Governance & Finance
Policy and Financing for Net Zero Carbon Buildings: Insights from COP27
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
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
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
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
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
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.