UN-Habitat, the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Regional Programme Energy Security and Climate Change in Sub-Saharan Africa (KAS), and the University of Michigan (United States of America), through the project on Urban Law for Resilient and Low Carbon Urban Development in Malawi, Namibia, and Zimbabwe, were able to assess the capacity of climate laws and policies in Malawi to adapt to climate change. The assessment was done through the UN-Habitat Urban Law Module of the Law and Climate Change Toolkit…

This report explores some of the critical challenges that converge at the intersection of climate change and land governance. Some of these challenges are droughts, desertification, disaster risk, land and water management, land degradation and restoration, soil erosion and conservation, biodiversity, and food security.

Through smart city initiatives, digital technologies are increasingly applied in cities to modernize city operations and transform service delivery. This report features findings from a systematic literature review and a global online survey completed by approximately 300 respondents, who have reported on the smart city governance practices of more than 250 municipalities in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North America.

People living in cities around the world use a wide range of municipal services on a regular basis. Services provided to residents such as garbage collection, the provision of playgrounds, parking spaces, streetlights, affordable housing, social support and public transport all require a local government that is committed to facilitating good quality of life in the city. As city governments undergo digital transformation, the digital and physical aspects of the city become more closely…

La crise sociopolitique s’est progressivement transformée en conflit armé dans les régions du Nord-Ouest et du Sud-Ouest au Cameroun, cette situation a entrainé des vagues massives de personnes déplacées et installées dans les régions voisines de l’Ouest et du littoral. Les répercussions de ces flux démographiques ont été rapides sur la cohésion sociale au sein des collectivités hôtes au niveau individuel, économique, socioculturel et sociopolitique avec des tensions diverses. Face à la…

This paper on the use of artificial intelligence in cities is part of UN-Habitat’s strategy for guiding local authorities in realizing a people-centered digital transformation process in their cities and settlements.

El caso del Área Metropolitana de San Salvador (AMSS) es inspirador. El trabajo conjunto que realizan sus 14 municipios le ha permitido al AMSS ser la única en El Salvador y Centro América en consolidar sus marcos legales y políticas públicas de largo plazo, habilitando la gobernanza, planificación y financiamiento integrados y coordinados.

This is the second Policy, Legislation and Governance Section (PLGS) Annual report on the implementation of the Strategic Plan 2020-2025, reporting progress and achievements for the year 2021. This report demonstrates the Section’s catalytic role in implementing initiatives to contribute to UN-Habitat’s mandate as well as the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda.