Tag: Capacity building

Categories
Europe

Creating a Sustainable World: 21st Century Challenges and the Sustainable Development Goals

Creating a Sustainable World: 21st Century Challenges and the Sustainable Development Goals

CROSS-CUTTING SECTORS

Education for Sustainable Development, Capacity building, SDGs

ORGANISATION(S)

University of Manchester and external partners

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a call from the United Nations for all countries to tackle, by 2030, the global challenges faced by humanity. The SDGs cover a wide range of challenges, with 17 goals backed up by 169 indicators including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice.

This online course equips students and professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to address the SDGs. It presents the concept of sustainable development and explains the basis of partnership working that underpins the SDG approach. Each SDG is explored through its own module, drawing on expertise from more than 100 leading international researchers, policy-makers and practitioners. Students work in interdisciplinary teams on applied projects set by external organisations through our University Living Lab, so that their assessment contributes to helping deliver the SDGs.

The course is being made available to the Association of Commonwealth Universities and for postgraduate students.  A capsule version will soon be publicly available. The range of applied projects is already publicly available, including currently available projects as well as results from previous projects. We would welcome further partnerships for research projects or if you would like to use the University Living Lab within your teaching.

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.

“Commonwealth organisations representing cities and local government, the private sector, academia and the built environment professions, are championing this Call to Action on Sustainable Urbanisation across the Commonwealth.”

Universities, research, technology, innovation, and knowledge sharing will be at the heart of ensuring sustainable cities and human settelements of the future.

THIS EXAMPLE HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY

The University of Manchester: http://www.college.manchester.ac.uk/

Categories
Asia

Nature-based Climate Adaptation Programme for the Urban Areas of Penang Island

Nature-based Climate Adaptation Programme for the Urban Areas of Penang Island 

CROSS-CUTTING SECTORS

Governance, Capacity Building, Resilience, Gender 

ORGANISATION(S)

Think City, Ministry of Environment and Water, Department of Irrigation and Drainage, City Council of Penang Island

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

Penang is situated in Southeast Asia which is projected by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to be one of the three regions in the world to be hit the hardest by climate change. Penang is mostly susceptible to increasing temperatures, heatwaves and frequent extreme weather events such as heavy rainfall which leads to flooding. Several vulnerable communities in Penang include communities living in areas that are flood prone. The programme is a multilateral initiative that looks to enhance urban resilience and reduce human and ecosystem vulnerability to climate change impacts and extreme weather events through the implementation of nature-based solutions (NBS). It also seeks to improve social resilience and build institutional capacity in collaborative efforts. The programme’s 4 components include the use of nature-based solutions for: a) reducing urban heat, b) improving the management of stormwater and flood mitigation, c) strengthening social resilience and d) building institutional capacity and a knowledge transfer platform. This is the first municipal climate adaptation programme to be developed in Malaysia. It is hoped that through the knowledge transfer platform this programme will be replicated and scaled up across other Malaysian cities. 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.

  • “Cities are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and where the impacts of climate change are experienced acutely.” 
  • “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.” 
  • “Universities, research, technology, innovation, and knowledge sharing will be at the heart of ensuring sustainable C&HSs of the future.”    

THIS EXAMPLE HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY

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

Categories
Africa

Raising Revenue at the Local Level in Kampala, Uganda

Raising Revenue at the Local Level in Kampala, Uganda

CROSS-CUTTING SECTORS

Finance, governance, capacity building, technology/data 

ORGANISATION(S)

World Bank, The KCCA, International Growth Centre (IGC)

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

Kampala faces a lack of revenue to be able to invest in infrastructure and services needed for sustainable urban development. Over a number of years, the city has looked to address this through the digitalisation and automation of revenue and expenditure systems, building in-house capacity, and enhancing the social contract between citizens and the city (click here for more information). The eCitie platform makes online payment of taxes and compliance much easier. Most recently, a simple and fit-for-purpose property tax system was created that included digitalisation of property tax registry with GIS mapping.  Click here for more detailed information on this project. 

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 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.” 
  • “Sustainable urbanisation demands collective action – genuine multi-level governance – to empower, enable and support cities and their citizens.” 

