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 woman bends over looking at goats.

Is the international community failing urban refugees and how do we fix this?

Insight, 07 December 2023

A bustling street filled with people and motorcycles.

Diverging paths and the route to self-reliance

Article, 06 December 2023

A bridge crossing a river filled with dirt and flowing water.

Do national governments and international agencies need urban health departments?

Insight, 22 November 2023

Aerial view of desert refugee camp with makeshift homes.

Silent battles, resounding strength: the lives of transgender refugees in Kenya

Insight, 21 November 2023

Two women chat to each sitting on a bench at night.

The changing status of Karachi’s women

Insight, 07 November 2023

Map with overlaid photos

COVID Relief Archive for Lessons on urban Social Protection (CORALS)

Article

A group of women sit on the floor outside listening to a discussion.

Understanding the long-term social and economic impacts of COVID-19 in low income urban communities

Article

Recycled goods are sorted into bulky bags.

Building resilience in informal settlements: community participation in the distribution of state and non-state relief in Harare during the COVID-19 pandemic

Article

A woman wearing a mask receives money from another mask-wearing women behind a desk. Three other people in the bare room (one in a wheelchair) are standing/seated far apart.

Beneficiary targeting during the COVID-19: getting social protection to the most vulnerable

Article

A woman helps another woman balance a box overflowing with groceries on her head, while a third woman watches from a doorway.

Social protection and urban informality: how Zimbabwe tackled COVID-19

Article