Urban Matters
Urban environments will see the greatest growth and change in coming years. IIED's Urban Matters blog focuses on urban poverty, climate change in cities and rural-urban linkages. It is part of IIED’s hub for research and action to influence policy and practice. Building on our longstanding work on equitable, inclusive, sustainable and resilient urban development, it represents the voices of our staff and partners in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
1 - 25 of 120 blog posts
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The challenge of finding money to build shelter in Mogadishu’s informal settlements
28 January 2019Housing development in Mogadishu is overlooking and excluding its largest potential customer base: the poor
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African cities can raise more money. Kenya and South Africa offer useful lessons
31 October 2018Africa's cities are expanding at an unprecedented rate. Sarah Colenbrander and Ian Palmer highlight research that shows how Africa's national governments can support cities and unlock vital investment.
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The Ethiopian informal settlement jigsaw puzzle: an opportunity to re-sort the pieces?
25 October 2018Informal settlements are increasingly housing Ethiopia’s growing population – laying bare gaps in policy that must be addressed
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Co-production in urban areas: evolving form, enduring presence
24 October 2018How far can ‘co-production’ improve the lives of the one in seven of the global population living in informal settlements without secure tenure or adequate access to services? Authors of the October 2018 issue of Environment and Urbanization tackle this question by analysing the potentials and shortcomings of co-production
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Transforming aid for urban areas
4 September 2018There is a new way to finance community-driven development, working with local funds set up and managed by grassroots organisations. This can work well at scale with local governments to meet basic needs and reduce urban poverty. David Satterthwaite explains why it’s time external agencies took note of this
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How tackling climate change could tackle inequality
26 June 2018Sarah Colenbrander and Andrew Sudmant report on research showing that cutting greenhouse gas emissions in urban areas will benefit vulnerable residents most
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Kampala sets example for how cities can help refugees
20 June 2018On World Refugee Day Diane Archer looks at how one city in Africa is exploring ways to support its refugee and migrant population
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How Bus Rapid Transit can make housing affordable to low-income households
6 June 2018A paper in the latest issue of the journal Environment and Urbanization explores how affordable public transport – via a Bus Rapid Transit system – can make housing affordable for low-income groups. David Satterthwaite describes how a roll-out of this public transit could work in Mumbai
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Is urban development too complicated for us?
17 May 2018Aid agency staff find it difficult to work in informal settlements. There is little or no data about their residents. For many, there are no maps or street names. There are often complex political struggles that frustrate development projects. But this can be addressed by working with grassroots organisations and federations – as they have the knowledge and it is their needs that aid is meant to be addressing
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Global to local: supporting cities to meet the New Urban Agenda
23 March 2018The New Urban Agenda sets ambitious sustainability objectives for cities of all sizes. At the 9th World Urban Forum, IIED worked with local governments on how to deliver against the wide-ranging goals. Alexandra Norodom reflects on the power of inclusive processes
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Moving past the token 'woman' word
7 March 2018Does having women speakers and representation influence international events' overall focus on gender, and will having a woman at the top of UN-Habitat change how gender is considered in the agency's activities? Or do we still have further to go in integrating gender into events?
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Can one billion people in informal settlements be protected from climate change?
6 March 2018As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change convenes an international scientific conference in Canada this week to explore how to strengthen cities' ability to withstand climate change, David Satterthwaite urges them not to forget the people living in informal settlements
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Providing shelter in East African cities: what works?
22 February 2018Diane Archer introduces a new project that aims to identify the key determinants of access to shelter in East Africa's fast-growing urban areas
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Getting Lebanon’s water flowing: using new SDG data in an urban crisis
19 February 2018Anna Walnycki explains how reliable, disaggregated data on water access – supported by the framework of the SDGs – could help tackle the challenges facing Lebanon's water sector
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Financing sustainable infrastructure: a tale of two cities
9 January 2018How can cities in poor countries raise funds for major infrastructure projects? Sarah Colenbrander and Denise Chan look at two success stories and suggest how local governments can build their financial skills and credibility with investors
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Urban crisis response needs a humanitarian sector shake-up
15 December 2017From 'natural disasters' causing large-scale destruction to slow-onset crises such as droughts, through to conflict and persecution, the number of people around the world needing humanitarian assistance is growing – and increasingly, they are found in urban areas
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Water in MENA: ripple effects in times of conflict
12 December 2017The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has been hit by a wave of conflicts and crisis. A new study looks at how to improve resilience of water services in the region
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Post-crisis urban planning: lessons from Southeast Asia
6 December 2017New research confirms the importance of urban planning in empowering local governments and communities to manage their own recovery after a humanitarian crisis. Elizabeth Parker argues that humanitarian agencies can support the challenging planning process by sharing knowledge, experience, staff, tools and technology
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Beyond self-reliance: recognising the relationships that matter for urban refugees
7 November 2017Institutions such as religious and cultural associations are helping refugees meet their basic needs in urban settings. Humanitarian agencies should support, not ignore, the work of these groups, argues Will Monteith
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A special approach to slum upgrading: the Special Planning Area in Mukuru, Nairobi
18 October 2017The idea of a Special Planning Area might not immediately be alluring. But for the residents of Mukuru, one of the largest 'slums' in Nairobi, this mundane phrase hides the potential for a radical transformation in their homes and lives
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Are impact investors missing a trick by overlooking local communities?
7 September 2017Guest blogger Katharina Neureiter explores whether impact investors are missing a trick by not engaging with community groups
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Financial inequalities; defining our age
22 August 2017A decade on from the global financial crisis, can the world's banks and financial institutions learn about value and values from grassroots savings schemes that help the world's lowest-income people?
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Who can we trust to measure urban poverty?
13 June 2017International definitions of the poverty line don't take into the account the additional costs of living in cities. Sarah Colenbrander says the urban poor can help institutions such as the United Nations and the World Bank develop accurate, local, definitions of urban poverty
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Bloomberg and public health: did he get it right?
7 June 2017While welcoming the support from Michael Bloomberg for a new city-focused global public health initiative, David Satterthwaite and Sarah Colenbrander raise concerns about what is not included
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Coping with forced displacement: lessons from cities
11 May 2017People forced to leave their homes are often displaced for many years, and most end up in urban areas. So how can host cities become more resilient while managing such crises? A meeting last week shared learning from Africa, Asia and the Middle East, reports Diane Archer