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 Namibia to adapt to climate change.
The assessment was done through the UN-Habitat Urban Law Module of the Law and Climate Change Toolkit – an innovative online tool designed to help countries establish legal frameworks necessary for effective domestic implementation of the Paris Agreement. This was based on the five key performance indicators namely: i) governance framework for urban and climate planning; ii) urban and territorial planning; iii) urban planning and design for adaptation; iv) urban planning and design for mitigation; and v) economic and non-economic instruments for climate friendly urban planning.
It is hoped that this assessment will be instrumental in fulfilling the potential of urban areas in Namibia to lead the way and be truly transformative spaces for climate action. In addition to this full report, UN-Habitat has produced a shorter version of the full report (summary report) that contains key points and recommendations from the sections mentioned above.
Assessment of Zimbabwe Legislation through the Urban Law Module of the Law and Climate Change Toolkit SUMMARY REPORT
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 Zimbabwe to adapt to climate change. The assessment was done through the UN-Habitat Urban Law Module of the Law and Climate Change Toolkit – an innovative online tool designed to help countries establish legal frameworks necessary for effective domestic implementation of the Paris Agreement. The assessment was based on the five key performance indicators namely: i) governance framework for urban and climate planning; ii) urban and territorial planning; iii) urban planning and design for adaptation; iv) urban planning and design for mitigation; and v) economic and non-economic instruments for climate friendly urban planning. It is hoped that this assessment and the impending climate law reform will be instrumental in fulfilling the potential of urban areas in Zimbabwe to lead the way and be truly transformative spaces for climate action. In addition to this full report, UN-Habitat has produced a shorter version of the full report (summary report) that contains key points and recommendations from the sections mentioned above.
Communiqué of the Expert Group Meeting Urban Regeneration as a tool for Inclusive and Sustainable Recovery
Communiqué of the Expert Group Meeting on Urban Regeneration as a tool for Inclusive and Sustainable Recovery, held on December 2021 (Bilbao, Spain), organized by UN-Habitat (Inclusive, Vibrant Neighbourhoods, and Communities Flagship Programme), with the support of the Basque Government (Spain).
The debate focused on Urban Regeneration as an integrative process and essential instrument that city leaders, planners, and policymakers, together with civil society, investors, and the private sector should consider achieving sustainable and inclusive cities, and the COVID-19 pandemic recovery.
This Communiqué summarises the priority actions identified by the experts as a result of the two-day meeting: a) develop Guidelines for Inclusive and Sustainable Urban Regeneration, b) monitor spatial inequality; c) establish an Urban Regeneration Reference Group, and d) mobilize resources for urban regeneration.
The sixth Global Environment Outlook (GEO) for Cities report
GEO for Cities aims to inform, engage and support dialogue among city decision makers and other actors involved in urban issues. The GEO-6 report, published in 2019, identified urbanization as one of five main drivers of environmental change and also looked at the impact on cities and city residents of related challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.
The GEO for Cities looks at these issues but also presents the types of solutions that can lead to environmentally sustainable and just cities. The GEO for Cities process is led by two co-chairs, guided by an Advisory Committee of organizations focused on urban and environment solutions (ICLEI, C40, Cities Alliance, IIED, ODI, IIHS, GCSE), has been drafted by around 20 expert authors and supported by the GEO Secretariat. The environmental and urban challenges outlined in this report require urgent and sustained attention from everyone involved in building or managing cities.
To achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11, we must make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and environmentally sustainable. UNEP, UN-Habitat, the GEO for Cities Advisory Committee, its co-chairs and the expert authors hope that this report will lead to the urgent action needed for cities to become the beacons of environmental excellence that help their citizens lead productive, prosperous and equitable lives. Enjoy and take action!
Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for Côte d’Ivoire under the Adaptation Fund Project “Improved Resilience of Coastal Communities in Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana”.
The Government of Côte d’Ivoire has appealed to UN-Habitat to support cities and coastal (and river/delta) communities in their adaptation to climate change efforts. This includes strengthening their resilience to coastal erosion and flooding, and their related impacts and risks.
It is in this context that the Adaptation Fund will provide funding of around $14 million for the implementation of integrative actions in coastal legislation, capacity building, and concrete transformative nature-based interventions. These efforts will aim at replicability at different scales. The interventions will be the most cost-effective and community inclusive, becoming a prototype for the sustainable management of coastal areas in West Africa.
In Côte d’Ivoire the project’s concerns will focus on Greater Abidjan, the main area of urban development and population growth, where most of the industrial, commercial, residential and educational facilities are concentrated. This area is at high risk of coastal erosion and flooding as it is surrounded by the Ebrié lagoon and the sea. The mainly targeted towns, located between the Ebrié lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean are Jacqueville and Grand-Bassam.
In line with the Adaptation Fund’s ESP and GP, UN-Habitat’s Environmental and Social Safeguard Policy (ESSP), and National Environmental Assessment requirements, UN-Habitat and partners are required to categorize the risk of the project as a whole and to manage potential risks and impacts. It is against this background that this Environmental and Social Impact Assessment study has been undertaken.
The Urban-LEDS project promotes low-emission urban development strategies in emerging economy countries. Jointly implemented by ICLEI and UN-Habitat and funded by the European Union, it helps cities to pursue low-carbon, sustainable development. This special edition of the Urban-LEDS newsletter focuses on the European project cities and their recent achievements in terms of low emission development.
The Urban-LEDS European project cities have been selected across the wider European region for the rich diversity of their experiences on local climate action to support the 29 Urban-LEDS cities in Brazil, India, Indonesia and South Africa on their way to implement Low Emission Development Strategies. Through this South-South-North knowledge exchange, cities are sharing their experiences, supporting peer exchange and capacity development.
European cities benefit from the project by learning from one another and from innovative approaches applied by the project Model and Satellite Cities. This newsletter samples highlights from all European staff exchanges and groundbreaking European achievements. We hope you enjoy this special edition of the newsletter!
The Urban--‐LEDS project responds to the fact that cities emit a large proportion of the world’s greenhouse gases and can take steps to reduce emissions. Citiesin Brazil, India, Indonesia and South Africa are outlining their Urban Low Emission Development Strategies (Urban--‐LEDS) and exploring implementation of a range of activities. In each country, two Model Cities are assisted in formulating and adopting their Urban--‐LEDS, and share their experiences with Satellite Cities, which observe, learn and share their own experiences. Experienced European Cities support the process, sharing their own experiences and know--‐how.
The South African governance system, defined by the Constitution of 1996, specifies the mandate of the three spheres of government: national, provincial and local. Recent laws and policies, including the Draft Climate Change Bill (2018), give a larger mandate to local governments when planning for climate action and responding to local challenges. This evolution of the legal framework, the rapid deployment of renewable energy solutions throughout the country, as well as the increasing importance of the national debate on just energy transitions create an ideal opportunity for strengthened vertical and horizontal coordination and cooperation for effective climate change response in South Africa.
Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) is increasingly shifting to a model of governance known as ‘sam-sang’ (3-build system), whereby responsibility is increasingly devolved to local administration levels (province, district and village). This poses an ideal opportunity to implement a well-integrated and vertically coordinated climate change response.
In particular, structured, practical and long-term capacity building programmes are needed for all tiers of government, as is the integration of climate change into sectoral policies and plans.
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