By Kwon Mee-yoo
Staff Reporter
David Miller, mayor of Toronto and chair of C40 Climate leadership group, says Canada's largest city has taken an aggressive approach to environmental issues, explaining that Toronto's transportation focuses on moving people, not cars.
``We can move more people by bicycle and rapid transit,'' the mayor said in an interview with The Korea Times. ``So we are building 120 kilometers of light rail transit and thousand kilometers of bike paths.''
He is visiting Seoul to participate in the four-day C40 summit taking place here this week bringing together some of the world's largest cities to discuss climate change. The C40 was established in 2005 with the aim of accelerating cities' programs to fight climate change. Miller was named the chair in 2008.
Miller said Toronto has also already energy-retrofitted 500 buildings and encourages the construction of rooftop gardens. ``You can create jobs, lower energy consumption, save money and rejuvenate the neighborhood,'' the mayor said.
The city also plans to develop energy from renewable sources such as solar and water heating, and plant 6 million more trees.
As the Chair of C40, the mayor urged cities to take real action against climate change and countries to communicate closely and support the cities' environmental projects. ``I want the organization to achieve real results and work effectively together,'' Miller said.
He said that he was surprised with the leadership of Mayor of Seoul Oh Se-hoon and what's been done in Seoul in a fairly short time after the city has decided to go green. ``I'm also impressed with the government of Korea as President Lee Myung-bak understands the green economy is the economy of the future. From that perspective, this is the exact place for C40 to gather.''
Miller emphasized importance of the cities' moving to tackle climate change in practical ways.
``We understand that cities take 2 percent of the Earth's surface area, but 80 percent of greenhouse gas emissions,'' Miller said. ``The population in the city areas of C40 is about 600-700 million, which is twice of that of the United States. So as we act to fight climate change, we are making significant difference.''
He also noted that the Seoul summit provided opportunities for the participants to share their accomplishments and launched the Climate Positive Development Program, showing how to build new neighborhoods in a way that is not only carbon-neutral, but actually offsets greenhouse gas emissions.
Regarding UN Climate Summit (COP15) in Copenhagen this December, he said, ``The Copenhagen negotiations, first of all, need the world's countries to agree. But, secondly, they need to agree to work with the cities.'' To that extent, the C40 group requests that national governments ``engage, empower and resource'' the cities.
He also called for ``real actions'' in environmental policies. ``I came here so all C40 cities can move the agenda forward,'' Miller said.
For example, Sao Paolo participates in a carbon financing program with the World Bank, whereby the city can get financial support when it generates electricity from methane in landfills. Jakarta, Indonesia and Karachi, Pakistan want to join the program and the C40 helps them to meet the requirements. ``We are helping the cities actually do it by exchanging the technologies and accessing financing,'' he said.
He praised some of Seoul's environmental works and the bold measures taken to execute them. He took the local subway and walked around the restored Cheonggye Stream. ``We want to take down an express way in Toronto and Seoul is the best example in the world,'' the mayor said. He also mentioned Nanjido, where a public park was built on land reclaimed from an old landfill.
``They are doing a tremendous job on the Han River and I've seen some of the early results and it was fantastic,'' he added. ``I think Seoul is showing a good, initiative leadership in these matters''
Miller also visited Seoul Climate Change Expo on the sideline of the summit and found it interesting as ``Seoul managed to connect business and innovation with doing right thing for the environment.''
He saw these corporations as environmental leaders since these new technologies, such as Samsung's solar and wind energy generating system or Hyundai fuel cell vehicle, can create future jobs ecologically and sustainably. ``That's what every country should be doing,'' he said.
Miller signed an MOU with Seoul Monday to cooperate more on environmental matters.