ICLEI Africa

🌱 OPPORTUNITY ALERT!🌱 ICLEI Africa is seeking a dedicated site manager for the 1ha Circular Farm project located in Cape Town. This is a unique #opportunity to lead daily operations at an experimental farm, engaging with the community and promoting sustainability. 📌 Applications close at 12h00 on 22 January 2025. For details on how to apply, download the Terms of Reference, or visit our opportunities page here: https://lnkd.in/eA2p7Wi Be part of rethinking agriculture and shaping sustainable solutions!

📣 New resources! 📣 1️⃣ Learn more about the impact of the #UNAResilience project in Bo City, Sierra Leone and Cape Coast, Ghana, over the last four years 2️⃣ Explore the final publication in our series, on UNA’s pathways to mainstreaming nature-based solutions in local planning and decision-making in Africa From urban natural asset mapping, socioeconomic surveys, collective learning labs and city to city knowledge exchanges – to photowalks, a co-designed physical and virtual exhibition, youth-focused events, accessible educational resources, local-national dialogues and a strong focus on multi-directional learning and reflection; this phase of UNA has continued the programme’s decade-long legacy of creative, process-driven project delivery 🌍✨ Through the pillars of finance, governance and urban planning, #UNAResilience used a human rights-based approach to mainstream nature-based solutions for more resilient cities. In an anonymous survey on the project’s impact, one representative from Bo City explained, “[The project] helps to educate more about our community, to also protect our wellbeing. The project helps us understand human rights”. As a local government respondent in Cape Coast noted, “In the past, people did not care who was building where, but now some stakeholders are aware and report that to the [Cape Coast Metropolitan] Assembly. I can say for sure that no one who participated in the photovoice and research findings will see people building in the wetlands and not talk about it. Even the Assembly members will not allow that.” Read the final publication about UNA’s pathways to mainstreaming NbS: https://lnkd.in/dRR6TNHf Learn more about the project’s impact in this mobile-friendly brochure: https://lnkd.in/daSMq3AS Explore our impact stories below: Progressive Realisation of Human Rights: https://lnkd.in/dFasuPAG Growing Awareness and Knowledge of a Human Rights-based Approach for Nature-based Solutions: https://lnkd.in/dar8nNnD VISIT THE PROJECT WEBPAGE FOR MORE: https://lnkd.in/g89MEquT SwedBio Ursula Wellmann Bongiwe Simka Kevin Mutia Tashi Piprek Kabelo Williams Erin Hill Ernita van Wyk Julie Goodness Luka Dreyer Ruby Schalit Ingrid Coetzee

Earlier this month, ICLEI Africa co-hosted a session at the Strong Cities Network global summit in Cape Town, exploring how urban planning can either ignite tension or foster inclusivity and harmony. Strong Cities also launched their new publication, "Ten Considerations for Mayors and Cities for Creating Safe, Cohesive, and Resilient Cities", offering vital insights for urban leaders. Read here: https://lnkd.in/dTsqdVGX From a thought-provoking photo walk to engaging discussions with a diverse and lively panel, participants shared strategies for creating cities that truly serve their residents - demonstrating how inclusive urban design can address inequality and build stronger, safer cities. Key takeaways included: ➡️ Urban planning as a reflection of city values and a tool for equity. ➡️ The importance of participatory processes - ensuring urban plans are co-created with residents. ➡️ Innovative practices, like youth-led design and gender-inclusive spaces, that address real needs. ➡️ Using data to design safer, more cohesive communities. ➡️ Long-term visions for urban management that prioritise inclusion, resilience, and opportunity for all. Thank you to our panelists: Khalied Jacobs Director at Jakupa Architects and Urban Designers, tiago damasceno project manager at Violence Prevention through Urban Upgrading (VPUU NPC), Director of the Spatial Policy Department at the Municipal Office in Ostrów Wielkopolski Jakub Tomalkiewicz, Director of Community Partnerships at City of Boise Kate Nelson, Jorge Garza Associate Director at Tamarack Institute for Community Engagement, and County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Lands Peter Odima from Busia County Government. Kevin Mutia Paul Currie Ruby Schalit Simeon Dukić

The INACCT Resilience research project, implemented by ICLEI Africa, and in partnership with University of KwaZulu-Natal, recently hosted an inspiring event that brought together community members, researchers, NGOs, and local government representatives. The event showcased the power of collaborative approaches to resilience and climate action through: 📽️ The premiere screening of the Open Planet documentary The film highlights urban climate change and health challenges, featuring voices from the Quarry Road and Pholani informal settlement communities in Durban, who played a pivotal role in its creation. Watch the film here: https://lnkd.in/drAvkKns 🧑🎓 Student innovations for climate response Honours students from the EPIC A environment and development programme (School of Built Environment and Development Studies) presented their climate interventions, which were officially handed over to the eThekwini Municipality’s Transformative Riverine Management Programme. 💡 Insights from research and policy The event also featured a presentation of the The Adaptation Research Alliance (ARA) and INACCT Resilience policy briefing, along with an impactful climate response poster focused on informal settlements. Find these resources here: https://lnkd.in/dkVCK4pu The day underscored the importance of integrated approaches and partnerships for building climate resilience. INACCT Resilience is funded by the CLARE Programme. #INACCTResilience #ResilienceBuilding #ClimateAction #ClimateAction #Collaboration #UrbanClimateChange #Sustainability

