Author: Alice Preston Jones

Categories
Africa

The Green Refugee Camp in Minawao, Cameroon

The Green Refugee Camp in Minawao, Cameroon 

CROSS-CUTTING SECTORS

Capacity building, Housing, Urban poor, Climate  

ORGANISATION(S)

Implemented and supported by United Nations Refugee Organization (UNHCR) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and with funding from the Dutch National Postcode Lottery 

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

The effects of climate change and socio-political factors are leading to increasingly large populations being displaced, with migrants often fleeing to poor countries with limited resources. The rapidly growing refugee community in Cameroon’s Minawao refugee camp has led to significant environmental and social challenges, including water shortages, damage to valuable grazing land, desertification and deforestation. To address this, the camp has constructed temporary shelters made from locally sourced biodegradeable materials, that do not result in plastic waste and have a reduced carbon footprint associated with transportation, they have invested in eco-friendly cooking stoves and have planted tree nurseries with an associated education and training programme to ensure they survive. The Green Refugee Camp aims to set an example of sustainable construction and management of a refugee camp. Click here for more information. 

RELEVANCE TO THE CALL TO ACTION ON SUSTAINABLE URBANISATION ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH

These examples have been chosen because of their relevance to the Call to Action, as shown by the direct quotes provided below. To view the Call to Action click here.

  • “Many Commonwealth cities and human settlements are grappling with poverty, informality, food security and migration.” 
  • “Cities and human settlements are responsible for ensuring delivery of essential services including water, sanitation, healthcare, education, public transport, and housing, upon which their citizens depend.’
  • “Cities are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and where the impacts of climate change are experienced acutely.”
  • “Sustainable urbanisation demands collective action – genuine multi-level governance – to empower, enable and support cities and their citizens.”

THIS EXAMPLE HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY

UN-Habitat: https://unhabitat.org/

Categories
Asia Europe

Nutrition Smart Cities: ‘BINDI’ Birmingham India Nutrition Initiative in Birmingham and Pune

Nutrition Smart Cities: ‘BINDI’ Birmingham India Nutrition Initiative in Birmingham and Pune 

CROSS-CUTTING SECTORS

Food, Health, COVID-19 

ORGANISATION(S)

Food Foundation, UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Birmingham City Council, Pune Municipal Corporation 

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

The Food Foundation facilitated a learning partnership between Birmingham, UK and Pune, India which involved the development of policies and practices as part of a ‘Food Smart City’ initiative. Food Smart Cities use data and technology to change the way that food is produced, processed, distributed and consumed. Birmingham and Pune have a common ambition to seize opportunities to support safer, healthier and more sustainable city food environments which prevent malnutrition in all its forms. The focus of the partnership is on policies regarding food prepared out of the home – to encourage that food which is available and promoted is safe, nutritious, affordable and procured in a manner which supports environmental sustainability and local economic development. In the first 18-month phase, the Food Foundation worked with local authorities in both cities to design the partnership, based on citizen engagement and evidence from elsewhere around the globe. A Situational Analysis Reports for both Birmingham and Pune which compiled secondary data on the nutrition situation in both cities to inform the partnership. Both cities shared a similar approach when responding to the COVID-19 emergency. Case studies and videos have been produced highlighting partnerships with the voluntary sector to ensure emergency food aid was delivered to communities and families in need. Click here to find out more.  

RELEVANCE TO THE CALL TO ACTION ON SUSTAINABLE URBANISATION ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH

These examples have been chosen because of their relevance to the Call to Action, as shown by the direct quotes provided below. To view the Call to Action click here.

  • “Sustainable urbanisation demands collective action – genuine multi-level governance – to empower, enable and support cities and their citizens. This is critical as many Commonwealth cities and human settlements are grappling with poverty, informality, food security and migration.” 
  • “Sustainable urbanisation requires a commitment to good governance, integrated planning, effective service delivery together with fiscal and political empowerment.” 
  • “The Commonwealth has the potential to transform the way in which it does business to achieve a uniquely Commonwealth response to the challenges and opportunities of urbanisation.” 

