Urban Natural Assets for Africa: Resilience & Restoration for Life

Urban Natural Assets for Africa: Resilience and Restoration for Life

Building on the previous UNA programme work funded by SwedBio since 2014, the overarching impact of the newest project under the UNA programme, Urban Natural Assets: Resilience and Restoration for Life (UNA Resilience), is to transform development trajectories for African cities towards those that improve sustainable development of, and interconnectedness with, their surrounding natural systems along three interlinked urban pillars (governance, planning and finance), through building urban resilience, sufficient agency and momentum for an unfolding process of transformative change.

This project is funded by Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), through SwedBio at the Stockholm Resilience Centre.

#UNAResilience

ICLEI Africa @ICLEIAfrica·

10 Mar 2023 1634101795533512704

Are women & girls represented & included in decision-making in your city?

#UNAResilience takes a #humanrights & gender approach to sustainable development in our African cities. Learn more about how we're doing it: https://africa.iclei.org/human-rights-based-approach/

#EmbaraceEquity #IWD2023

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ICLEI Africa @ICLEIAfrica·

9 Mar 2023 1633799796963295232

"How do we move from being gender responsive to gender transformative?" - @ICLEI Africa's Bongiwe Simika uses the #UNAResilience project as a case study to show how this CAN be done, at the @SANBI_ZA Climate & Gender Dialogue today. Learn more: http://cbc.iclei.org/project/una-resilience/

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ICLEI Africa @ICLEIAfrica·

9 Mar 2023 1633770459866038278

Learn more about how we're foregrounding #human and #gender rights in the #UNAResilience project here: http://cbc.iclei.org/project/una-resilience/ @ICLEICBC @DivaFoni

Learn more about how we're foregrounding #human and #gender rights in the #UNAResilience project here: https://t.co/z6RrfiIKFS @ICLEICBC @DivaFoni

Environmentza@environmentza

@ICLEIAfrica's Dr Funmi Adeniyi shares insight into their gender mainstreaming projects like the Urban Natural Assets programme which has simplified the communities' understanding of #climatechange & tackled some of the patriarchal realities
#2023womenadaptingtoclimatechange

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ICLEI Africa @ICLEIAfrica·

9 Mar 2023 1633769799791640577

"We need to move away from seeing #humanrights as adjunct to resilient cities & systems to seeing them as central" - @ICLEI Africa's Dr @DivaFoni at the @SANBI_ZA Climate & Gender Dialogue today, showcasing gender mainstreaming in practise in the #UNAResilience project

SA Biodiversity@SANBI_ZA

Dr. Funmi Adeniyi from the ICLEI gives us a presentation on Gender mainstreaming in practice, looking at Urban Natural Assets as an example

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ICLEI Africa @ICLEIAfrica·

9 Mar 2023 1633769601803882497

Globally women & girls spend about 200M hrs daily collecting water, reducing their time for other activities like studying & schooling, resting & spending time with family

Learn more about how #humanrights & urban nature connect: https://cbc.iclei.org/una-and-human-rights/

#IWD2023 #UNAResilience

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ICLEI Africa @ICLEIAfrica·

7 Mar 2023 1633014622499266566

Nature based solutions can tackle many of our urban challenges but we must consider their link to human & #gender rights. There can be no #humanrights w/o securing the rights of women, girls & other vulnerable groups

Learn more: https://cbc.iclei.org/una-and-human-rights/

#UNAResilience #IWD2023

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ICLEI Africa @ICLEIAfrica·

6 Mar 2023 1632731386892124160

This Wednesday is #InternationalWomensDay ✊

The theme #EmbraceEquity is exactly what we're doing in our #UNAResilience project: foregrounding #HumanRights for sustainable urban development in Africa

Learn about how our cities are mainstreaming #gender: https://africa.iclei.org/human-rights-based-approach/

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ICLEI Africa @ICLEIAfrica·

3 Feb 2023 1621418217515225089

Since 1970, 35% of the world’s wetlands have disappeared & the time is now to reverse degradation & restore our wetlands! Through the #UNAResilience project, we’re working with cities to implement some of these 7 best practises:

#GenerationRestoration
#WorldWetlandsDay

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ICLEI Africa @ICLEIAfrica·

19 Dec 2022 1604880798355791873

Read the full publication here: https://cbc.iclei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/UNA-Resilience_The-Influence-of-Language.pdf

