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Dandara people's agroecological garden in Recife, Brazil.
Nature for climate in cities: exploring nature-based solutions for informal settlements
… the parallel crisis of biodiversity loss, while also enhancing human wellbeing.  However, it remains unclear whether, in countries … remain. As of 2023, 1.1 billion people were living in informal settlements. Cities in the global South, and informal residents in … and its potential for transformative change in cities and informal settlements. What is IIED doing? To better understand the spatial …
Project, 05 August 2026
Site of a forced eviction of an informal settlement in Lagos, Nigeria. Person walking through the settlement.
Against forced evictions: building a renewed action-research agenda in the era of climate change
… can encounter. According to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, forced evictions constitute a gross violation of human rights (PDF) and a fierce manifestation of housing injustices. … – sometimes termed ‘ benevolent evictions ’. Those living in informal settlements and in areas prone to disasters are the most affected by …
Project, 11 April 2025
Informal settlements, Jakarta, Indonesia
Human Settlements research group ways of working
… IIED's Human Settlements research group has been working on urban environmental … Human Settlements research group ways of working …
Article, 17 September 2014
Aerial view of the Kibera neighborhood in Nairobi, Kenya.
If cities could speak: vulnerability, climate and health in the city
Project, 07 October 2025
Fishers on small boats have their belongings searched while the boats are afloat.
Rights and housing justice for urban small-scale fishing communities
… foundational right Adequate housing is among the most fundamental of human rights. It also goes hand-in-hand with being recognised as … fishers in urban areas often live in inadequate housing in informal settlements, leaving them vulnerable to forced evictions , the threat of …
Project, 23 April 2026
A body of water with houses on stilts next to it.
New evidence shows the hidden value of improving housing in informal settlements
… Habitat for Humanity and IIED report, ‘ Improving housing in informal settlements: assessing the impacts in human development ’, highlights the impact of large-scale housing … the world. When combining the results of the three dimensions of the Human Development Index (HDI) — income, health and education — the …
News, 16 May 2023
A busy African street scene, with industrial buildings in the background.
Tackling air pollution in informal settlements in Kenya
… participatory solutions to air pollution and its effects on human health in informal settlements in Kenya.  The AIR (Air Pollution Interdisciplinary … Levels of this air pollutant are particularly high in informal settlements. The settlements are often located near to industrial areas, … Tackling air pollution in informal settlements in Kenya …
Project, 09 June 2022
A man makes a speech at a podium.
IIED’s urban legend wins global UN-Habitat award
… housing and living conditions for marginalised urban residents”. The researcher, who lives in London, has dedicated more than 50 years to delivering positive change in urban development , informal settlements and climate change adaptation. He is a former director of IIED’s Human Settlements research group, as well as a professor, author, …
News, 17 September 2024
Houses surrounded by trees and greenery.
The decarbonisation debate: exploring climate action for equitable cities
… the one billion people living in low-income and informal urban settlements. Despite contributing least to the climate crisis, their … Globalizing and Organizing. Michael Roll is a sociologist and senior researcher at the German Institute of Development and Sustainability … in Buenos Aires, Argentina Anna Walnycki , IIED principal researcher, Human Settlements research group (moderator) Tucker Landesman , senior …
Event, 24 June 2024
Image of a few houses from a floating village
Defining housing justice: an audiovisual exchange of struggle and action
… of housing inadequacy, and of these over one billion live in informal settlements.  This is a ‘crisis’: not in the sense of being the product … on the contrary, it is a permanent reality for most people. This is a human rights crisis sustained by housing systems that are failing to …
Insight, 01 July 2024