THIS EXAMPLE HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY

Food Foundation: https://foodfoundation.org.uk/

Categories
Asia

Mapping Vulnerability and Resilience in Malaysia

Mapping Vulnerability and Resilience in Malaysia  

CROSS-CUTTING SECTORS

Good Governance, Technology, Resilience, COVID-19 

ORGANISATION(S)

Think City

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

Despite the socio-economic toll of public health interventions cited by numerous academics, there had been a lack of investigation into the inter-related nature of the COVID-19 impacts and how vulnerability and community resilience would play out spatially. This project aimed to tackle the lack of analysed data in Malaysia, to aid decision-making and raise awareness amongst the public regarding the different levels of impacts associated with Covid-19. A GIS (Geographical Information System) multi-criteria analysis was developed to model the relative social, economic, and health impacts and risks of the pandemic, with the overall aim of identifying vulnerable communities in Malaysia. The mapping tool can be found here. Key challenges included the lack of granular data to accurately map and identify specific sites of vulnerability, as well as ensuring that the data would not be outdated in the face of new reported cases and research produced each day. This exercise demonstrated the crucial role of data in addressing the uncertainties surrounding the pandemic and gaps in developing adaptive response plans and policies. The development of the mapping tool led to an urban policy paper titled ‘Mapping Vulnerability and Resilience: A decision support tool for policymakers’, which dissected the findings and made key policy recommendations based on the spatial and demographic inequality found through the analysis. The policy paper can be found here. 

RELEVANCE TO THE CALL TO ACTION ON SUSTAINABLE URBANISATION ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH

These examples have been chosen because of their relevance to the Call to Action, as shown by the direct quotes provided below. To view the Call to Action click here.

  • Cities “are vulnerable to external shocks and natural disasters and are dealing with both the immediate and long-term effects of the COVID-19 global pandemic.” 
  • Universities, research, technology, innovation, and knowledge sharing will be at the heart of ensuring sustainable cities and human settlements of the future. 
  • “Sustainable urbanisation requires a commitment to good governance, integrated planning, effective service delivery together with fiscal and political empowerment.” 
  • “Sustainable urbanisation demands collective action – genuine multi-level governance – to empower, enable and support cities and their citizens.”  

THIS EXAMPLE HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY

Think City: https://thinkcity.com.my/

Categories
Pacific

Localising the 2030 Agenda Through Sustainable Urban Resource Management in Fiji

Localising the 2030 Agenda Through Sustainable Urban Resource Management in Fiji 

CROSS-CUTTING SECTORS

Waste management, capacity building, governance, SDGs 

ORGANISATION(S)

UNESCAP, UNHABITAT, JICA, CLGF, Ministry of Local Government, Nasinu Town Councils and members of different groups from communities in Nasinu including representatives from the informal settlement and business community.

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

Many people in the Pacific continue to move to towns and cities resulting in significant and unsustainable use of resources, environmental degradation, waste and pollution. This set of challenges is particularly problematic for poor and vulnerable populations with limited access to basic infrastructure and services as well as decent livelihoods especially linked to eco-systems and natural resources. These challenges were addressed in this project through strengthening the capacities of local governments and other key urban stakeholders to implement the 2030 Agenda in the area of urban resource management. This project has a long-term aim of engaging a broad range of urban stakeholders to be able to identify and then implement ways of improving waste management outcomes of the Nasinu Town Council and the community. The focus is to integrate processes such as participatory, evidence, multi stakeholder’s governance and capacity building as precursors to well informed actions. The project helps to build the skills of the Nasinu Town Council and the community members in good local governance practices and procedures to improve solid waste management in Nasinu. The project set up and manage a local multi stakeholder’s coalition who were provided with tools and resources to enhance their ability to plan and implement SDGs, collect, analyse and disseminate data and encourage stakeholders to work together. Click here for more information.  

RELEVANCE TO THE CALL TO ACTION ON SUSTAINABLE URBANISATION ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH

These examples have been chosen because of their relevance to the Call to Action, as shown by the direct quotes provided below. To view the Call to Action click here.

