In the course of the COVID19 pandemic, many cities are rethinking their transport systems. Mark Nieuwenhuijsen outlines challenges and solutions and argues that this is the time to boost the concept of a car-free city.
Indonesia is not spared from the COVID-19 global pandemic. For urban mobility planners, however, this unfortunate pandemic presents a unique opportunity to reflect on our public transport efficiency and resiliency strategies and shape a new and better normal.
Uganda’s capital leads the way towards an increasingly popular mode of transportation: biking. In times of urbanisation, recent policies indicate a shift towards greater sustainability. Amanda Ngabirano, Vice President of the World Cycling Alliance, highlights the developments in the city of seven hills.
Rapid urbanisation does not have to be a problem as long as we commit to the development of sustainable public spaces. Khalafalla Omer highlights the situation in Khartoum and how urban interventions may improve the future of Sudan’s capital.
The traditional relief-rehabilitation-development paradigm does not hold true in urban conflict zones. A combined approach of long-term support for systems reinforcing short-term support for individuals would meet people’s needs, secure development gains, and represent value for money. The cost of failing to adapt is simply too high, argues Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
The number of children living in urban areas is on the rise. However, this is not reflected in cities' infrastructures. Rapid development is shrinking the amount of suitable and safe play areas for children. Using Nairobi as an example, Peninah Ndegwa, founder of Wow Mom Kenya, reflects on why and how cities should become more child-friendly.
At the Climate Action Summit, it is widely acknowledged that cities are key in addressing climate change. Yet, sufficient funding for necessary measures is often hard to come by. Barbara Buchner presents some new and promising approaches of mobilising finance for building resilient urban infrastructure.
Current design standards for building infrastructure are based on outdated, historic climate data. In the face of climate change, planning, operation, maintenance, and management of infrastructure need to be revised, says urban environmental planner Riya Rahiman.
The agencies with the greatest influence on urban outcomes in Indian cities are those that write industrial policy, says Ashima Sood.
With a growing population and economy, Ho Chi Minh City faces important decisions regarding transportation infrastructure. Robert Marshall calls for a contextual approach.
Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, commits to implementation of the SDGs. To this end, the city focusses on sustainable construction, always ensuring to align the SDGs with national policies.
In order to save energy and resources, and to prevent waste from harming the environment, recycling is not enough. Cities should try to avoid waste production altogether, argue URBANET authors Carina Koop, Jennifer Schinkel, and Henning Wilts.
Jakarta has responded to regular flooding by proposing gigantic infrastructure projects such as sea walls to keep the water at bay. But the main problem is that the city does not consider the land-water ecosystem as a whole, says Prathiwi W. Putri.
Multilevel governance is essential to the implementation of resilient infrastructure in cities around the world. For our spotlight on urban infrastructure, Jisun Hwang, Senior Climate Advocacy and Policy Officer at ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, sums up what COP24 holds for local governments' resilience strategies.
Cape Town is committed to providing clean, affordable and accessible energy to all its residents. Increasing the use of renewable energy, implementing innovative financing options, and challenging national energy legislation are some of the ways the city hopes to shift away from a history of inequality, writes Mary Haw.
