Tomorrow today; 2010 - unesdoc - Unesco

Image: UN-HABITATChild washing hands in a public fountain, Africapractitioners and communities. At the same time, the interactionbetween universities and cities is fostered, which in turn will informuniversities’ education and research agendas. UN-HABITAT hasalready signed letters of exchange with over 25 universities thathave expressed interest in joining HPU.Promoting new teaching methodsThe HPU initiative promotes new teaching methods for sustainableurban development. In this context, a field course on urbanecological planning has been developed, with a strong focus onplans for the city of Kampala, Uganda. In 2009, a group of studentsfrom the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)and Makerere University studied two slums in Kivulu and AcholiQuarters, districts of Kampala.The Kivulu group of students helped organize a resident-drivenconstruction committee, which jointly came up with improvedmodes of construction, using locally produced compacted bricksmade by an interlocking stabilized soil bricks machine, which inturn would rely on local labour.The Acholi group focused on local capacity development andprepared the community to identify projects of relevance with a longtermimpact. At the end of the study, a revolving fund was establishedand operational within Acholi Quarters.Learning from successful projectsIn September 2008, Sorsogon City in the Philippines joined the Citiesin Climate Change Initiative as the first Asian city, prompted by theincreased number and intensity of tropical cyclones. A comprehensiveparticipatory vulnerability and adaptation assessment was conducted,identifying vulnerable locations, populations and sectors. In a seriesof participatory meetings, including several city-wideconsultations, climate change adaptation and mitigationoptions were agreed and prioritized based on the widerneeds of the city. The city is now drafting a shelter planand is revisiting its land use and sector developmentplans. In addition, a livelihood-strengthening strategyfor the most vulnerable groups is being implemented,including shelter retro-fitting in accordance with revisedbuilding codes. The city has implemented ‘win-win’energy saving measures and is strengthening its disasterpreparedness plans. Lessons learned contributedto the Climate Change Act of the Philippines (2009),which is exemplary as it attempts to bring clarity to theinstitutional approach to climate change. It stresses themulti-sectoral dimension and emphasises the role oflocal governments in the implementation of the Act.Meanwhile, a vulnerability assessment tool has beendeveloped to share the lessons learned in the Philippines.The diversity of environmental, economic, socialand planning issues, the participatory approach andthe focus on city-driven (and hence low-cost) interventionsmade this an interesting project for universityeducation. The case study has featured prominentlyat the Institute for Housing and Urban DevelopmentStudies, Erasmus University Rotterdam in two UrbanManagement Masters programmes as well as a dedicatedClimate Change course. The University of thePhilippines School for Urban and Regional Planningalso uses the case study for its teaching, student researchprogrammes and academic research.[ 44 ]