  • “Cities and human settlements are responsible for ensuring delivery of essential services including water, sanitation, healthcare, education, public transport, and housing, upon which their citizens depend.” 
  • “Sustainable urbanisation requires a commitment to good governance, integrated planning, effective service delivery together with fiscal and political empowerment.” 
  • “Sustainable urbanisation demands collective action – genuine multi-level governance – to empower, enable and support cities and their citizens.”   

THIS EXAMPLE HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY

Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF): https://www.clgf.org.uk/

Categories
Africa

Community Managed Funds to uplift Local Economic Activities in Ga Mashie, Accra, Ghana

Community Managed Funds to uplift Local Economic Activities in Ga Mashie, Accra, Ghana

CROSS-CUTTING SECTORS

Financing, Urban Poor, Youth, Gender, Community-Led, Public service delivery

ORGANISATION(S)

Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme (PSUP), UN-Habitat

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

Ga Mashie initiative involved slum upgrading and poverty allevistion that was built around strong community participation and empowerment through integration of a community fund to support economic activites for youth and women. As part of activities under the PSUP project implemented within the Ga mashie community, a community fund has been established to assist with the development and upgrading of the community. The Ga Mashie Development Committee (CDC) have introduced a microfinance to support the teaming traders within the community. The microfinance aims at providing formal financial services to poor and lower-income businesses as well as others who are systematically excluded from the financial system. The support to local businesses is to ensure that there is financial inclusion of all working age adults having access to credit, savings and insurance from formal financial services. Community Managed Funds (CMF) was initiated to enable community groups apply for grants to implement projects in the settlements and setting up of micro-finance guarantee facility with local bank for affordable business loans to benefit youth and women. This has grown to Micro-credit with more than 5,000 members Over 5KM of alleys paved with blocks (locally made with local labour) resulting in improved public space, safety and flooding for over 100, 000 residents 7 CMF projects implemented by more than 300 youth and women resulting improved garbage collection, water access and public spaces Community and AMA partnership improved with devolution of upgrading activities to neighbourhoods. Find out more here.

RELEVANCE TO THE CALL TO ACTION ON SUSTAINABLE URBANISATION ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH

These examples have been chosen because of their relevance to the Call to Action, as shown by the direct quotes provided below. To view the Call to Action click here.

  • “Sustainable urbanisation demands collective action – genuine multi-level governance – to empower, enable and support cities and their citizens.” 
  • “Sustainable urbanisation requires a commitment to good governance, integrated planning, effective service delivery together with fiscal and political empowerment.” 

THIS EXAMPLE HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY

UN-Habitat: https://unhabitat.org

Categories
Pacific

4°C Cooler – Using Green Infrastructure to Build a Climate Resilient and Prosperous Melbourne

4°C Cooler – Using Green Infrastructure to Build a Climate Resilient and Prosperous Melbourne 

CROSS-CUTTING SECTORS

Urban planning, Climate, Resilience 

ORGANISATION(S)

The City of Melbourne 

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

In response to the extremely hot weather experienced in Melbourne over several years, the City of Melbourne have developed an Urban Forest Strategy and Open Space Strategy. The aim is to green the city and ultimately reduce the summertime temperatures in Melbourne by 4°C by 2040. The strategies are to double the green canopy over the city up to 40%, increase the network of green spaces and to expand stormwater harvesting to provide irrigation at times of drought. So far $40 million has been invested and since 2010, 15,000 trees have been planted, streets retrofitted for increased permeability and a new stormwater harvesting system contributes to 25% of water required for landscape irrigation. Click here for more information. 

RELEVANCE TO THE CALL TO ACTION ON SUSTAINABLE URBANISATION ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH

These examples have been chosen because of their relevance to the Call to Action, as shown by the direct quotes provided below. To view the Call to Action click here.

  • “Cities are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and where the impacts of climate change are experienced acutely.”
  • “Cities and human settlements are responsible for ensuring delivery of essential services including water, sanitation, healthcare, education, public transport, and housing, upon which their citizens depend.”
  • “Sustainable urbanisation requires a commitment to good governance, integrated planning, effective service delivery together with fiscal and political empowerment.”

