Urban

Addressing urban environmental issues for cities that work for people and planet

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Urban development

Urban Matters blog

Informal settlements (slums)

Image of grafitti of child crying on a building in Favela Metro-Mangueira. The buildings next to it are torn down.

Can people-centred justice stop forced evictions?

Camila Cociña and Paula Sevilla Núñez
09 July 2026

A 'green' view of Freetown, with urban buildings in the distance observed over an expanse of trees.

Freetown: pioneering nature-based solutions for sustainable urban development and climate adaptation

24 April 2026

People sit outside under a canopy behind tables with the words "reuse, recycle and reduce".

Youth strategies from informal settlements: harnessing civic media to drive change around urban governance and housing

Camila Cociña and Alexandre Apsan Frediani
18 May 2026

Head and shoulders photos six podcast presenters.

Housing challenges are not solved by forced evictions. What is the way forward? Make Change Happen podcast episode 38

30 April 2026

People walking on the streets on Karachi.

Are international financial institutions becoming disconnected from reality?

Arif Hasan
29 May 2026

A bearded man stands at a podium with a screen behind him.

Urban legend: one man, 50 years, countless seeds of hope

Long read 13 May 2024

Related collections

Learn more about focused areas of IIED's urban work

Better cities are possible: achieving resilient, low-carbon and inclusive urban development

A series of articles exploring the critical shifts in governance, policy and action needed to transform informal settlements on a warming planet

The transition to a predominantly urban world

A series of insights and interviews designed to share the experiences of community leaders, professionals, researchers and government from the global South

Urban crises and forced displacement

A programme of work on urban refugees and internally displaced peoples that also supports municipal authorities to respond to crisis and protracted displacement

Housing justice

A programme of work involving research, capacity development, policy advisory and advocacy initiatives that advance housing justice

Publications

View more Urban publications

Preview of Cover image: Youth-led civic media for urban governance Case studies from India and Nepal

Youth-led civic media for urban governance

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Unlocking urban climate finance: barriers and progress in African cities

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Drought’s inequalities: towards inclusive climate adaptation in Zambia

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Engaging young people from informal settlements in housing and urban governance

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From nature-based solutions to naturing infrastructure: towards a care-centred approach

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From capacity to capability: urban living labs as a route to gain influence

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From power to influence: counter-mapping for urban living labs

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Connecting tenure security and climate resilience in sub-Saharan Africa

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Heat impacts on informal settlements

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Why collective organisations matter for resilience

615 entries

A table covered in cards with pictures on them.

Data justice for refugees: refugees in Jordan set out priorities for a better future

Archived Project

A group of people outside of a building

Housing justice: securing affordable inner-city homes through retrofitting

Event on 22 March 2024

A busy city street with several vehicles on the road and building on the back.

Lobbying for land then and now: reflections on what changed in Karachi

Insight, 13 March 2024

A man in a suit holding a microphone laughs along with a woman standing next to him behind a podium.

IIED deepens links with largest global network of local governments

News, 12 March 2024

Aerial view of a city with several skyscrappers.

The fastest-growing cities in Latin America and the Caribbean

Insight, 28 February 2024

A man stands behind a podium giving a speech,

Reimagining city resilience

Impact story, 22 February 2024

Man at a protest holds a megaphone leading a crowd, holding signs.

Cuenca: recycling and decarbonisation through a gender lens

Article, 14 February 2024

Group of people riding bikes.

Recife: The bike as a tool for the right to the city in low-income communities

Article, 14 February 2024

Aerial view of a city.

Teresina: promoting social wellbeing, healthy diets and climate resilience in the Dirceu Community Garden

Article, 14 February 2024

Aerial view of a residential town nestled amidst lush greenery.

Quito: sustainable transformation in Guápulo – nurturing nature in the heart of the city

Article, 14 February 2024