The United Nations has designated the first Monday in October each year as World Habitat Day. The idea is to reflect on the state of our towns and cities and the basic right to adequate shelter for all. It is also intended to remind the world of its collective responsibility for the future of the human habitat. The global observance of the occasion this year will be led from the Angolan capital, Luanda. The celebrations in Angola will show the world, how the country, after years of conflict, is more...

ADAPT. Named a 2008 Tech Laureate, Hany is introducing low-cost housing to poor communities by producing appropriate building material, adopting a participatory approach for transferring skills, and using effective building techniques. Through ADAPT, he involves local youth in the material innovation and production processes while training them in design and construction. These youth then act as catalysts, spreading their skills in their communities. Hany's idea addresses two of Egypt's major pr more...

Stock Market Housing Exchange. In Sri Lanka, the high cost of land forces low-income residents to squat illegally. After garnering support from the President, Darin created a stock exchange market by which the inner city shanty dweller can value their main item of wealth. His approach offers poor communities the opportunity to trade-in the land they occupy and then choose from new available apartments, making them proud and responsible homeowners. This model is particularly attractive for land- more...

Interação (International Network of Community Action). Halfway through her career, Anaclaudia found herself distressed about not doing more for her country’s development. After giving up her job at a major accounting firm, she founded Interação, an organization that guides poor communities through the identification of their needs and the formation of savings groups. Her model connects the community with the government, financial institutions, and construction companies to create a system more...

This programme was initiated in response to increasing urban poverty in Eastern and Southern Africa. Unplanned settlements, which host between 40% and 60% of the total urban population in the region, lack basic services and infrastructure, including adequate water, sanitation and roads. Location: Eastern and Southern Africa . Partner: Governments: Governments of Germany, Italy and the Netherlands. Local Authorities: Municipalities of Kisumu (Kenya), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Lilongwe (Malawi), Map more...

These guidelines show how national governments can plan, develop, implement and monitor a national programme on sustainable consumption and production (SCP). This is a flexible approach to SCP programme development which will be adapted to local circumstances. The guidelines are also useful to countries that already have a SCP programme but are keen to improve and sustain the process. Also contains nine case studies that illustrate how governments are implementing SCP programmes all over the wor more...

Written by leading experts in the fields of urban development and environmental planning, the book reviews the urban environmental shifts that have shaped today’s challenges, and examines conditions and problems in the urban centres of low-, middle- and high-income countries. Case studies address such economically diverse cities as Accra, New Delhi, Mexico City and Manchester, while thematic chapters explore issues including water, sanitation and transportation. The book concludes by exploring more...

Rebuilding personal and collective confidences through a participatory process takes time, especially amidst the massive personal tragedy of lost loved ones, personal assets and livelihoods. This photo and film documentation is testimony of all that we have all learned during the past two years. As a testimony, we hope it can be an inspiring tool for any person or institution overcoming a future disaster. This publication includes a DVD with the documentary film 'Playing between Elephants' by fi more...

Asian Development Bank. Planning for development in rapidly urbanizing Asia requires a fresh look. This book analyzes emerging urbanization patterns and explores the potential of city cluster development in Asia. City cluster development takes into account the provision of infrastructure and services in connection with spark potentials of economic growth and dispenses with the urban–rural dichotomy of traditional development planning, recognizing that urban centers are not only hubs for econom more...

ADB Urban Day 2008 is the first annual urban forum organized by ADB Urban Community of Practice. It gathers participants from national and local governments, international community of practice, private sector, civil society and academia to discuss pressing urban issues on urban environment and sanitation, urban transport, city region development, and municipal finance and governance, in relation to operational themes of sustainable urban development and sound environmental management promoting more...