URBANET is back with a new country series, inviting readers to explore and learn about urbanisation in Rwanda! Starting off with a set of infographics we introduce you to some insightful facts and figures regarding the country’s urban and demographic development.
India's ClimateSmart Cities Assessment Framework empowers cities to tackle climate change. It's a progressive initiative with tangible actions that aims to improve the lives of citizens while building resilience to climate-related shocks.
Achieving a just energy transition in the urban housing sectors of the Global South demands recognition and engagement with their heterogeneous energy networks and rapidly evolving spatialities. Marie Urfels explores the challenges of achieving a just energy transition in the housing sector of the Global South while emphasising the importance of embracing these complexities to create targeted, context-specific solutions.
Who plans cities for women? Feminist urbanism challenges traditional urban planning and design paradigms to account for women's experiences. Legal researcher and creator of the “Feminist City” podcast, Sneha Visakha, on the real-world impacts of masculinist urban planning in our cities and the power of feminist urbanism.
How can cities move beyond fossil fuel-driven transportation systems? Bogotá’s bike-share programme demonstrates that sustainable mobility is sometimes just a pedal step away. Laura Simsek and Carolina Hernandéz G. highlight how the initiative’s inclusive components help close the mobility gap, promote gender equality, and simultaneously foster a just transition in Colombia’s capital.
Gender equality and climate neutrality are two interconnected topics that are integral to urban development. Gender Equality Officer Annika Dalén highlights the importance of understanding the relationship between gender and sustainability and provides a glimpse into the strategies Umeå has adopted.
The Western Balkans have been steadily working towards decarbonisation, a critical step for the region which relies heavily on coal. However, the region has faced several crises in recent times. Pippa Gallop of CEE Bankwatch Network offers a timely analysis of the Western Balkans' long-term planning for a just transition, including the role of the European Union.
Solar energy solutions need to be scaled up to address electricity shortages in both emergency and mid-term responses to the crisis in Ukraine. Vladlena Martsynkevych is convinced: Ukraine is ready for a better, greener future.
Effective flood control can only be met with a holistic approach. Peter Mwambu and Simon Akena invite us to Kampala in Uganda and discuss lessons learned from integrating Blue-Green Infrastructure.
Quito bears the brunt of climate change, from 100-year storms to mudslides to heat waves – all part of the city’s ‘new normal.’ Urban journalist Mark Douglas Wessel explores how Ecuador’s capital is leveraging the power of Nature-based Solutions to cope with these challenges.
With more than half of the global population living in urban areas, cities need new solutions to tackle climate-related challenges. Erik van Eekelen, Matthijs Bouw, Reinder Brolsma and Harro Wieringa on the approach of Building with Nature.
Mainstreaming green infrastructure could serve as a pathway to strengthen urban resilience to climate change. Ignacio Ortinez and Guillermo Mendoza on new approaches using nature-based solutions.
There is no panacea, no silver bullet: Only a holistic approach to technology and urban mobility will ensure sustainable transport for the sake of people and planet. Led by the Egyptian COP27 Presidency, the Low Carbon Transport for Urban Sustainability (LOTUS) initiative was launched. By Christopher Dekki
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
Concrete is the second most consumed material in the world after water, making it an essential component of urban development. However, cheap housing comes at a price. Can we still afford to pay for it? Jorge Javier and Cecilia Tortajada provide clear responses.
