Organised by Climate Action and ICLEI, the side event on the 7th December hosted representatives of the private sector (construction, banking, energy), such as Rodrigo Rosa (Brazil), Silas Zimu, Rodney Milford and Carl Kleynhans (South Africa) to discuss the future of the cities in respect to built environment, transport, utilities and economic development.
Ramon Cruz from ITDP gave a thorough update on actions of the cities towards sustainable transportation, with "push and pull policy" examples from North America, Latin America and Asia, whereas private sector representatives discussed in detail the need for collaboration -instead of actual competition- in between governments but also among companies.
Silas Zimu addressed the need to re-define the concept of green procurement; Rodney Milford mentioned the inconsistency in between national policies (one policy against the objectives of another policy) and Jane Henley, CEO of the World Green Building Council stated that individual building will no longer be the focus in construction; priority will be given from now on, in how to fit the building with the environment.
The event came to an end with a short Q & A session, where audience mostly expressed their worries about how collaboration in between public and private sector can be enforced in order to benefit cities.