In order to capitalize on the current rapid pace of urbanization and build thriving cities for all, national governments must ensure that transport and housing policies, in particular, support and enable cities, rather than hold them back, writes Rachel Spiegel.
African cities are too often developing in ways that perpetuate poverty and marginalisation, writes Sarah Colenbrander.
This paper is a background review representing part of the initial phase of the Financing the Urban Transition work programme. The review builds on a growing body of research that highlights both the importance of national sustainable infrastructure and the need to develop more effective and efficient financing mechanisms for delivering compact, connected cities that meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. While progress has been made in both these areas over the last five years, there remains a policy gap between the international/national level and the municipal level.
Future-smart investments are those that are sustainable, writes Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
There are three major opportunities for city governments to use new technologies to take the battle out of your trip across town.
Acting on climate change can certainly be driven by pure pragmatism: the economics of it are clear, writes Felipe Calderón.
• Indonesia’s five-year development plan to double as first Low Carbon Development Initiative.
• Indonesian ministers and key international advisers advance project financing at COP23.
• With fourth largest population and the fifth highest emissions, climate impact significant.
The Council comprises leaders of the world’s most prominent urban, development, and climate focused organizations.
Ani Dasgupta, Global Director of the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, writes on how new mobility services can be effectively combined and leveraged with existing public transport options.
New mobility services could improve the lives of all urban inhabitants. This first ever global survey finds that applying three types of new mobility services – electric, on-demand minibuses, subsidized shared rides, and trip-planning and ticketing apps – can make public transport more affordable, accessible and sustainable, if integrated properly.