The Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, today announced that Australian Scientists will work with Indonesia and Vietnam to address challenges of air and water quality and respond to climate change, population growth and rising energy demands in some of the most densely populated cities in the world.
Australia will host two seminars exploring how the cities of East Asia can become more sustainable and adapt to climate change.
Australian scientists working on the ground in Vietnam and Indonesia with local partners will share their expertise with the fastest growing region in the world which is home to some of its biggest and most vulnerable cities.
Funded under the Australian aid program this is the first project led and funded by Australia in the East Asia Summit Environment stream.
The seminars will build on work already underway by CSIRO and AusAID's Research for Development Alliance and the Climate Adaptation through Sustainable Urban Development Project. The seminars will take place in Makassar, Indonesia and Can Tho, Vietnam in 2012. They will be organised in conjunction with localresearch partners - the University of Can Tho, Vietnam and the University of Hasanuddin, Indonesia.
These collaborative urban case studies focus on how integrated urban water management systems put sustainable urban development principles into practice. The lessons being learnt in these two rapidly developing cities will be shared with other EAS member nations.
The seminars will also play an important role in advancing regional cooperation. Australia can share our experience as we develop and strengthen networks throughout East Asia.