Urban Mining in Ghana
Analyses of Ghana's e-waste import tend to focus on the dangerous effects of its informal processing. Richard Grant and Martin Oteng-Ababio employ the concept of urban mining to take a more differentiating look at a thriving informal economy.
Circular Economies as an Answer to the Waste Crisis: Lessons Learnt
The world’s cities have a critical role to play in supporting global sustainability efforts and tackling climate change. Effective waste management lies at the very core of these ambitions, says Donovan Storey from the Global Green Growth Institute.
UrbanByNature: The Global Programme for Urban Nature Pioneers
In times of rapid urbanisation, increasing population, resource depletion, degradation of ecosystems, growing pressures on urban land use and climate change, nature-based solutions (NBS) provide opportunities for both society and nature. The UrbanByNature programme supports cities and practitioners in applying NBS that are cost-effective and mutually beneficial.
Circular Economies – Benefits for an Urban Setting
The waste produced by cities does not need to be dumped – but instead can become the starting point of a new production cycle, argues Nick Jeffries from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
Cooperatively Recovering Water as an Urban Common
Water as a common resource that no one should derive profit from – an idea that stands in crass contrast to privatising urban water management. Kostas Nikolaou, professor and activist with the Greek water movement K136, portrays their successful fight against privatisation.
Why Care About Trees in Cities?
Forests provide tremendous benefits to urban areas such as clean air and water, climate resilience and biodiversity, human health and well-being. They also provide jobs, recreation, and a suite of nature-based solutions for city infrastructure, argues the international alliance Cities4Forests.
In the Face of an Urban Climate Emergency, Collaborate!
If urbanisation drives climate change, then mitigating the dangerous effects of global warming must address how we plan, build, and live in cities. Implementing bold national plans requires active cross-sector coordination and collaboration between the local, regional, and national governments.
Relaxation, Happiness, Health – Why We Need Urban Ecosystems
The importance of green spaces is increasingly acknowledged as an important aspect in urban development. Davide Geneletti calls on urban planners to properly understand the relationships between ecosystems and residents to make the most efficient use of the services ecosystems provide to cities and their residents.
Wellbeing in the Time of Cities: The Sweet City Vision
Curridabat, Costa Rica, is dealing with several issues that are common to municipalities around the world. The answer they found, however, is a truly unique one that considers everyone living in Curridabat a city dweller – human or not.