Governance & Finance

Policy and Financing for Net Zero Carbon Buildings: Insights from COP27

Spotlight on: cop27

Policy and Financing for Net Zero Carbon Buildings: Insights from COP27

By Laura Puttkamer|2022-11-21T11:51:13+01:00November 18th 2022|Governance & Finance, COP27, sustainable urban planning, UN Climate Conference, urban planning and construction|

November 17 was Solutions Day at the recent climate conference COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. To discuss how to combine financial modalities with city-level policies to facilitate public and private investment in low- and zero-carbon buildings, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development co-hosted an event with the Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance. By Laura Puttkamer

Offering Affordable Housing in Egypt Through Microfinance

SPOTLIGHT ON: AFFORDABLE CITIES

Offering Affordable Housing in Egypt Through Microfinance

By Raed Fares and Safa H. Ashoub|2022-07-26T09:21:56+02:00July 26th 2022|Economic Development, Governance & Finance, Housing & Informality, affordable cities, affordable housing, Cairo, Egypt|

Access to housing finance is an enormous challenge in Egyptian cities. Raed Fares and Safa Ashoub portray the approach by Habitat for Humanity Egypt: a microfinancing programme that also offers technical assistance and ensures to include local communities.

Land Value Capture: Creating the Financial Means for Affordable Cities

SPOTLIGHT ON: AFFORDABLE CITIES

Land Value Capture: Creating the Financial Means for Affordable Cities

By Sena Segbedzi|2022-07-19T09:02:27+02:00July 19th 2022|Basic Infrastructure & Housing, Governance & Finance, affordable cities, land governance, Latin America|

Creating liveable, affordable cities requires significant public investments. How to finance them? The answer may lie in land value capture. This financing tool allows municipalities to recover the land value gains that result from public action such as zoning changes or investment in public infrastructure, to invest them back into the city. Sena Segbedzi, OECD Champion Mayors for Inclusive Growth Initiative, shares stories of success from all over the world.

Urban Challenges in Post-COVID Times

SPOTLIGHT ON: WORLD URBAN FORUM

Urban Challenges in Post-COVID Times

By Cynthia Goytia|2022-06-30T09:36:48+02:00June 30th 2022|Basic Infrastructure & Housing, Governance & Finance, Bogota, land governance, Latin America, Sao Paulo, WUF11|

The COVID-19 crisis has exacerbated existing challenges in the domain of social inclusion and housing. Cynthia Goytia on how cities can rise to these challenges and which solutions have already proven successful in urban Latin America.

Building A Home For Bicycles In Langa

SPOTLIGHT ON: URBAN LABS AND INNOVATION

Building A Home For Bicycles In Langa

By Mzikhona Mgedle|2022-04-26T10:13:22+02:00April 26th 2022|Governance & Finance, Urban Mobility, Cape Town, cycling, South Africa, Urban Living Labs|

The bicycle hub in Cape Town's township of Langa started as a small community initiative that delivered medicine to bedridden people in the neighbourhood. Within just two years, it developed into a local enterprise that shapes mobility patterns in Langa. Founder Mzikhona Mgedle shares a story of success.

Participation and Digital Tools Fulfil the Quest for Better Quality of Life in Cities

SPOTLIGHT ON: DIGITALISATION AND GOVERNANCE

Participation and Digital Tools Fulfil the Quest for Better Quality of Life in Cities

By Federico Plantera und Kristina Reinsalu|2022-02-24T13:26:49+01:00February 24th 2022|Governance & Finance, Green & Smart Development, digitalisation and governance, Estonia, participation, Tartu|

Lack of communication between citizens and municipal administrations can seriously hinder the sustainable development of urban environments. Digital tools are here to help, to increase people’s participation in co-creating more liveable, human-centred cities.

Slippery Fish. Unpacking “Good Urban Governance” to Mobilise Investment for the NDCs

Slippery Fish. Unpacking “Good Urban Governance” to Mobilise Investment for the NDCs

By Scott A. Muller|2021-09-28T15:03:33+02:00September 24th 2021|Governance & Finance, Municipal & Climate Finance, good governance, partnership, SDGs|

Good governance is key for achieving the national CO2 emission reductions, known as Nationally Determined Contributions. But the “how-to” remains undescribed. Scott A. Muller presents us with local experiences to close this gap.

