BCDA inks Clark Green City deal with Sweden
State-run Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) has forged a partnership with the Swedish government and foreign private firms to develop and build the Clark Green City, touted to become the country’s first smart, disaster-resilient and green metropolis.
In a statement, the BCDA said it had signed a memorandum of understanding with IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute (IVL), a foundation jointly owned by the Government of Sweden and Swedish industry; ElectriCITY, a non-profit organization composed of major companies operating in Sweden; and Xeric AB (Xeric), a company that specializes in providing business consultancy services for small and medium-scale enterprises.
BCDA president and CEO Arnel Paciano D. Casanova explained that the MOU creates a non-binding framework for furthering discussions under which the BCDA and the three Swedish firms can explore potential collaborative opportunities in relation to sustainable urbanization, best practices in urban development, and providing business solution services in the development and growth of Clark Green City.
Under the MOU, the BCDA, IVL, ElectriCITY, and Xeric have agreed to pursue cooperation; promote green sustainability, inclusive growth, innovation, enterprise development; and develop synergies towards common goals in the areas of sustainable city planning; eco-governance; infrastructure and utilities; energy; clean technology, products, and solutions; information technology and smart development; sustainable resource management; waste management and recycling; and training and education, among others.
“We welcome IVL, ElectriCITY, and Xeric as the newest partners of the BCDA in the development of Clark Green City and look forward to a fruitful collaborative partnership through knowledge and technology transfer, research and development, and business investments,” Casanova said.
Casanova added that the BCDA was also forming a Technical Cooperation Committee to facilitate the implementation of the cooperative activities.
IVL was created in 1966 and has since been involved in the development of solutions to environmental problems, both at the national and international levels.
ElectriCITY has been instrumental in the development of Hammarby Sjostad—a notable example of sustainable city development in Sweden, while XERIC was founded in 2011 by a group of experienced managers from the Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson.
The Clark Green City, which will serve as the urban core of the Central Luzon metropolis, is also seen to play a crucial role in increasing the country’s competitiveness amid the ongoing regional economic integration among the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
This metropolis is expected to rake in some P59 billion worth of fresh investments for the first five years of development, the bulk of which would be shouldered by the private sector.
At full development, the Clark Green City is seen to contribute approximately P1.57 trillion per year to the local economy. Amy R. Remo