THIS EXAMPLE HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY

The International Growth Centre: www.theigc.org

Categories
Africa

Building the Capacity of Urban Practitioners in East Africa

Building the Capacity of Urban Practitioners in East Africa

CROSS-CUTTING SECTORS

Capacity building 

ORGANISATION(S)

Commonwealth Association of Architects in partnership with Makerere University, the University of Cape Town and the Indian Institute for Human Settlements 

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

There is a severe lack of capacities across several Commonwealth countries, particularly those in the global South, to deal with rapid urbanization, climate change and informality. The Commonwealth’s recent initiatives to quantify this lack of capacity illustrates the critical gap in the availability of trained professionals such as architects, planners, engineers and surveyors that these geographies face. Especially in the public sector, there is the need to foster change in thinking and operating, in order to better design, develop and manage cities and human settlements. These cities need to be more inclusive and sustainable and need to develop the local capacity to respond to challenges – in a scalable and replicable manner. The proposed initiative leverages a Theory of Change approach to design, develop and implement a mid- to long-term capacity building programme aimed at building urban practitioners in Uganda and across East Africa. It leverages the experience of the Indian Institute for Human Settlements in India in building a programme for capacity building for urban professionals over the past decade and aims to foster South-South learning. The proposed programme aims to conduct thematic and meta-thematic workshops among the stakeholders of urbanization in the identified geographies.  

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.’ 
  • “Universities, research, technology, innovation, and knowledge sharing will be at the heart of ensuring sustainable cities and human settlements of the future.’ 
  • “Sustainable urbanisation demands collective action – genuine multi-level governance – to empower, enable and support cities and their citizens.”  

THIS EXAMPLE HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY

Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS): www.iihs.co.in

Categories
Europe

One City Plan in Bristol UK

One City Plan in Bristol UK

CROSS-CUTTING SECTORS

Governance, SDGs, Public service delivery, Urban Planning, Youth, Housing, Climate, Financing, Transport, Health, Capacity Building, Community-led

ORGANISATION(S)

Bristol City Council

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

Launched in January 2019, the One City Plan describes where Bristol wants to be by 2050, and how city partners will work together to create a fairer, healthy and sustainable city. The One City Approach brings together a wide range of public, private, and third sector partners within Bristol. They share an aim to make Bristol a fair, healthy and sustainable city. A city of hope and aspiration, where everyone can share in its success. One of the key messages to the city is that no single organisation can solve the interconnected challenges facing Bristol alone. The One City Approach reconstitutes the City Council as a convening space for the energy and expertise of the city’s businesses, universities, public services, sports clubs, international communities and the voluntary and community sector. By bringing together partners from across the city they can deliver sustainable inclusive development that is integrated and improves connection with communities by including under-represented groups, and allowing them to shape the plans. The One City Plan is structured around six themes; Connectivity, Economy, Environment, Health and Wellbeing, Homes and Communities, and Learning and Skills. All the initiatives within the One City Plan are underpinned by the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, which provide an internationally recognised framework to benchmark the city’s aspirations and progress. Click here to view the One City Plan dashboard.

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”
  • “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.”
  • “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

Bristol City Council

Categories
Africa

Rapid Planning Toolkit in Bo, Sierra Leone

Rapid Planning Toolkit in Bo, Sierra Leone 

CROSS-CUTTING SECTORS

Urban planning, capacity building, climate, governance 

ORGANISATION(S)

The Prince’s Foundation in partnership with the Commonwealth Association of Planners, New York Marron Institute for Urban Management, UN-Habitat, Bo City Council, Commonwealth Local Government Forum, Commonwealth Association of Architects and University College of Estate Management 

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

The speed and scale of growth anticipated in the next few decades will mean that managing urban areas, and planning for new sustainable urban extensions, will be one of the most important challenges facing cities and societies in the 21st century. The Rapid Planning Toolkit is a simple and practical 4-step tool which intends to assist city leaders and built environment professionals in creating robust and implementable walkable neighbourhood plans in rapidly growing cities or towns. The Toolkit advocates that built environment professionals collaborate with local and national governments, technical specialists and local communities to create effective city planning. The Toolkit is currently being tested in Bo, Sierra Leone which has a population of 270,000, set to triple to 540,000 by 2040. In just 9 months they completed Steps 1-3, including tree planting and are due to start Step 4 in 2021. An Online Learning Platform which will enable cities to learn about the Toolkit, download resources and access templates will be available soon. Click here for more information about the Toolkit resources and the Bo Case Study. 

