Cities depend on a healthy natural environment that continuously provides a range of services or benefits to society and the economy. Managing the urban environment is, however, a complex task.
... See More + Many urban cities in Africa are struggling to meet their infrastructure needs; maintain or provide adequate service delivery; and upgrade city systems to keep pace with the rate of change, urbanization, and population growth. Identifying what investment is required in urban areas to enable economic activity, and to create livable and vibrant cities in an environmentally sustainable way is the key challenge for decision makers, but also presents significant opportunities. The purpose of this toolkit is to provide an overview of a selected sample of generic policy measures and instruments that specifically address the challenges raised by ‘greening’ urban development. It focuses on instruments that may be able to help leverage finance (from private sector, national government and donors) to address the range of environmental problems faced by cities in developing countries, including low quality housing, poor access to services, pollution and safety hazards, and to support the implementation of green urban development measures.The toolkit is intended primarily as a resource for urban managers and planners in African cities. As such, the instruments that are included have been specifically selected because they address some of the most pressing environmental challenges faced by rapidly growing African cities while at the same time contributing to the achievement of wider sustainable development goals. The toolkit complements a wide range of other guidelines and manuals covering integrated urban environmental planning, green city development and mainstreaming ecosystem services into municipal functioning. These are valuable volumes in themselves and the reader is encouraged to use these alongside this toolkit.
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Rapid urbanisation is taking place at an unprecedented rate throughout the world, with the rate of growth often outpacing urban planning and the capacity of city managers.
... See More + As a result, existing natural areas within cities,which provide a range of benefits to urban dwellersare becoming smaller and degraded, and problems such as flooding, air pollution and water pollution are becoming worse in many places. African cities often lackthe resources to deal with these problems. However, anumber of studies have suggested that investing in the maintenance or restoration of natural infrastructurein many cases may not only address given problems at comparable or lower cost than conventional engineering projects, but also generate multiple additional benefits that ultimately translate into cost savings and increased human wellbeing. Meanwhile, great strides have been made in the design of sustainable mechanisms to deal with urban environmental issues, stormwater flows and the attendant pollution problems, and management and planning of cities is increasingly taking a holistic approach that includes the use and conservation of semi-natural and natural areas within cities as part of a green urban development strategy. One of the challenges of green urban development will be to findthe right balance between ecological infrastructure(natural systems), “green” (= environmentally friendly)built infrastructure, and conventional (“grey”) built infrastructure. Dar es Salaam, located on Africa’s Indian Ocean Coast,faces a multitude of environmental problems. Prominent among them is the problem of flooding in and around the city centre, which frequently brings the city to a standstill, as well as causing infrastructural damage. Many factors have contributed to this problem, including unplanned informal settlements in the upper catchment and floodplain areas, a lack of drainage and a lack of solid waste management. The impacts of flooding are also exacerbated by high levels of pollution in the rivers, which increases the risks associated with flooding. In consultations for this study, stakeholders in Dar esSalaam identified the Msimbazi River as being amongthe most degraded ecosystems in the city and also the source of the most serious flooding problems. The aim of the study was to explore the potential costs and benefits of undertaking a green urban development approach, including catchment-to-coast restoration measures, to ameliorate flood risk in the Msimbazi Rivercatchment.
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Working Paper 115186 APR 01, 2017
Turpie,Jane; Kroeger,Timm; De Risi,Raffaele; de Paola,Francesco; Letley,Gwyneth; Forsythe,Katherine; Day,LizDisclosed
Urbanisation is taking place at an unprecedented rate throughout the world, often outpacing plans and the capacity of city managers. As a result, natural open space areas in cities are being degraded and diminished, and problems such as flooding, air and water pollution are getting worse.
... See More + The environmental problems associated with increased hardened surfaces and the loss of natural areas and ecosystem services are particularly acute in developing country cities, where a lack of regulation and resources has led to poor planning, the expansion of informal settlements in high risk, marginal areas, and the inability to adequately manage the quantity and quality of surface water flows.Durban, located within the eThekwini Municipality on the east coast of South Africa, is rich in biodiversity, but faces a number of environmental and developmental challenges. Green urban development is an approach that aims to minimize the impacts of urbanization on the environment, and tackles the core problems of pollution and waste, the consumption of natural resources, the loss of urban open space and the degradation and loss of biodiversity, as well as mitigation of the urban contribution to climate change. The aim of this study was to explore, using a case study and scenario-based approach, the potential costs and benefits of undertaking a green urban development approach to address some of the main environmental issues described above, and to explore the potential tradeoffs between different types of interventions, with an emphasis on assessing the desirable balance between engineered interventions and the conservation of natural open space areas. The study focuses on three elements of green urban development, all of which impact on ecosystems and biodiversity: sewage and solid waste management, active storm water management and the conservation of natural systems and riparian corridors.
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Urbanisation is taking place at an unprecedented rate throughout the world, often outpacing plans and the capacity of city managers. As a result, natural open space areas in cities are being degraded and diminished, and problems such as flooding, air and water pollution are getting worse.
