Climate urbanism: A climate-smart strategic development plan within the major corridors of the central business district in Baguio City

Abstract

The impact of global warming is experienced worldwide; from melting glaciers in the polar regions, extreme weather, ocean acidification, and sea-level rise. Climate change and its effects are already set in motion due to human activities, thus, there is a call to mitigate this global concern as reported by the International Panel for Climate Change (IPCC, 2021). The increasing trend in globally averaged temperature indicates that more places are warming than cooling. Since 1880, the total land and ocean temperature have risen at an average pace of 0.13 degrees Fahrenheit each decade. According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 2020 Annual Climate Report; however, the average rate of increase since 1981 (0.18°C / 0.32°F) has been more than doubling that rate (Lindsey, R., Dahlman, L. 2021) Rapid urbanization is one of the factors driving urban developments to build more to accommodate various human activities while increasing deforestation and increasing carbon emissions released into the atmosphere. At present, 55% of the global population lives in urban areas and is expected to rise to 68% by 2050. A new study by the United Nations was the first to project that urbanization, increased settlement in urban areas of the human population, combined with the overall population growth world-wide, could add 2.5 billion people to urban areas by 2050 (United Nations, 2018). Further, more than one-third of global final energy consumption and almost 40% of CO2 emissions originate from buildings and building construction. The energy demand from buildings and building construction continues to rise, spurred by improved access to energy in developing countries, increased ownership and use of energy-consuming devices, and rapid growth in the global building area, Energy Information Administration, (IEA, 2020). As the economy of a particular country has evolved, many infrastructures continuously developed to meet the city's need for housing, offices, retail, education, malls, parks, entertainment, research, industries, and transportation. Unlawful environmental activities such as deforestation, mining, and pollution from car emissions contribute to the destruction of the ozone layer. It results in rapid temperature variations and sometimes weather anomalies. The study focused on Baguio City, known as the Summer Capital of the Philippines. The World-Wide Fund for Nature-Philippines (WWF) considered the City of Pines the most exposed city because it manifested extreme weather and climate conditions compared to other major regional cities in the Philippines. As a result, Baguio City is also the most exposed area to climate change, with rain being the main threat. Currently, storms caused floods and landslides that isolated Baguio City from economic activities. Consequently, it is hard for the metropolis to respond to the changes due to rapid urbanization and high population density. Baguio City exceeded its carrying capacity, and it is more than 300,000 in population. Growing at 2.5% yearly caused strain on its resources. The research focused on the four (4) main corridors in the Central Business District of Baguio City: Session Road, Governor Pack Road, Harrison Road, and Magsaysay Avenue. These are the places where major commercial activities are found. It is also the most populous and busiest area in Baguio City, where tourists and residents come together. This study aims to analyze the annual climate mean air temperature of Baguio City from 1989 to 2019 to establish a climate timeline. It attempted to prove that the urban development factors in terms of urban growth affect the increase in the overall climate mean air temperature of the city by analyzing the population trend, growth rate, in-migration, population-related activities, and the built environment, specifically the building structures. This paper created a climate-smart strategic development framework solution that will help reduce carbon emissions in the transportation and building sectors, adapt to the effects of climate change, and encourage climate resiliency through the climate urbanism approach. The historical climate data provided by the PAGASA, when analyzed, showed an increasing trend in the mean air temperature of Baguio City. The study focused on the urban development factors affecting the mean air temperature, population growth, density and growth rate, the built environment (buildings), and transportation. There was a total of one hundred twenty-six (126) respondents who participated in the survey, ranging from 18-80 years of age. The population of Baguio City is continuously increasing through the population growth rate is decreasing, suggestive of high in-migration according to (Gonzales, 2018). The need for housing, food, and shelter to support the growing population puts pressure on Baguio City's resources, resulting in urban sprawl and vegetation loss. On the other hand, the built environment (buildings) is another story; after the 1991 earthquake, many people, according to the survey, had changed their perception of tall buildings regarding their safety. Few years after the building height restrictions had been lifted, new building constructions started to sprout within the Central Business District of Baguio City. The mean air temperature timeline shows that there is a spike in the mean air temperature for every new building development. In addition, the transportation aspect is directly related to the anthropogenic heat activities, wherein Baguio City primarily relies on private vehicle transportation to move around the city. Heavy vehicular traffic movement within the Central Business District is primarily caused by the strategic links, national and provincial, including the continuously increasing number of fossil-fueled motorized vehicles in the city. Overall, several factors are affecting the climate mean air temperature of Baguio City: 1. Increase in population and density 2. Increase in land use and changes 3. The building materials, unbalanced geometry, and orientation of building structures 4. The decrease in vegetation 5. The continuous growth in the built-environment footprint 6. The dominance of private vehicle transportation. We built our cities driven by the economy. Now, it is time to shape our cities more on climate-driven. In the past decades, the climate mean air temperature values of Baguio City were considered cold weather. Based on the findings, there are many factors contributing to the increase of the climate mean air temperature in the city especially within the CBD. The key factor of urban growth is the increase in residency, and many tourists visit the city primarily due to its cold temperature which differs from other areas of