UPC in Partnership with ADCED to Present "CitySense" Urban Indicators under the World Sustainable Capitals Initiative

Marrakech, Morocco, 28 October, 2010: Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council (UPC), the agency responsible for the future of Abu Dhabi's urban environment, in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Council for Economic Development (ADCED), has unveiled "CitySense", an innovative urban indicator initiative, during a plenary session at the ongoing World Economic Forum being held in Marrakech, Morocco.

Under the theme 'purpose, resilience and prosperity', the World Economic Forum (WEF) on the Middle East and North Africa is gathering leaders from business, government and civil society to review the region's growth and development strategies in the context of pressing global risks. The concept of 'resilience' is a key concern for many cities in today's world climate and the continuing uncertainty throughout global markets.

Commenting on the participation of the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council at the WEF event, H.E Falah Al Ahbabi, General Manager of the UPC, said: "As resilience is linked directly with sustainability in many aspects, we have already started to design and implement policies such as our Estidama programme that encourages sustainable practices and leads the way in the MENA region by ensuring the creation of a sustainable environment, which is the key driver and entry point for long-term diversified growth".

Presented under the 'World Sustainable Capitals' (WSC) initiative ambit, the CitySense Sustainable Indicators Initiative will provide government and city officials with a tool to monitor a city's achievements and develop a comprehensive assessment of its profile with respect to sustainability, while measuring the impact of dedicated policies to support  the sharing of best practices. CitySense is a geographically specific information framework that provides insight into the economic, social, cultural and environmental profile of a city and its respective neighbourhoods.

CitySense, which will be accessed via a web based interface, is being developed to support the WSC initiative through an open, collaborative and participatory process involving all its members. CitySense will also enable each city to benchmark its achievement against its own specific targets.

Highlighting the CitySense initiative unveiled at the WEF event in Morocco, Al Ahbabi commented: "The unveiling of CitySense at the WEF in Marrakech today leads to the introduction of the merits of the sustainability initiatives in the Middle East region and clearly positions Abu Dhabi as a regional and potential global leader in developing sustainable urban development initiatives".

While the CitySense system will improve accountability, it is also expected to promote and assert greater transparency, as it will be a front facing interface or 'dashboard' for city officials to monitor their cities' achievements. The CitySense dashboard will feature four sustainability indicators, including economy, society, culture and the environment. Research and development information on CitySense will be unveiled by the UPC and ADCED at the Global City event to be held in March 2011 in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

"Urban planning is a vital component of the overall sustainable economic development of a nation and our joint initiative with the UPC clearly demonstrates the inter dependence and the synergies existing between the two," said H.E Fahad Al Raqbani, Director General, Abu Dhabi Council for Economic Development (ADCED). "The WSC initiative provides a platform for major cities to come together to share best practices and collaborate on sustainable urban development solutions that can support measured growth in the face of the 21st century challenges of our world today, on both an economic and environmental level."

"Integrating the four pillars of sustainable development (economic, social, cultural and environment) makes our strategy unique while projecting a new mindset and visionary governance to promote the concept of sustainable responsibility driven by our societal challenges", added Al Raqbani.

The CitySense indicators system is intended to serve as an evaluation and feedback tool for the sustainable planning efforts of the WSC member cities. The CitySense system, in the first instance, will be tailored to the needs of the WSC initiative. The member cities are formulating the CitySense Sustainable City Indicators System together in an open, collaborative and participatory process.

Abu Dhabi's collaboration with the WEF for the World Sustainable Capitals initiative has been integrated with the Abu Dhabi Vision 2030 approach. In the context of this regional partnership, the UPC, the ADCED and the WEF share expertise on issues linked to sustainable urban planning and economic recovery.

The World Sustainable Capitals (WSC) initiative is a result-oriented project, focusing on concrete recommendations and measurable results. The UPC, the ADCED and the WEF share a common interest in highlighting strategies that support sustainable economic growth addressing the challenges of urban planning and economic diversified growth. Their collaboration highlights the need for a new and more holistic approach to urban planning and an opportunity for innovative and inclusive public participation in the planning process.

Detailed information and examples of the info/analysis that will be possible with this system can be accessed through the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council portal http://www.upc.gov.ae/wsc

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About the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council:
The Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council was created by Emiri Decree number 23 of the year 2007 and is the agency responsible for the future of Abu Dhabi's urban environments, and the expert authority behind the visionary Plan Abu Dhabi 2030 Urban Structure Framework Plan published September 2007. Chaired by His Highness General Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council defines the shape of the Emirate, ensuring factors such as sustainability, infrastructure capacity, community planning and quality of life, by overseeing development across the city and the Emirate as a whole.  The Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council ensures best practice in planning for both new and existing urban areas.

The Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council's primary purpose is to deliver upon the vision of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, Ruler of Abu Dhabi for the continued fulfillment of the grand design envisaged by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the ongoing evolution of Abu Dhabi as a global capital city.  By drawing on urban planning expertise locally, throughout the GCC and around the world, the UPC strives to be a global authority on the future of urban planning and design.

About the Abu Dhabi Council for Economic Development:
Acting as an economic policy advisory council, ADCED was established in May 2006 to facilitate economic diversification and growth through creating greater understanding, cooperation and engagement between the public and private sectors of the emirate of Abu Dhabi. ADCED main objective is to bring together business and government leaders with the aim of making Abu Dhabi an international economic hub, boasting a world-class economic environment with sustainable growth.

The Council is chaired by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and Chairman of the Executive Council; the Vice Chairman is HH Sheikh Hamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince Court Chairman. The board includes members of The Executive Council, Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI), the Private Sector and representatives of Business Councils.

For more information please contact: 
Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council: 
Jean-Philippe Coulaud
Corporate Communications Director
Direct: +971 2 409 6095
Email: Jphilippe.coulaud@upc.gov.ae
Web: www.upc.gov.ae

Fouad Kassem
Public Affairs and Media Relations Manager
Direct: +971 2 409 6059
Mobile: +971 50 632 4150
Email: Fouad.Kassem@upc.gov.ae

Abu Dhabi Council for Economic Development:
Youcef Azrgui
Corporate Affairs Division Manager
Tel: +971 2 4189999 Ext: 914
Email: youcef.azrgui@adced.ae
Web: www.adced.ae

© Press Release 2010