🌍 DRR4Africa project launches city-profile videos 🌟 We’re thrilled to unveil three powerful city-profile videos showcasing Cape Coast (Ghana), Lusaka (Zambia), and Port Louis (Mauritius)—three cities where climate-induced disasters are having a profound impact on communities. The DRR4Africa project, implemented by ICLEI Africa, funded by the Lloyd's Register Foundation and in partnership with United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), uses insights from the 2021 World Risk Poll to identify and address risks to climate resilience. Together, we aim to: ✅ Screen existing risks to climate hazards. ✅ Enhance urban safety and resilience, with a focus on women. ✅ Facilitate evidence-based, inclusive planning processes. ✅ Develop tailored solution packages for disaster risk reduction. Why this matters: 🌊 Rapidly urbanising African cities experience some of the highest flood-related disasters, which disproportionately impact women. 💡 With Africa’s low resilience index scores, the need for innovative, participatory approaches that combine climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction has never been greater. Through co-created solutions and multi-level collaboration, DRR4Africa is charting a roadmap to safer, more resilient cities, ultimately saving lives and protecting livelihoods. 📽️ Watch the city-profile videos and learn more: 🌴 Port Louis: https://lnkd.in/d4wgXG88 🏙️ Lusaka: https://lnkd.in/dvDDaq7N 🏰 Cape Coast: https://lnkd.in/dfZQ-YyZ #ClimateResilience #DRR4Africa #ICLEIAfrica #UrbanSafety #InclusivePlanning #AfricanCities #DRR4Africa

FR/ENG/PT🌍 La collaboration multi-niveaux : La clé de la résilience des villes africaines face au changement climatique 🌱 📹 Ne passez pas à côté des trois étapes clés pour faire adhérer le gouvernement national aux plans locaux pour le climat. 💡 Regardez Florent Gallois, chef du projet relatif à la CoM SSA à Expertise France, présenter des stratégies concrètes dans le tout dernier épisode Des idées pour le changement. 🌐Disponible en anglais, français et portugais. 📌 L'essentiel : ✔️ Pourquoi les plans locaux ont besoin d'un soutien national pour une mise en œuvre efficace. ✔️ Le rôle de l'adhésion du gouvernement national dans le déblocage des fonds et l'élaboration des politiques. ✔️ Les leçons du Togo : Renforcer la collaboration pour de meilleurs résultats La CoM SSA est cofinancée par European Commission Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ) AECID Les quatre partenaires de mise en œuvre de la CoM SSA sont: AECID AFD - Agence Française de Développement Expertise France Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH Le Secrétariat de la CoM SSA est hébergé au sein de ICLEI Africa

Sharing impactful, innovative and inclusive action in African cities and regions 🏙️💚 From bringing #cleancooking solutions to over 20 000 people, to advocating for the voice of cities and regions at #COP29 & #COP16, we’ve had a busy year! Dive into our news roundup and explore updates from our workstreams: 🌊 Climate change, energy and resilience 🌀 Urban systems 🌱 Nature, biodiversity and health Explore our newsletter: https://lnkd.in/exZ3xP5p Sign up for future editions: https://lnkd.in/eKcaB766 Some highlights: 💡 Join us at the 2025 RISE Africa Urban Action Festival After four years of inspiring, impactful virtual Action Festivals we are proud to celebrate our 5th year with an in-person gathering from 25-29 May 2025 in Cape Town, South Africa. Secure your early bird ticket: https://lnkd.in/dYwcmfqD 💡 Crucial political leadership in the world’s most vulnerable region: A bumper year for Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Mayors Forum https://lnkd.in/e56VtXKK 💡 City of Cape Town hosts landmark meeting as cities across Africa and Europe commit to transforming urban food systems https://lnkd.in/eJuT3kA4 💡 From Agreement to Action: Implementation progress by subnational and local governments towards the Global Biodiversity Framework https://lnkd.in/gNmvGWkh

