“Climate Change Can be Seen Everywhere in Slums”
At COP24, India-based Sheela Patel from SPARC talked to Lou del Bello about how climate change affects people in informal settlements the most – and about strategies to address their special needs.
Migration: An Essential Pillar of Human Civilisation
Migration has always been a catalyst of knowledge, of culture, of science – an aspect that often goes unmentioned in the recent, heated debates on migration. On the occasion of the Global Compact for Migration, Christopher Dekki outlines how important migration is to urban areas, while at the same time emphasising the role cities and communities have to play in these dynamics.
“An Urban Habitat is Not Only Brick and Mortar”
Daniel Kerber is the founder and CEO of More than Shelters, a social business that brings a creative and innovative approach to the humanitarian context. Since it was founded in 2012, More than Shelters has been active in various places: parts of Jordan that border on neighbouring Syria, transit routes, and places where migrants and refugees arrive, such as Greece and Berlin, Germany. URBANET asked Daniel Kerber what More than Shelters brings to the housing debate.
From Ambition to Reality: Why COP24 Needs to Acknowledge the Crucial Role of Local Governments
COP 24 is the place to further enhance the much-needed dialogue and collaboration between local and national governance with regards to their climate change policies, says Lou del Bello.
The Need for Radical Transformation: Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Cape Town, South Africa
It can no longer be denied that climate change has severe effects on our daily lives. As a response, the City of Cape Town has developed a policy that acknowledges climate change impacts as a pressing social and economic issue.
The Future of Cities is Female
On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, URBANET features an article by Cathy McIlwaine that discusses the question of gender-based violence in cities.
Divided Cities and the Need to Move Forward
Almost every major city is heterogeneous in terms of culture and ethnicity. This implies that every city is divided to a certain extent. Yet, there are some cities that are ‘more’ divided than others. Gizem Caner analyses development patterns of such extremely divided cities, using examples from Beirut, Berlin, Jerusalem, Nicosia, and Belfast.
Casa Minha Nosso Bairro: Inclusive Urban Development in Maputo, Mozambique
Projects aimed at the upgrading of settlements often face the question of how to increase living standards for all residents – while keeping housing costs at a level affordable for the original population. The initiative "Casa Minha Nosso Bairro" takes an innovative approach towards this issue, aiming at living conditions that nurture a peaceful living environment for all urban residents
Cape Town, South Africa: Building a Network of Street Enthusiasts
What is the glue holding our cities together? Marcela Guerrero, co-founder and managing director at Open Streets Cape Town, believes that the answer lies in the streets. In an open exchange with others, the initiative is building a network of fellow street enthusiasts in the Global South.