UN body: Cebu future ‘eco-city’

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City is one of five Asian cities identified by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization as future “eco-city.”

City Councilor Nida Cabrera, council committee on environment chairperson, revealed this yesterday, as she would soon represent Cebu City in an environmental forum on climate change mitigation in Vietnam.

She would fly to Phnom Penh tomorrow and is expected to return on April 13 yet.

“Cebu was identified as one of five cities in Asia to develop as a future eco-city,” Cabrera said adding that in June, Cebu would hold an eco-city seminar, which compels the city to conduct various studies on transportation, water, air, housing and governance.

The UNIDO is a specialized agency of the United Nations, whose mandate is “to promote and accelerate sustainable industrial development in developing countries and economies in transition, and work towards improving living conditions in the world’s poorest countries by drawing on its combined global resources and expertise.”

As a technical cooperation agency, it also helps in the protection of the environment by supporting clean and sustainable industrial development; and designing programs on poverty reduction through productive activities, trade capacity-building and environment and energy. —/RHM (FREEMAN)