THIS EXAMPLE HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY

UN-Habitat: https://unhabitat.org/

Categories
Asia

Kita-2-Kita Programme: Empowering Urban Poor Communities in Selangor, Malaysia

Kita-2-Kita Programme: Empowering Urban Poor Communities in Selangor, Malaysia 

CROSS-CUTTING SECTORS

Good Governance, Housing, Urban Poor, COVID-19, Technology, Public Service Delivery 

ORGANISATION(S)

Think City, Afrik Nexus, Selangor State, Menteri Besar Incorporated, Pemodalan Negeri Selangor Berhad, Lembaga Perumahan dan Hartanah Selangor, Perumahan Hartanah Selangor, Citi Foundation 

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

In the Klang Valley (Greater KL), Malaysia, nearly 1 in 4 residents live in public housing which has many major issues that need to be addressed such as old housing stock and infrastructure, lack of social mobility and empowerment, poor job security and other related systemic challenges. The K2K programme has been designed in response to Covid-19 to test ways to engage with the community during movement control restrictions and deliver aid efficiently and transparently. The project has wider aims to reduce residents’ cost of living, improve standard of living and strengthen management systems in urban poor communities within Malaysian public housing schemes. A digital platform links residents with aid and support services in an efficient and transparent way that also generates community insights. In addition to food aid delivery, the programme is now focussing on relieving mental stress, building social cohesion and skills development. The programme delivery combines both traditional and digital methods of implementation.  

RELEVANCE TO THE CALL TO ACTION ON SUSTAINABLE URBANISATION ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH

These examples have been chosen because of their relevance to the Call to Action, as shown by the direct quotes provided below. To view the Call to Action click here.

  • Cities “are vulnerable to external shocks and natural disasters and are dealing with both the immediate and long-term effects of the COVID-19 global pandemic.” 
  • “Sustainable urbanisation requires a commitment to good governance, integrated planning, effective service delivery together with fiscal and political empowerment.” 
  • “Sustainable urbanisation demands collective action – genuine multi-level governance – to empower, enable and support cities and their citizens.” 

THIS EXAMPLE HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY

Think City: https://thinkcity.com.my/

Categories
Africa

Embedding Sanitation and Hygiene in Town Planning in Babati, Tanzania

Embedding Sanitation and Hygiene in Town Planning in Babati, Tanzania 

CROSS-CUTTING SECTORS

WASH, Governance, Planning, Capacity Building, Data  

ORGANISATION(S)

WaterAid Tanzania as project lead; the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST) for lead on research; Babati Town Council (BTC) to lead locally and link with communities; the Babati Water and Sanitation Authority (BAWASA) for technical expertise; and Manyara Regional Secretariat to supervise the implementation of research.  

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

In 2019, Babati had neither proper wastewater management system nor sanitary solid waste disposal. The main challenge to address this was the reluctance of authorities to invest and work with other actors on sanitation and hygiene. This was partly due to the common misconception that sanitation has to be done with a sewerage system, with very large capital costs, even though the town relied on on-site sanitation. An action research programme took stock of the situation through a formative research, data collection with city authorities and communities, a political economy analysis and a Shit-Flow-Diagram. The results were used for a scenario planning workshop which brought together many town actors to identify which options for sanitation and for hygiene were possible and preferable. Local authorities of secondary cities can find themselves constrained when considering sanitation: their size and the typical engineers’ training seems to mandate sewerage, which is very expensive to install and maintain. This attitude can create paralysis and prevent any meaningful investment in infrastructure improvements. This project has shown a method to accompany authorities in finding out which greater range of options is available to them and prioritise investments. Click here for more information.

RELEVANCE TO THE CALL TO ACTION ON SUSTAINABLE URBANISATION ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH

These examples have been chosen because of their relevance to the Call to Action, as shown by the direct quotes provided below. To view the Call to Action click here.

