demonstration projects supported by SEA-UEMA Project in the city. The projects focused on integrated environmental management in a low-income community and decentralized sanitation for a household cluster. The event resulted in some key recommendations for policy actions such as banning direct discharge of wastewater and sewerage into water bodies, and setting up standards for wastewater discharges and sanitation. Other suggestions included capacity building, provision of financial resources and establishment of an implementation plan for physical infrastructure and monitoring systems. The event concluded with the resolve to convene a follow-up roundtable meeting on policies for wastewater management and sanitation in Laos by senior level policy makers, which will hopefully lead to the formulation of a national policy on wastewater management and sanitation practices in the country. 8
SEA-UEMA Project Newsletter, Vol. 9, Issue 1, April 2008

Lessons Learned
Environmental Impact Assessment: Thailand Perspective Suryaputrianita Satyanugraha & Ratchaphong Klinsrisuk UEM students taking the Strategic Environmental Assessment for Urban Development course attended a guest lecture at Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) in Bangkok, on February 7, 2008. The lecture entitled Environmental Impact Assessment for Urban Development was delivered by Mrs. Indhira Euamonlachat, Director of Water Resources Group under the Environmental Impact Assessment Bureau. The lecture gave students a better understanding of environmental impact assessment principles and processes as well as details about conducting EIA in Thailand. It described the different activities required in preparing an EIA report according to Thai laws and regulations. It also provided information on EIA guidelines and procedures and illustrated the role of stakeholders involved in implementing EIA. Ms. Euamonlachat also highlighted a case study in Huay Leng Reservoir project, Petchaboon, Thailand. In this case, project implementers were required to submit an EIA report although the project area was less UEM students at MONRE than the required size because it was located in a forest reservation area. The students also shared their experiences on EIA implementation in their home countries. UEM Students Apply Skills in Ratchaburi Faisal M. Alih Students taking the Urban Environmental Planning and Management Workshop course visited Muang Ratchaburi Municipality on February 11-14, 2008 to apply their skills in conducting Rapid Urban Environmental Assessment. This fieldwork activity provided the students an opportunity to learn firsthand how the municipality manages its urban environment and how it applies various policies and other instruments in the absence of a formal environmental management system. Students were tasked to examine issues on housing, urban development, solid waste management and wastewater management. The students visited provincial and local government offices as well as various stakeholders in the community to get a balanced range of information necessary in making informed decisions on UEM issues. continued on page 10 9

Group assigned on wastewater management

SEA-UEMA Project Newsletter, Vol. 9, Issue 1, April 2008

Lessons Learned
Toyo University Students Attend Spring Workshop in AIT Ariva Permana Cities offer various earning opportunities for its citizens, however, only a small portion have the chance to benefit from these chances while others struggle to survive. Those who are not fortunate enough create their own opportunities by engaging in informal income earning activities. They become street vendors, hawkers, motorcycle-taxi drivers and the likes. These activities are collectively called urban informal sector - the theme of the AIT-Toyo University Spring Workshop held on February 2008. Eight female students from Toyo University in Japan participated in the workshop held in Thailand.

Students on a filed trip

Gathering data on the informal sector

The workshop participants specifically studied informal business and housing. They visited communites along Rangsit Canal, Khlong 1 and Khlong 2 in Pathumthani Province and compared this with more developed canal communities in Taling Chan to understand the difference between undeveloped and developed informal housing as well as their development process. They also had opportunities to visit Dom Wai floating market in Phuttamonthon, Nakhon Pathom Province to observe informal business managed by local citizens. continued from page 9

The fieldwork was a good learning experience in understanding the realities of running the municipality given its range of problems and the limited resources to deal with them. It provided the students with skills in organizing urban environmental assessment. It is necessary in creating action plans that strategically address the problems that were identified while enhancing the good practices in order to achieve a sustainable urban environment. Briefing on Ratchaburi development plan 10
SEA-UEMA Project Newsletter, Vol. 9, Issue 1, April 2008