Urban Migration: To Meet the Needs of Migrants and Displaced People, Trust Cities

Urban Migration: To Meet the Needs of Migrants and Displaced People, Trust Cities

By Samer Saliba|2021-09-23T09:36:09+02:00September 23rd 2021|Global Urban Debates, Governance & Finance, Beirut, good governance, migration|

The international community should direct their support towards city governments to advance good urban governance that responds to the realities of urban migration, argues Samer Saliba from the Mayors Migration Council.

Can Access to Budget Information Empower Citizens and Enhance Urban Governance? A Perspective from South Africa

Can Access to Budget Information Empower Citizens and Enhance Urban Governance? A Perspective from South Africa

By Zukiswa Kota|2021-08-31T10:18:06+02:00August 31st 2021|Governance & Finance, good governance, participation, South Africa|

Fiscal transparency and public participation play a vital role in building more democratic spaces and fostering trust between people and their government. However, this requires the fostering of genuine multi-stakeholder collaboration, argues Zukiswa Kota.

Integrating Water and Sanitation with Wider Slum Upgrading

Integrating Water and Sanitation with Wider Slum Upgrading

By Sam Drabble, Sara Márquez Martín, and Jane Weru|2021-07-08T08:33:04+02:00July 8th 2021|Governance & Finance, informal settlements, Kenya, localising the SDGs, Mozambique|

Sam Drabble, Sara Márquez Martín, and Jane Weru explore how water and sanitation can and should be better integrated with wider slum upgrading initiatives.

Which Governance Factors Drive Urban Zero-Carbon Transformation?

Which Governance Factors Drive Urban Zero-Carbon Transformation?

By Michael Roll|2021-07-01T08:16:14+02:00July 1st 2021|Governance & Finance, Multi Stakeholder Partnerships, Municipal & Climate Finance, Cape Town, green recovery, South Africa|

Urban climate action is essential for global carbon neutrality. A study by the German Development Institute has assessed the importance of stakeholder involvement, financing, and impact assessment for urban zero-carbon transformation.

Urban Resilience in Jordan: Shocks, Stressors and Pointers for Moving Forward

Urban Resilience in Jordan: Shocks, Stressors and Pointers for Moving Forward

By Deyala Hammad Tarawneh|2021-06-10T10:09:40+02:00June 10th 2021|Governance & Finance, Amman, Jordan, urban resilience|

Climate change and urban growth, political tensions and a global pandemic on top – how can cities respond and take action towards a more sustainable future? Dr Deyala Tarawneh offers insights from Amman.

How a Misdirected Land Use Law Disregards Coastal Dwellers’ Rights

How a Misdirected Land Use Law Disregards Coastal Dwellers’ Rights

By Omotayo Joseph Odukola|2021-03-25T10:33:04+01:00March 25th 2021|Basic Infrastructure & Housing, Governance & Finance, Lagos, land tenure rights, Nigeria, Urban poor|

Lagos' Waterfront Infrastructure Development Law facilitates the sacrifice of the rights of coastal residents to commercial real estate development. Omotayo Odukola on the constitution and unjust implementation of a land use law.

Land Rights in Africa Are About People, Not Paperwork

Land Rights in Africa Are About People, Not Paperwork

By Ibrahima Ka and Cynthia Berning|2021-03-02T15:31:23+01:00March 2nd 2021|Governance & Finance, Africa, gender equality, housing, land tenure rights|

As part of the Prindex global dataset, people in 34 sub-Saharan countries were asked about their feelings of security or fear regarding possible eviction. Dr Ibrahima Ka and Cynthia Berning share intriguing findings.

Local Governance in Nigeria: An Unsettling State of Affairs

Local Governance in Nigeria: An Unsettling State of Affairs

By Idayat Hassan|2022-06-15T16:16:23+02:00September 1st 2020|Decentralisation, Governance & Finance, Abuja, anti-corruption, local governance, Nigeria|

Local governments in Nigeria have financial autonomy – technically. Idayat Hassan, Director of the Centre for Democracy and Development in Abuja, reveals why they are still severely disempowered and what needs to be done to revive them.