This issue of the Urban-LEDS II Newsletter highlights the following: Project synergies: Global Platform for Sustainable Cities (GPSC) City in focus: Aalborg, Denmark Urban champion: Md. Zannatul Ferdous, Mayor, Singra Municipality, Bangladesh New project resources (New!) - KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
During the World Urban Forum in Abu Dhabi in February 2020, representatives from Urban-LEDS cities, countries, the Adaptation Fund and the Coalition for Urban Transitions joined together to explore good practices in vertical and horizontal integration of climate change. Read the full story here.
Social Safeguards Basic & Advanced (Training Module)
This training module will introduce concepts in relation to environmental and social safeguards which will protect both the environment and the people from adverse effects of development projects, particularly from citywide infrastructure projects. Moreover, it will introduce the social safeguard planning, tools and practical guides in a broader perspective to create a foundation to localize and adopt social safeguard tools and mechanisms in the process of planning, designing and implementing citywide infrastructure projects.
Finally, this training module will be able to guide the participants to explore and understand in‐depth the roles, functions and tasks of safeguards in the operational practices. A practical work of identifying and analysing development induced social issues will be undertaken during the training through group work/exercise.
The Housing Rights Index (HRI) is a decision-support tool developed specifically for the use of housing practitioners and policy makers who are involved in the Housing Practitioners Labs and tailor-made training developed and conducted by UN-Habitat. It is based on the right to adequate housing1 as enshrined in international human rights instruments2 and included in the Habitat Agenda (1996)3 and the New Urban Agenda (2016)4. It is understood as the right of every individual and community to gain and sustain a safe and secure home in which to live in peace and dignity.
The tool has both pedagogic and policy development roles. On the one hand, the deployment of the index will enhance the user’s understanding of the practical meaning of adequate housing rights and enable a better understanding of the policy and practical implications of the seven elements of adequacy that defines the right to adequate housing. On the other hand, the tool supports the user’s assessment of the housing sector with a specific look at the extent to which adequate housing rights are recognized, respected, realized and protected in his/her city.
The Housing Barometer. A tool to support a rapid housing sector review.
The Housing Barometer is a tool to support a rapid analysis of the housing sector. It provides a quick overview of the housing sector that feeds directly into the housing policy formulation process. The Housing Barometer relies on qualitative assessments rather than data and empirical evidences. It expresses the perceptions of policy makers, decision makers and housing practitioners about the performance of the various subsectors of the housing sector. The result of housing sector analysis through the Housing Barometer gives an immediate visualization of the performance of the housing sector by means of the scoring given to each dimension and sub-sector of the Housing Sector in the context that it is being utilized.
The Housing Barometer is a practical tool that draws on the housing sector analysis methodology as outlined in the Practical Guide for Conducting Housing Profiles.
The Housing Barometer enables an easy diagrammatic visualization of the weaknesses and strengths of the housing sector in a given city/country, and as a result provides a basis for further policy discussions. It is illustrated as a housing sector diamond (the geometric figure) that suggests areas for further analysis and possible policy response. The Housing Barometer is therefore a problem-solving tool helping in the identification of the problem areas or policy shortcomings that need attention.
Introducing phase II of the Urban-LEDS Project. The full name of the project is: “Accelerating climate action through the promotion of Urban Low Emission Development Strategies”, or “Urban-LEDS II” for short. The project is funded by the European Union. Phase I ran from 2012 – 2015 involving Brazil, Indonesia, India and South Africa. This second phase runs from 2017 – 2021 and includes four new countries: Colombia, Brazil, Lao PDR and Rwanda.
UN-Habitat and ICLEI are working closely together to accelerate urban low emission development and climate resilience, engaging with more than 60 cities worldwide. Technical assistance is provided to cities in 8 countries, helping them develop robust strategies and climate action plans, underpinned by knowledge gained from risk & vulnerability assessments and greenhouse gas emission inventories.
