Bo, Sierra Leone
The planned work in Bo is based on natural asset mapping and stakeholder engagements. Key priority natural assets will be mapped and socio-economic assessments undertaken, alongside in-depth consultations with various departments in the City Administration and other stakeholders.
Milestones
- Online capacity building:
- Participated in the facilitated online course on Learn with ICLEI Africa: Planning with Nature for Improved Service Delivery
- Project Steering Committee:
- First meeting with the in-country Project Steering Committee to discuss their involvement in the project and to gain National Government commitment to project success
- Learning Lab 1:
- Introduction of the UNA project, including laying the foundation on terminology in order to help participants enhance their understanding of biodiversity, ecosystems and the value of safeguarding Urban Natural Assets.
- Introduction to the Human rights based approach.
- Introduction to mapping and the value of spatial data in informing urban natural assets related planning and decision making.
- In-depth city research:
- Socioeconomic survey of 900+ households in Bo City conducted.
- Development of Climate Change Risk models and climate Risk Narratives to enhance climate change adaptation mainstreaming at local level.
- Assessment of the human rights landscape, including how rights are articulated both in legislation and in communities.
- Spatial mapping of UNA in the city, including current threats and future trajectory.
- Recommendations for improved UNA conservation and sustainable management.
- Learning Lab 2:
- Human rights and gender based approach training 2.
- Understanding institutional arrangements and the role of cooperative governance in driving impactful change.
- Mainstreaming Urban planning considerations in city planning and development.
- Unpacking the finance landscape (barriers and opportunities) and g) capacity building activities.
- Human rights and gender based approach training 2.
- City officials participated as speakers in two RISE Africa sessions:
- Learning Lab 3:
- Introduced a whole-of-society approach where the different UNA pillars were integrated in activities and sessions.
- Explored the importance of good governance and multi stakeholder partnerships in decision making
- Incorporated urban planning thinking and practices in how we design and plan our cities to promote nature and healthy ecosystems for people and planet
- Considerations on how to finance biodiversity interventions and solutions, what opportunities exist and how to leverage existing partnerships to access financial resources
- Development of communications products to help build capacity on urban natural assets and human rights:
- Illustrated map of Urban Natural Assets
- Socioeconomic Snapshot of Bo City
- City to City exchange:
- Participated in virtual city to city exchange with 14 other UNA cities, with the Deputy Mayor of Bo City Council presenting on the biodiversity finance landscape in the city.
- Learning Lab 4:
- Human rights and gender based approach training 4
- Participated in a Photovoice participatory activity, capturing photographs of urban natural assets
- Building on the photovoice, lessons on adopting a whole-of-society approach where gender, governance, planning and finance considerations are mainstreamed in addressing city challenges such as deforestation, waste and pollution
- Explored blue green frameworks as a tool to encourage participatory planning to mainstream nature based solutions
- Youth Day: school children from local schools brought together to draw their imagined futures and learn about the value of UNA and their sustainable use and management
- Learning Lab 6: Reflection Lab
- Looking back to move forward
- The journey of UNA: looking back at the learnings and processes undertaken in the city since 2021 to reflect on the emerging themes, successes, and the learnings from project implementation.
- Stakeholder consultation and validation of the city roadmap, a guideline for mainstreaming NbS in Bo City
- Youth Day event:
- Engaging youth and schools in the city to achieve a whole-of-society approach to NBS
- Education and awareness raising on the natural assets in Bo, their value and role in safeguarding human livelihoods
Guiding youth commit to nature and taking part in a ceremonial tree planting initiative.
- Multi-stakeholder dialogue
- Promoting a whole-of-government approach to mainstreaming NBS.
- Multi-stakeholder dialogue created an opportunity for Bo City officials to interact with national government and NGO stakeholders on issues, barriers, and opportunities to improve natural resource management in Bo, Sierra Leone.
- Identifying opportunities to scale UNA lessons and processes to other cities.
- City-to-city exchange
- Participated in a virtual city to city exchange with 10 other UNA cities from the previous phases of the UNA programme, where Bo City Council presented on the impact of the UNA Resilience project in Bo City, Sierra Leone, including the catalytic impact it has had in the city’s sustainability transitions.
- UN CBD COP16
- The Mayor of Bo City participated at the CBD COP16 in Cali, Colombia, where he showcased local efforts towards achieving the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