... See More + The environmental problems associated with increased hardened surfaces and the loss of natural areas and ecosystem services are particularly acute in developing country cities, where a lack of regulation and resources has led to poor planning, the expansion of informal settlements in highrisk, marginal areas, and the inability to adequately manage the quantity and quality of surface water flows. While conventional storm water conveyance measures contribute to reducing flooding impacts, they have not been able to keep ahead of the problem and have also contributed to pollution and degradation of downstream aquatic systems. However, great strides have been made in the design of more sustainable engineering mechanisms to dealwith urban flooding and water quality problems, andthe management and planning of cities is increasinglyfocusing on a more holistic approach that includes theconservation of natural areas as part of a green urban development (GUD) strategy. A GUD strategy does notonly focus on surface water issues but also involves the maintenance of natural open space areas for recreationwhich is essential for human health and well being.One of the challenges of green urban development will be to find the right balance between natural, seminatural,innovative and conventional built infrastructure. Understanding the costs and benefits associated with the different types of measures is important and requires careful consideration of their potential benefits and cost effectiveness in managing urban environmental problems. Durban, located within the eThekwini Municipality onthe east coast of South Africa, is rich in biodiversity, butfaces a number of environmental and developmental challenges. Green urban development is an approach that aimsto minimize the impacts of urbanization on the environment, and tackles the core problems of pollution and waste, the consumption of natural resources, theloss of urban open space and the degradation and loss of biodiversity, as well as mitigation of the urban contribution to climate change. In addition to a range of policy interventions, this involves investing in naturalcapital as well as use of green structural engineering and conventional grey infrastructure. Green urban development includes (1) sanitation services and regulations to minise pollution, (2) applying “green engineering” approaches to urban problems such as stormwater management, (3) controlling consumption and carbon emissions, (4) protecting natural assets and(5) maintaining parks, street trees and gardens.The study involved modelling current flooding and water quality in the Umhlatuzana - Umbilo catchment,and determining the change in water quality and flood hydrographs under a series of hypothetical scenarios inwhich the past development of the area had involved different combinations and extents of green urban development measures including better sanitation,stormwater management and conservation measures.
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Urbanisation is taking place at an unprecedented rate throughout the world, often outpacing plans and the capacity of city managers. As a result, natural open space areas in cities are being degraded and diminished, and problems such as flooding, air and water pollution are getting worse.
... See More + The environmental problems associated with increased hardened surfaces and the loss of natural areas and ecosystem services are particularly acute in developing country cities, where a lack of regulation and resources has led to poor planning, the expansion of informal settlements in high risk, marginal areas, and the inability to adequately manage the quantity and quality of surface water flows.Durban, located within the eThekwini Municipality on the east coast of South Africa, is rich in biodiversity, but faces a number of environmental and developmental challenges. Green urban development is an approach that aims to minimize the impacts of urbanization on the environment, and tackles the core problems of pollution and waste, the consumption of natural resources, the loss of urban open space and the degradation and loss of biodiversity, as well as mitigation of the urban contribution to climate change. The aim of this study was to explore, using a case study and scenario-based approach, the potential costs and benefits of undertaking a green urban development approach to address some of the main environmental issues described above, and to explore the potential tradeoffs between different types of interventions, with an emphasis on assessing the desirable balance between engineered interventions and the conservation of natural open space areas. The study focuses on three elements of green urban development, all of which impact on ecosystems and biodiversity: sewage and solid waste management, active storm water management and the conservation of natural systems and riparian corridors.
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This report is based on a suite of eight research exercises undertaken over the period 2015-2017, all of which, together with accompanying datasets, are available on-line: a regional desk-study which examines and synthesizes available material, providing an overview of the key situational dynamics and trends in the natural environment in Africa’s main cities; detailed urban environmental profiles of three case study cities of Durban, Kampala and Dar es Salaam developed using the ‘Rapid Urban Environmental Assessment’ (RUEA) methodology; Ecosystem Services Valuation (ESV) studies which provide a valuation of urban natural capital and ecosystem services and the identification, quantification and valuation of the costs and benefits associated with specific development interventions in the three cities of Durban, Kampala and Dar es Salaam.
... See More + Drawing on TEEB (The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity) methodologies, these studies were conducted through a number of key steps involving both extensive technical work and intensive stakeholder dialogue; and a toolkit of policy measures, instruments, and planning and management strategies taken largely from both developed and developing country experience which can be adapted and utilized by city and national governments to address the sorts of environmental externalities and ecosystem services impacts identified in the environmental profiles and ESV studies.
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Rapid urbanisation threatens existing natural areas withincities and the ecosystem services that they provide. This case study forms part of a broader study that investigates the benefits of investing in Green Urban Developmentin African cities.