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. 
  • 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.  
  • Universities, research, technology, innovation, and knowledge sharing will be at the heart of ensuring sustainable cities and human settlements of the future.   

THIS EXAMPLE HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY

Commonwealth Association of Planners (CAP): https://www.commonwealth-planners.org/

The Prince’s Foundation: https://princes-foundation.org/

Categories
Asia Pacific

SDG Cities Challenge in Malaysia, India, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Australia

SDG Cities Challenge in Malaysia, India, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Australia 

CROSS-CUTTING SECTORS

SDGs, SIDS, Capacity Building, Data 

ORGANISATION(S)

Connected Cities Lab, Business Council for Sustainable Development Australia, Banksia Foundation 

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

The 2020 SDGs Cities Challenge began on 13 May 2020 with ten initial cities from Malaysia, India, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Australia. There is a wealth of resources available for cities and business to support the implementation of the SDGs however it is not always easy to find a methodology that best fits a city’s local context and identifies appropriate local solutions. The SDGs Cities Challenge links cities with their urban partners in academia, business and community in a structured process of co-design. This creates innovative approaches for cities to accelerate action towards the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular SDG11, using an initiative or project to which they are already committed. Each city is given the opportunity to produce an implementation plan, and ultimately a voluntary local review (VLR) aligned to the SDGs. The SDGs Cities Challenge is a comprehensive, long-term program aligned with the 2030 Development Agenda. 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.

  • “With almost 50% of Commonwealth citizens living and working in cities and human settlements, and 65% of the 169 targets underlying the 17 SDGs linked to territorial and urban development, sustainable urbanisation must be central to the Commonwealth’s agenda for delivering a common future: connecting, innovating, and transforming.”  
  • “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.”  
  • Universities, research, technology, innovation, and knowledge sharing will be at the heart of ensuring sustainable cities and human settlements of the future.  

THIS EXAMPLE HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY

Connected Cities Lab: https://sites.research.unimelb.edu.au/connected-cities

Categories
Africa

Land Tenure Regularisation in Rwanda

Land Tenure Regularisation in Rwanda

CROSS-CUTTING SECTORS

Land tenure, finance, capacity building, gender, climate, governance 

ORGANISATION(S)

The Government of Rwanda, DFID 

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

Rwanda, like many other African countries, had multiple, overlapping tenure systems, with no formal or consistent way of accounting for them in a land register or cadastre. This resulted in rising informal land markets as well as associated increase in land prices and conflict. In order to address this, the government along with development partners rolled out a large-scale Land Tenure Regularisation Programme. By using local para-surveyors and digital technologies, they managed to do this at a cost of US$7 per parcel. This was first piloted in 2007, and then rolled out in full, ending in 2013. Click here for more information on this project.  

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 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.” 
  • “Sustainable urbanisation demands collective action – genuine multi-level governance – to empower, enable and support cities and their citizens.” 

THIS EXAMPLE HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY

International Growth Centre (IGC): https://www.theigc.org/

Categories
Pacific

Building Capacity of SIDS for Local Economic Development in Kiribati, Cook Islands, Marshall Islands

Building Capacity of SIDS for Local Economic Development in Kiribati, Cook Islands, Marshall Islands 

CROSS-CUTTING SECTORS

Local economic development, governance, capacity building 

ORGANISATION(S)

CLGF, LED consultants, LGA and Local Authorities of participating countries together with members of the wards who are going to implement the project. 

PROJECT OVERVIEW 

Small Islands in the Pacific face daunting challenges posed by their small size, narrow production and export bases, limited resources and capacity constraints. These challenges are exacerbated by climate change, urbanisation and now COVID 19. To get out of poverty and hardship people are looking for local solutions to generate economic activities in order to improve standard of living. The overall objective of the project is to create and increase the sustainability of local economic development at the local level through the strengthening of LGAs and Local Authorities and supporting their interaction with communities. The project was designed to build the capacities of small island states for local economic development. It involves an action learning program delivered in each participating country plus providing some mentoring for project implementation. The action learning program provided opportunities for local experts in the country to address issues regarding local economic development and provided tools for assessing local economic development opportunities. Click here to find out more about the project. 

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

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/