the country with higher humidity levels. However, it was shown that as the population increases over time, climate mean air temperature started t o rise. According to the analysis on the annual climate mean air temperature in Baguio Synoptic Station, there was an increasing trend. The City of Baguio is highly urbanized and has a high transient population and in-migration (Gonzales, 2018). In-migration pushes people to move to cities, including the promise of jobs and prosperity. Urban sprawl and increasing density contribute to poor air and water quality, waste disposal, and high energy consumption due to poor air and water quality, insufficient water availability, and high energy demand. Pollutant levels in urban air are elevated as a result of automobile exhaust. Environmental hazards such as flash flooding can be amplified by urban development. Loss of urban tree cover is exacerbated by pollution and physical barriers to root growth. (Leen, n.d.). For that reason, there has been some effect on its climate in the form of urban warming and potential change in phenology due to the progressive physical development of the city and continuous urban growth in the built environment; it resulted in a strain on natural resources that caused various negative impacts on the environment, city facilities, and the quality of life of the residents, (Estoque & Murayama, 201 I ). There is already a shortage in water in Baguio; as reported by (Alejandro N. Ci et al. 2015), Baguio Water District has failed to comply with its mandate of providing adequate and potable water at an affordable price to all consumers. So, if the population of Baguio continuously increases, there will be much more shortage in the supply. The majority of the large and tall building structures in Baguio City are found along the major corridors of the Central Business District. Most of them are made out of concrete, aluminum cladding, and glass walls which are high in thermal mass, according to (Sharaf 2020). It is also observed that the roofs of most buildings within the CDB and in the city are painted dark green and red, absorbing more heat than reflecting it. (Sharaf, 2020). As stated in the (Purdue University, 2021) report, painting the roof of houses, buildings, and other structures with ultra-white paint - barium sulfate, helps reflect 99% of the sun's energy into the atmosphere while maintaining the surface as cool as possible. According to the World Resources Institute, buildings account for nearly 40% of global carbon dioxide emissions related to energy use, far more than the entire transportation sector. Reducing emissions through building construction is the most effective means of reducing greenhouse gases. Buildings usually have an average lifespan of 40 to 100 years, so their emissions tend to be locked in longer than those from most vehicles, power plants, or other forms of heavy infrastructure. It makes zero-carbon buildings even more crucial. (Stewart Pogh, & Jordan, 2019). The right and appropriate choice of building materials are very important, especially if dealing with the climate. The government should control the building heights, materials, finishes, technology, and the method of construction, which are crucial in making buildings more sustainable and with less carbon footprint. The transportation aspect concerning the population activities is a significant area of change wherein the immediate positive outcome is expected. Reduction in car dependency and increase on the environmentally sustainable mode of public transportation and micro-mobility, Baguio City could have new tourist attractions while forming a cohesive climate response to climate change and urban warming. According to ALMEC Corp., JAICA, & DOTC. (2015), In support of national progress and development, the Philippines is committed to identifying, promoting, and implementing Environmentally Sustainable Transport (EST) strategies and initiatives. The Philippines has undertaken numerous programs and activities toward sustainable development and addressing climate change since signing the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Agreement in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. Almost 30 ago, we are still far from firmly establishing environmentally sustainable transportation within cities and urban areas of the country. For this reason, the study incorporated different types of environmentally sustainable transportation such as bikes, trams, SkyWay, Cable Cars, and Funiculars, appropriate for the natural terrain of Baguio City. These, if applied, will significantly and positively impact the environment in a very positive way. ALMEC Corp., JAICA, & DOTC. (2015) Today’s world is highly digitalized. Despite dealing with the issues and challenges posed by climate change, sustainable connect-tech offers new opportunities for changing how services are delivered to citizens within cities to make them more efficient, cost-effective and improve city planning and management. The digital infrastructure can also fuel the digital economy. (Kim KG, 2017). Based on the findings, planning a climate-smart strategic development approach is an excellent way to enhance the Baguio residents’ quality of life and reduce negative impacts caused by rapid urbanization. Therefore, it is concluded that urban development growth affects the climate mean air temperature of Baguio. It is possible to address the locality’s urban warming and prepare for the effects of climate change by establishing a climate-smart strategic development framework plan. In the concept of “climate-smart,” the smart part refers to the technology employed to achieve this goal. The study’s findings and conclusion illustrate that climate change is posing a threat and that it will have negative impacts on the Cordillera region. It proposed a foundation for the climate and environmental sustainability of the city, which is presented in Climate Urbanism: A climate-smart strategic development plan within the major corridors of the central business district in Baguio City. As a result of this, the following recommendations are presented. 1. Detailed research on Anthropogenic Heat in Baguio City. 2. Detailed Building Survey and Analysis in terms of physical aspect and performance of the building is crucial to achieving more accurate research. 3. Other studies may be related to; the methods of construction, building insulations, urban landscape, rain shelters, and Burnham Park as a rainwater reservoir that will be treated for the city’s use. 4. Tailor-fitted building code for the City of Baguio. 5. Apply Biophilic City Concept to Baguio City. 6. Policies and Regulations on In-Migration, Development Control Regulations for each plot or zones and use of cars. 7. Furthermore last, Waste to Energy Plants as an alternative energy source while addressing solid waste issues in the city.