🗣️🏙️🍃🗨️

#UNAResilience
@SwedBio @ICLEICBC

Read the full publication here: https://t.co/lf0nJa8oUK

🗣️🏙️🍃🗨️

#UNAResilience
@SwedBio @ICLEICBC

ICLEI@ICLEI

Is #language creating a barrier to showcasing African cities' #sustainability efforts?
Understanding the implications of language, how we translate science into practice, and how we profile Africa’s efforts is key for localizing the #SDGs. https://bit.ly/3Ql9l3A

@ICLEIAfrica

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ICLEI Africa @ICLEIAfrica·

12 Dec 2022 1602310006409412610

Cape Coast is proud to be part of @ICLEI #UNAResilience project, with a human rights-based approach, centering around youth, women & the vulnerable, through which we have been fostering collaboration across sectors & stakeholders.

~ Ernest Arthur at #7thSummitCOP15 🏙️ #COP15 🌱

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ICLEI Africa @ICLEIAfrica·

22 Nov 2022 1594962300288786432

[TODAY] Join current & past #UNA cities at 14h00 SAST for the #UNAResilience city-to-city exchange 🗨️🌴💬 we'll share challenges & opportunities for solutions that improve #humanrights, #sustainabledevelopment, #financing & interconnection with nature: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwud-GtrzwoEtLopK915saVZhNS83sEj1Y3

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ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center @ICLEICBC·

21 Nov 2022 1594616613864722433

TOMORROW | #UNAResilience city-to-city exchange will bring together past & current #UNA cities to share challenges & opportunities to improving sustainable development, #financing & connection with urban natural systems 🍃 JOIN: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwud-GtrzwoEtLopK915saVZhNS83sEj1Y3 @SwedBio @Sida

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ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center @ICLEICBC·

17 Nov 2022 1593126670952988672

At #COP27 🌱 #ForNature

@KobieBrand acknowledged the incredible work on #UrbanNature ~ through a #HumanRights based approach ~ being done by @ICLEI #Africa's #UNAResilience project & the valuable support from its funders @swedbio & @sida at session on nature-based solutions 🌲

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ICLEI Africa @ICLEIAfrica·

16 Nov 2022 1592820750821773312

.@KobieBrand acknowledged the incredible work on #UrbanNature through a #HumanRights based approach being done by @ICLEI #Africa #UNAResilience Project & the valuable support from its funders @swedbio & @sida at #COP27 session on nature-based solutions.

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ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center @ICLEICBC·

15 Nov 2022 1592530452585525248

#UNAResilience

ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center@ICLEICBC

We met up with @SwedBio at #COP27 to discuss the interlinkages between #NatureBasedSolutions & #climateaction.

Join us during #BiodiversityDay tomorrow, here at #COP27, to take these conversations forward @sida @ashanapuri @henrikbrundin to #7thSummitCOP15 #COP15 & beyond 🌱💚

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Learn more about the project's impact

Project details

UNA Resilience overall objectives are to:

Understand the dynamic drivers of risk as well as the socio-economic landscape in African cities and how this relates to unlocking natures ability to provide a multitude of benefits for urban populations.

Improve the framework and mainstreaming conditions for nature-based measures that build resilience, through a sustained, deep transdisciplinary and multi-stakeholder, whole-of-society co-creation approach.

Mainstream and implement tailored approaches for urban nature-based resilience, including the sustainable utilisation and restoration of ecosystems in order to improve good governance, planning practices and access to finance.

Scale urban nature-based resilience approaches, demonstrating their ability to support reduced risks, vulnerabilities, and inequalities, and improve sustainable livelihoods over longer timeframes.

Align related activities and outputs with international policy and legal processes, such as those frameworks provided for by international environmental and human rights law, through outreach and advocacy campaigns and the promotion of strengthened multi-level governance systems.

LEARN ABOUT THE UNA RESILIENCE HUMAN RIGHTS BASED APPROACH METHODOLOGY HERE

Learn more

UNA Resilience explainer series:

This periodic series of publications, infographics, thought pieces and expert articles takes a deep dive into the core themes and pillars of the UNA Resilience project: Nature based solutions, Human rights, Governance, Planning and Finance. Click below to read more.

UNA Resilience impact:

Learn more about the project’s impact over the last four years by exploring the mobile-friendly impact brochure and impact stories below.