A key component of the project is the fostering of a multilevel governance approach to urban climate action. The project encourages discussions between all levels of government to explore vertically integrated approaches that address how to improve governance structures, effective communication, intra-governmental coordination, andfinance flows, in all relevant sectors. Urban-LEDS II is an implementation action supporting the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM).
Introducing phase II of the Urban-LEDS Project. The full name of the project is: “Accelerating climate action through the promotion of Urban Low Emission Development Strategies”, or “Urban-LEDS II” for short. The project is funded by the European Union. Phase I ran from 2012 – 2015 involving Brazil, Indonesia, India and South Africa. This second phase runs from 2017 – 2021 and includes four new countries: Colombia, Brazil, Lao PDR and Rwanda.
UN-Habitat and ICLEI are working closely together to accelerate urban low emission development and climate resilience, engaging with more than 60 cities worldwide. Technical assistance is provided to cities in 8 countries, helping them develop robust strategies and climate action plans, underpinned by knowledge gained from risk & vulnerability assessments and greenhouse gas emission inventories.
A key component of the project is the fostering of a multilevel governance approach to urban climate action. The project encourages discussions between all levels of government to explore vertically integrated approaches that address how to improve governance structures, effective communication, intra-governmental coordination, andfinance flows, in all relevant sectors. Urban-LEDS II is an implementation action supporting the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM).
Introducing phase II of the Urban-LEDS Project. The full name of the project is: “Accelerating climate action through the promotion of Urban Low Emission Development Strategies”, or “Urban-LEDS II” for short. The project is funded by the European Union. Phase I ran from 2012 – 2015 involving Brazil, Indonesia, India and South Africa. This second phase runs from 2017 – 2021 and includes four new countries: Colombia, Brazil, Lao PDR and Rwanda.
UN-Habitat and ICLEI are working closely together to accelerate urban low emission development and climate resilience, engaging with more than 60 cities worldwide. Technical assistance is provided to cities in 8 countries, helping them develop robust strategies and climate action plans, underpinned by knowledge gained from risk & vulnerability assessments and greenhouse gas emission inventories.
A key component of the project is the fostering of a multilevel governance approach to urban climate action. The project encourages discussions between all levels of government to explore vertically integrated approaches that address how to improve governance structures, effective communication, intra-governmental coordination, andfinance flows, in all relevant sectors. Urban-LEDS II is an implementation action supporting the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM).
UN-Habitat and GIZ have developed the Metropolitan Capacity Assessment Methodology (MetroCAM) as a joint contribution to implement urban sustainable development agendas and bring them to the metropolitan scale. It complements the Unpacking Metropolitan Governance series. With this modular toolbox, urban stakeholders are able to assess existing capacity in a metropolitan setting, future needs, and potential trigger points and finally identify options for change. By tackling a particular metropolitan challenge, the MetroCAM provides instruments and incentives for municipalities to cooperate beyond administrative boundaries.
The MetroCAM is also a process to foster dialogue and build consensus. The first part of the methodology illustrates the required initial steps for a successful assessment, covering aspects like the composition of the assessment team, finding consensus on the most pressing metropolitan challenge and sequencing activities based on resource and time constraints. The heart of the methodology comprises of 12 tools – a bouquet of options which can be selected regarding the specific needs and challenges. The methodology is primarily directed to local and regional governments’ representatives willing to drive the change and engages urban practitioners, metropolitan actors, researchers and development organisations.
UN-Habitat and Association of African Planning Schools
The role of planning schools in shaping development in their cities, country and regions cannot be overstated at a time when Africa continues to confront major challenges of urbanization like unplanned urban development, traffic congestion, urbanization of poverty and pollution.
One major question asked is: where and what are planning schools and planners doing?
The workshop provided a forum for the schools of planning to explore better ways of promoting the association’s objectives in Kenya and increase collaboration with UN-Habitat.
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