... See More + The Kampala case study focuses on the Nakivubo wetland, one of several large wetland systems that occur within and around the city. This wetland has become severely degraded by polluted water from thecity that passes through the wetland before entering Inner Murchison Bay. However, as the city has continued to grow, pollution flows into the wetland have increased significantly, the size and assimilative capacity of the wetland has decreased, and the costs of water treatment have increased. These concerns, as well as the increasing shortage of public open space areas in the city that are available for recreation, haveled to the city’s consideration of the rehabilitation of the Nakivubo wetland, both to restore its functioning and to create the opportunity for a recreational area with associated possibilities for economic development. This study provides a preliminary evaluation of the state of the Nakivubo wetland, the potential costs and benefitsof its rehabilitation and the implications for the city’sexpansion plans. The primary objectives were defined as(1) effecting a measurable improvement of waterquality passing out of the Nakivubo wetland into InnerMurchison Bay, (2) ensuring sustainable management ofthe Nakivubo wetland, (3) reducing water quality impactson human health and (4) opening up opportunitiesfor safe recreational use of the lower wetland. One of the main challenges in achieving the above would be institutional. Greater Kampala extends well beyond the boundaries of the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), which originally encompassed the entire city, and unless the KCCA area is adjusted accordingly (as has been done in other countries), the problems that will arise in a growing city will be in areas under multiple other jurisdictions.
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The city of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania has undergone a period of unprecedented urbanization that has contributed to the degradation of the city's natural environment.
... See More + With a growth rate above or near 5 percent for the past three decades, it is the fastest growing city in East Africa. The arrival of thousands of in-migrants year after year has overwhelmed the city's ability to deliver adequate public services, housing and jobs. Unplanned, densely populated informal settlements that lack basic water, sewer, and waste services now cover much of the city's land area. At the same time, climate change is placing further strains on the city's ability to manage the urban environment. The projected rise in temperature, coupled with an increase in precipitation, could have wide-ranging impacts. A projected increase in the intensity of rainfall will result in storm runoff that exceeds the capacity of the city's infrastructure, causing flooding and the spread of pollution, of particular concern for low-lying informal settlements. Such conditions have degraded the quality of the city's natural environment and the vital ecosystem services that they provide.
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The city of eThekwini or Durban has undergone a period of rapid urbanization that has contributed to the degradation of the city’s natural environment.
... See More + Climate change is placing further strains on the city’s ability to manage the urban environment. The urban environmental profile of eThekwini has been prepared as the first component of the assignment promoting green urban development in Africa: enhancing the relationship between urbanization, environmental assets and ecosystem services, a project being conducted under the leadership of the World Bank. An overall objective of this project is to link the study of urban environmental issues with the advancement of more sustainable urban growth. The profile summarizes the existing quality of the terrestrial and other aquatic environmental assets, identifies the key drivers that are the cause of their vulnerability, and describes the key institutional challenges and constraining factors that limit the city’s ability to address environmental management challenges. Identification of the key environmental assets and key drivers of environmental degradation within the city required a more comprehensive review of reports on urban planning and infrastructure services. The urban environmental profile is organized as follows: section one gives introduction. Section two, eThekwini context, sets the background, and context of the study of Durban, providing an overview of the impacts of urbanization and climate change and drawing the link to the urban environment. Section three, quality of the environmental assets of eThekwini describes the state of the key environmental assets of eThekwini: the terrestrial assets, aquatic assets, coastal assets, and the air, and attempts to infer the associated historic and current trends. Section four, drivers of environmental vulnerability and degradation describes the key issues that are driving degradation, the impacts caused, and the reason for these challenges. Section five, institutional issues and challenges describes the key factors that constrain the eThekwini‘s ability to effectively address environmental management challenges. Section six, key findings provides a synthesis of key findings of the study.
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The city of Kampala has undergone a period of rapid urbanization that has contributed to the degradation of the city’s natural environment. The urban environmental profile for Kampala has been prepared as the first component of the assignment promoting green urban development in Africa: enhancing the relationship between urbanization, environmental assets, and ecosystem services, a project being conducted under the leadership of the World Bank.
... See More + An overall objective of this project is to link the study of urban environmental issues with the advancement of more sustainable urban growth. The profile summarizes the existing quality of the wetlands and other aquatic and terrestrial environmental assets, identifies the key drivers that are the cause of their vulnerability, and describes the key institutional challenges and constraining factors that limit the city’s ability to address environmental management challenges. Identification of the key environmental assets and key drivers of environmental degradation within the city required a more comprehensive review of reports on urban planning and infrastructure services. The city has recently made progress in the development of key infrastructure systems such as solid waste management and sanitation. The report is organized as follows: section one gives introduction. Section two sets the background and context for Kampala, providing an overview of the impacts of rapid urbanization and climate change, drawing linkages to urban environmental assets. Section three, quality of the environmental assets of Kampala describes the state of the key environmental assets, including the terrestrial assets, aquatic assets, and air quality, and attempts to infer the associated historic and current trends. Section four, drivers of environmental vulnerability and degradation describes the key issues that are driving degradation and the impacts caused. Section five, institutional issues and challenges describes the key factors that constrain Kampala‘s ability to effectively address environmental management challenges. Section six, provides a synthesis of key findings.
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