UNA Resilience exhibition: Preserve, Conserve and Tinker

Launched in October 2023 at the Cape Coast biodiversity Centre, and online, “Preserve, Conserve & Tinker: Rethinking Our Future Through a Youth Lens” challenges us to see our urban landscapes through new eyes and empowers us to take action. The exhibition creates a platform for visual storytelling, inviting visitors to reflect on the role of urban nature and our responsibility to nurture it. It serves as a powerful reminder that the choices we make today impact the world we pass on to the next generation.

EXPLORE THE EXHIBITION AND MAKE YOUR COMMITMENTS FOR URBAN NATURE HERE

Waterwall by Philip Quaque School; first school in West Africa

The value of human rights in cities:

Explore the illustrated poster below to learn more about the inextricable interconnections of human rights, and how they interact in African cities. Learn more and download the full poster here.

Project cities

UNA Resilience has brought on 2 new cities in this phase of the project. The other 8 cities took part in previous UNA projects, and along with the new cities, will continue to receive support, training and capacity building in this latest phase.

NEW UNA RESILIENCE CITIES

EXISTING UNA CITIES

Advisory board

UNA Resilience will benefit greatly from the expertise of our advisory board members, from a variety of fields and positions.

Ms Irene Mwenda

Focus:
Gender equality and human rights

Position:
Lawyer (Kenya)

Mr Jean-François Habeau

Focus:
Financing and investment of urban development and cities

Position:
Executive Director, The Global Fund for Cities Development (France)

Dr Pippen Anderson

Focus:
Urban ecology (exploring opportunities for the effective use of NBS and strengthening the connection of NBS and ecological restoration)

Position:
Associate Professor, University of Cape Town (South Africa)

Dr Shuaib Lwasa

Focus:
Cities and climate change from the global south perspective, working on adaptation and mitigation possibilities for transformative urban development

Position:
Associate Professor, Makerere University (Uganda)

Dr Ally Namangaya

Focus:
Regional development planning

Position:
Dean, Ardhi University (Tanzania)

Mr Rafael Moser

Focus:
Climate finance, locally led adaptation, and multi-level governance

Position:
Programme Specialist at UNCDF/LoCAL Facility (Thailand)

Dr Thomas Elmqvist

Focus:
Natural resource management (ecosystem services, land use change, urbanization, natural disturbances and components of resilience including the role of social institutions)

Position:
Professor, Stockholm Resilience Centre (Sweden)

Dr Daphine Agaba

Focus:
Human rights, gender, natural resources, governance, political leadership and decoloniality

Position:
Thabo Mbeki African School of Public and International Affairs (TM-School) at the University of South Africa (Unisa) (Kenya)

Dr Joe Mulligan

Focus:
Joint application of science and local knowledge to develop responsive and sustainable projects

Position:
Executive Director and Founding Principal, Kounkuey Design Initiative (Kenya)

Dr Timon McPhearson

Focus:
Urban ecology, urban systems, climate change risk and its impact on livelihoods and well-being and mainstreaming tailored approaches for NBS resilient measures

Position:
Professor and Director of the Urban Systems Lab at The New School (USA)

Ms Megan Sager

Focus:
Scaling up nature-based solutions through access to markets, innovative finance, impact investing, blended finance, public-private partnerships

Position:
Founder and Director, Consulting for Sustainable Solutions (South Africa)

Ms Marlene Laros

Focus:
Policy, strategy, planning and institutional alignment for local level ecosystem-based adaptation and nature-based solutions

Position:
Biodiversity and Coastal Management, Western Cape Provincial Government (South Africa)

Dr Sibusiso Nxumalo

Focus:
Climate adaptation finance and food security

Position:
Climate Finance Specialist Advisor, International Development Group LLC (South Africa)

Mr Claudio Chiarolla

Focus:
Sustainable development, global law, human rights, biodiversity advocacy and implementation support

Position:
Programme Management Officer, Implementation Support Division (ISD), Secretariat of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) (Canada)

Gladys Mirugi-Mukundi

Focus:
Law and policy research, teaching and advocacy on governance and human rights in Africa, human rights, socio-economic rights, social justice and inclusive societies, women and access to housing, rule of law and corruption.

Position:
Researcher, Dullah Omar Institute (University of the Western Cape); Co-editor, ESR Review,