  • “Cities and human settlements are responsible for ensuring delivery of essential services including water, sanitation, healthcare, education, public transport, and housing, upon which their citizens depend.” 
  • “Sustainable urbanisation requires a commitment to good governance, integrated planning, effective service delivery together with fiscal and political empowerment.” 
  • “Sustainable urbanisation demands collective action – genuine multi-level governance – to empower, enable and support cities and their citizens.”   

THIS EXAMPLE HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY

WaterAid: https://www.wateraid.org/uk/

Categories
Africa

Strategic Planning in eThekwini, South Africa

Strategic Planning in eThekwini, South Africa 

CROSS-CUTTING SECTORS

Governance, planning, resilience, finance, capacity building, SDGs 

ORGANISATION(S)

eThekwini Municipality

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

In many countries across the world the challenge for sustainable urbanisation is that different spheres of government often work in silos which leads to a lack of coherence in planning and implementation at the local level. In an effort to address this South Africa created a District Development Model in 2019. The Model ensures all three spheres of government work together, with communities and stakeholders, to plan, budget and implement in unison. The Model aims to improve the coherence and impact of government service delivery with a focus on 44 Districts and 8 Metros. Alongside the District Development Model, eThekwini has created an Integrated Development Plan (IDP) which takes the vision from the Model to generate implementational mechanisms at the institutional level. It includes capacity building workshops and mentoring for long term strategic development as well as aligning the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to the IDP outcomes. In the first year of the IDP there were 60 SDG indicators without associated projects, in the second year there were 48 and in the third year only 40 which highlights significant progress. To find out more about the IDP click here.  

RELEVANCE TO THE CALL TO ACTION ON SUSTAINABLE URBANISATION ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH

These examples have been chosen because of their relevance to the Call to Action, as shown by the direct quotes provided below. To view the Call to Action click here.

  • “Sustainable urbanisation demands collective action – genuine multi-level governance – to empower, enable and support cities and their citizens” 
  • “Cities and human settlements are responsible for ensuring delivery of essential services including water, sanitation, healthcare, education, public transport, and housing, upon which their citizens depend.” 
  • “Sustainable urbanisation requires a commitment to good governance, integrated planning, effective service delivery together with fiscal and political empowerment.”  

THIS EXAMPLE HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY

eThekwini Municipality

Categories
Africa

‘Salubata’ Sustainable Shoes Feeding Children in Lagos

‘Salubata’ Sustainable Shoes Feeding Children in Lagos

CROSS-CUTTING SECTORS

Circular Economy, Food, Youth, Urban Poor, Recycling

ORGANISATION(S)

Salubata, UN-Habitat

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

Salubata manufactures modular shoes from recycled plastics and algal bloom. As a pair of shoes requires about a kilogram of plastic waste for its production, this initiative significantly contributes to the reduction of the vast amounts of plastic waste generated. One of ‘Africa’s 100 Most Promising Start-Ups’, the company, based in Lagos, Nigeria, aims to produce 5,000,000 shoes per year by 2023. In addition to contributing to waste reduction, 5 per cent of profits are donated to help children confronted with malnutrition. In a year, Salubata contributed $4,464,000 of profit to the cause of feeding over 1,100,000 starving children, and converted over 160,000 tonnes of plastics to wearable shoes. Click here for more information.

RELEVANCE TO THE CALL TO ACTION ON SUSTAINABLE URBANISATION ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH

These examples have been chosen because of their relevance to the Call to Action, as shown by the direct quotes provided below. To view the Call to Action click here.

  • “Well managed cities and human settlements are drivers of economic development, centres of innovation and entrepreneurship, and sources of trade and employment that are vital for the livelihoods of their citizens, 60% of whom are under 30.”
  • “Sustainable urbanisation demands collective action – genuine multi-level governance – to empower, enable and support cities and their citizens. This is critical as many Commonwealth cities and human settlements are grappling with poverty, informality, food security and migration.”
  • “Sustainable urbanisation requires a commitment to good governance, integrated planning, effective service delivery together with fiscal and political empowerment.”

THIS EXAMPLE HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY

UN-Habitat: https://unhabitat.org/