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Basic services for all in an urbanizing world
Posted on: 10 October 2013
By: mackene
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The third report of the Global Observatory of Local Democracy and Decentralization (GOLD III) details the provision of public local services and is in-line with the UCLG objective to present every three years a report on the state of local and regional democracy and of decentralisation throughout the world. The report examines the basic services that are essential to quality of life and human dignity and highlights a worrying deterioration in access to basic services in cities in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. It also explores the challenges faced by local authorities in ensuring universal access to basic services to the world’s billion urban slum-dwellers, as well as to the 5 billion people who will inhabit the world’s cities within the next thirty years at a time when we are unable to meet the needs of the almost one million inhabitants in precarious neighbourhoods that have limited access to these services.
Planning and design for sustainable urban mobility: Global Report on Human Settlements 2013
Posted on: 8 October 2013
By: mackene
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This report, from UN Urban Habitat, argues that the development of sustainable urban transport systems requires a conceptual leap. The purpose of ‘transportation’ and ‘mobility’ is to gain access to destinations, activities, services and goods. Thus, access is the ultimate objective of transportation. As a result, urban planning and design should focus on how to bring people and places together, by creating cities that focus on accessibility, rather than simply increasing the length of urban transport infrastructure or increasing the movement of people or goods. Urban form and the functionality of the city are therefore a major focus of this report, which highlights the importance of integrated land-use and transport planning. This report provides some thought-provoking insights and policy recommendations on how to plan and design sustainable urban mobility systems. Links are also provided to background studies, including case studies, regional studies and thematic studies.
The competitiveness of global port-cities: The case of Danube Axis (Bratislava, Štúrovo, Komárno), Slovak Republic
Posted on: 8 October 2013
By: mackene
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This working paper offers an evaluation of the performance of the inland ports of the Slovak Republic within the framework of the Danube Axis, an analysis of the impact of the ports on their territory and an assessment of policies in this field. It examines port performance over the last decades and identifies the principal factors that have contributed to it. The effect of the port on economic and environmental questions is studied and quantified where possible. The major policies governing the ports are assessed, along with policies governing transport and economic development, the environment and spatial planning. Based on the report’s findings, recommendations are proposed with a view to improving port performance and increasing the positive effects of the inland ports of Slovak Republic. A similar report has been published on the post of Antofagasta, Chile. It can be viewed here.
Practical guidance for scaling-up of sustainable buildings and energy projects: A review of good practices and lessons learned from cold regions in Asia
Posted on: 4 October 2013
By: mackene
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Many projects demonstrate that renewable energy and bioclimatic architecture represent cost-effective and environmentally friendly ways to improve the living conditions of rural people. However, most of the projects face significant difficulties when it comes to mainstreaming the innovation. This manual, based on the experience of six projects in Asia, aims to provide practical guidance regarding how to design a scaling-up strategy for sustainable energy and building projects. It has been produced by the SAESUp (Sustainable Architecture & Energy Scaling Up) project, which is supported by the Building and Social Housing Foundation. (BSHF).
Amsterdam Centre for Urban History
Posted on: 2 October 2013
By: mackene
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The Amsterdam Centre for Urban History represents the largest research group in the Netherlands for the study of urban history. With about 30 established scholars and PhD candidates specialised in the field, the Centre aims to explore the history of urban societies from a long-term and broad geographic perspective: from Antiquity to the modern era, from Europe to Africa and the Middle East. Scholars at the Centre focus on a wide range of themes: from urban governance, economy, class and gender relations, to religion, ethnic identity, crime, health, housing, planning, leisure and representation. Most of the research, however, emerges from one fundamental question: how do people from various backgrounds live together in densely populated cities, in harmonious or more antagonistic ways? The role of institutions and the contested uses of urban space figure prominently in many of our research projects.
Our future in cities
Posted on: 27 September 2013
By: mackene
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This page features videos of nine talks on the future of cities, including what squatter cities can teach us, and greening the ghetto.
Rwanda: Pioneering steps towards a climate resilient green economy
Posted on: 25 September 2013
By: mackene
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The September 2013 issue of Climate & Development Outlook, produced by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), summarises CDKN’s partnership work with Rwanda to date, highlighting key achievements and signposting further information.
Knowledge Gateway for Women’s Economic Empowerment
Posted on: 24 September 2013
By: mackene
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UN Women and the Government of Canada have launched an online platform designed to advance women’s economic empowerment. This innovative platform will connect partners from the private sector, civil society, governments and international organizations with women and girls everywhere. It will provide women and girls with an opportunity to learn new skills, share their knowledge and voice their opinions so that they can take charge of their own economic future.
Passive houses in tropical climates
Posted on: 19 September 2013
By: mackene
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Passivhaus principles are just as good at reducing energy demand in tropical climates as they are in central European ones, as the focus shifts to cooling and dehumidification rather than heating. That is the key conclusion of a new study by Germany’s Passivhaus Institut. Analysing the challenges of heat, torrential rains and high humidity, the study looks at dynamic simulations set in three cities: Mumbai, Singapore and Salvador da Bahia in Brazil. It shows that the essentials for Passivhaus buildings in tropical climates are: a very airtight building envelope; 10-15 cm of insulation; solar control glazing; fixed external shades for the windows; and ventilation with both heat and energy recovery.
City leaders are in love with density but most city dwellers disagree
Posted on: 19 September 2013
By: mackene
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This article from New Geography considers whether measures to increase urban density are accepted by the local population.
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