Boost resilience of small and mid-sized cities
Smaller settlements are growing faster than megacities — and they need more protection from extreme events. In our view, the central focus of Habitat III should be on small and … Continue reading
Participatory Budgeting: Next Generation Democracy
[White paper] – In a time of rising civic disengagement, many city leaders are using an innovative tool to reconnect with the people they serve: Participatory budgeting, known as “PB.” PB … Continue reading
Rethinking sustainable cities: Accessible, green and fair
Sustainable urbanisation has moved to the forefront of global debate, research and policy agendas over recent years. Rapid urbanisation throughout China, India and many other low and middle income countries … Continue reading
Informality and inclusive green growth
This document captures some of the evidence and insights presented and summarises the key discussion points made on 25th February 2016, in London, when IIED and partners hosted a conference to … Continue reading
Plastic and the city
The burden of single-use plastic bags on urban infrastructure has been a focus of the environmentalist movements and urbanist thought in the 21st century. Single-use plastic bags, however, are not … Continue reading
Innovating for pro-poor services: why politics matter
Despite innovation efforts and optimism across the development sector, few innovations lead to actual sustainable, systemic change. Too often the barriers are political – factors such as motivation, power and … Continue reading
Thinking and Working Politically: From Theory Building to Building an Evidence Base
This paper discusses the steps required to build a robust evidence base for ‘thinking and working politically’ (TWP) in development. It argues that better understanding what works, when and why … Continue reading
Governance Data: Who Uses It and Why
Numerous organizations, including members of the Governance Data Alliance, collect and analyze data on the different dimensions of governance to help shape policy reforms and ultimately improve economic, human, and … Continue reading
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