💫 Highlights from the #AfriFOODlinks consortium meeting in Cape Town! 🌱✨ From 25–29 November 2024, stakeholders from across Africa and Europe gathered in Cape Town, South Africa, for an inspiring 5-day meeting focused on the future of urban food systems. The event brought together youth ambassadors, city officials 🏛️, academics 📚, and project partners 🤝, all committed to advancing sustainable food solutions. The discussions and sessions were pivotal in shaping the direction for the next two years of the AfriFOODlinks project. Key themes included food governance , African-led research, health and nutrition in cities , school feeding programs, and financing mechanisms for change. This collaborative environment allowed stakeholders to reflect on their roles in building resilient and equitable urban food systems. 💡 “This is the chance to assert the scientific sovereignty of Africa.” – Nicolas Bricas, Researcher, CIRAD #AfriFOODlinks coordinator Luke Metelerkamp emphasised the importance of deepening impact in cities, addressing socio-economic challenges, and bridging inequalities 🤲 to improve community livelihoods. With such a diverse and passionate group of stakeholders, the consortium marked a significant step forward for the future of food in African and European cities. 🌟💡 We’re excited to see these discussions spark meaningful actions in 2025 and beyond! 🚀 #Throughfood #Youthinit European Commission, ICLEI, ICLEI Europe, African Centre for Cities, African Population and Health Research Center, Hivos, Rikolto, ORIBI , SHONA, SA Urban Food & Farming Trust, L'Institut Agro Montpellier, University of Ghana, CIRAD, ACRA, EStà - Economia e Sostenibilità, WISEHUB, Rete Semi Rurali ETS, IRD, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology center for E-Learning

CoM SSA Mayors lead the charge for climate action amidst disappointing COP29 ambitions The outcomes of COP29 fell short of the ambition required to combat the escalating climate crisis. However, the Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa demonstrated unwavering leadership and urgency, advocating for actionable solutions to support cities amidst a growing planetary polycrisis. CoM SSA Mayors called for: 1️⃣ direct access to finance at the local level and 2️⃣ the establishment of a fully operational Loss and Damage Fund that local governments can access directly.  🔗 More information: https://lnkd.in/eAkqQjzW In the Third Annual Ministerial Meetings on Urbanisation and Climate Change, a historic first for local governments in the COP process, CoM SSA mayors took centre stage. 🎥 Watch this video (ENG/FR/PT) for a glimpse into their powerful interventions across COP29. GIZ Kenya Embu County Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM) Dorah Marema Tswelopele Local Municipality South African Local Government Association Kate Leigh Strachan, PhD Michael Boulle Nelson de Lamare ICLEI Africa #climateaction #climate #urban #mayors #africa #cop29 #informality #lossanddamage #climatefinance

ICLEI Africa deepens clean cooking interventions in urban informal settlements in Kampala, Uganda 🍳 Building on the momentum of the Enabling African Cities for Transformative Energy Access (ENACT) programme, ICLEI Africa recently launched the ENACT Uganda Scale-up project (ENACTUS). More info here: https://lnkd.in/dGircd9v ✨ What’s ENACTUS all about? It’s about breaking barriers to clean cooking access in informal settlements in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area and beyond by: 🤝 Fostering public-private collaboration in a practical way to tackle urban energy challenges. 💡 Empowering local energy providers through catalytic funding to pilot and scale sustainable solutions for clean cooking in households, microenterprises, and institutions in informal settlements. 📈ENACTUS is part of a group of partners supporting the Government of Uganda’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development (Uganda)’s mission to enable the sector to meet clean cooking transition targets. ICLEI Africa is delighted to be working alongside the MECS programme, Global Green Growth Institute and the National Renewable Energy Platform (NREP) - Uganda in this endeavour. The project is funded by UK Aid via the Transforming Energy Access (TEA) platform. At Uganda’s National Renewable Energy Platform’s REC2024 ENACTUS participated boldly co-hosting a session titled: ➡️ Breaking Barriers to Clean Cooking in Hard-to-Reach Markets: Addressing Limited Markets in Rural and Urban Contexts. 💬 Key takeaways: 1️⃣Our panel of Ugandan experts brought invaluable insights into the clean cooking landscape, sharing lessons learned and charting a collaborative way forward which includes:  2️⃣Bridging technological innovation with community-sensitive business models.  3️⃣Increase data collection, analysis management and dissemination.  4️⃣Use clean cooking champions in awareness-raising activities.  5️⃣Mainstream clean cooking in Ministries, Departments and Agencies’ budgets and work plans.  6️⃣Awareness and behaviour change strategies that leverage the influence of social and cultural institutions to accelerate clean cooking adoption. 7️⃣Expansion of appropriate consumer financing schemes and targeting of subsidies address affordability barriers in low-income communities. 🎤 Adding to the dialogue: ICLEI’s David Sheridan contributed to another impactful discussion on financing strategies to overcome barriers in urban clean cooking markets, reiterating our commitment to practical solutions for vulnerable populations. This is more than a project; it’s a movement toward sustainable, inclusive energy access in Uganda and beyond. 🌟 #CleanCooking #ecooking #Kampala #cleancooking #informalsettlements UK in Uganda The Carbon Trust susan naddamba