New Publications
New Publications Proceedings of the First Policy Forum on Urban Environmental Management in Southeast Asia; 18-19 August 2005, (In English) V. Nitivattananon, M. Cabrera, A. Mohanty, S. Sujaritpong and G. Velez (eds.) Bangkok, Thailand, 2008, 166 pp; ISBN: 978-974-8257-52-5 Monogaph: Analysis of Houshold Waste Separation Practice for a Community-based Recycling Project in Sisattanak District, Lao PDR (In English) L. Gallardo, N. Coowanitwong, E. Sajor and A. Nietes-Satapornvanit (eds.) Bangkok, Thailand, 2007, 21 pp; ISBN: 978-974-8257-42-6 Monograph: Transport-Related Air Quality Policy Improvement Using Strategic Environmental Assessment: A Case Study of Hanoi City, Vietnam (In English) D. L. Nguyen and N. Coowanitwong Bangkok, Thailand, 2008, 10pp; ISBN: 978-974-8257-53-2 Proceedings: Sharing of Experiences on Air Pollution Abatement in Southeast Asia (Pre-event at Better Air Quality 2006 Workshop) (In English) N. Coowanitwong and L. Gallardo (eds.) Bangkok, Thailand, 2008, 71pp; ISBN: 978-974-8257-54-9 SEA-UEMA Awards Pilot Projects Praja Shapkota The first round of pilot project saw the selection of two proposals from among the 10 Expressions of Interest (EOIs) and six shortlisted for full proposals of which ARL Component received only three. The two proposals selected for implementation in the first round are: Collecting Boat Peoples Human Excreta and Environment Education in Hue City: The project is a new venture being implemented to benefit 50 boat families whose excreta and domestic waste are being collected using a boat toilet to be processed in a septic tank of a public toilet built for the same community. Eco-friendly household biodegradable waste recycling and utilization through peri-urban & urban agriculture: It uses domestic organic waste from 10 selected households in Chiang Mai, Thailand, to compost by rapid decomposition in a specially designed container, while the effluent will be recycled through hydroponic crop production to help the households recycle nutrients . The second round of pilot project selection has witnessed three new projects out of a total of twelve EOIs. These are: Community-Based Drainage and Sanitation for Parkhoiu Area and HouaXieng Village in Luang Prabang, Lao PDR: It aims to raise awareness of and asking for public participation from local community for environmental preservation (drainage systems and solid waste management) within its targeted areas. Car Free Day Pilot Project to Assess Impacts on Air Quality and Traffic to Improve Pedestrian Infrastructure: It aims to investgate impacts of pro-pedestrian planning for a main highway in the central business district of Jakarta. Operationalizing the LGU-Junkshop Partnership in Support to the Cluster Materials Recovery and Composting Facilities (MRF) Project of General Mariano Alvarez, Cavite, Philippines: It aims to operationalize a Junkshop Standardization Program and facilitate the development of an integration mechanism of junkshops into the operations of the Cluster MRF.
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International Conference for Greener Cities: A Legacy for the Future Praja Shapkota The International Conference on Sustainable Urban Environmental Practices, scheduled to be held in Chiang Mai, Thailand from October 28-31, 2008, aims to encourage greener cities as a legacy for the future. The event is jointly organized by the SEA-UEMA Project in collaboration with the Chiang Mai Municipality (CMM) and Mae Fah Luang University (MFU) in Chiang Rai. SEA-UEMA Project is expected to sponsor one-half of the expected 40 participants, while other organizations working for UEM in the region and beyond are expected to support the other half. Interested individuals/UEM practitioners/professionals are invited to send their abstracts by June 02, 2008. For more information on conference themes and paper guide lines, please visit the project website: http://www.sea-uema.ait.ac.th/

Contact Address
Project Secretariat Southeast Asia Urban Environmental Management Applications (SEA-UEMA) Project Urban Environmental Management (UEM) Field of Study School of Environment, Resources and Development (SERD) Asian Institute of Technology, P. O. Box 4, Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand. Tel: +66-2-524-5777; Fax:+66-2-524-8338 Email: uemapplications@ait.ac.th Website: http://www.sea-uema.ait.ac.th

CIDA-AIT Partnership (2003-2008)

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PRINTED MATTER
(For free dissemination)

Editorial Team Nowarat Coowanitwong, Pravakar Pradhan & Leilani Gallardo

This newsletter is printed using recycled paper.

Acknowledgement: This newsletter is published through the financial support of the Government of Canada provided through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) in the form of CIDA-AIT Partnership (2003-2008) SEA-UEMA Project.
SEA-UEMA Project Newsletter, Vol. 9, Issue 1, April 2008

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