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This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the challenges of achieving equitable access to urban green spaces in low- and middle-income countries, with a focus on informal settlements. It argues that top-down planning often fails to meet the specific needs of marginalized populations and advocates for community-led, inclusive governance to improve public health and environmental resilience.

This executive summary describes a study of approximately 130 urban resilience solutions implemented by for-profit and not-for-profit organisations in Global South cities, specifically focusing on informal contexts such as informal settlements and economies.

The 'Roof Over Our Heads' (ROOH) report outlines the first year of a campaign launched at COP27 to provide climate-resilient housing for residents of informal settlements in Global South cities through community empowerment and stakeholder collaboration.

This briefing note by the Global Resilience Partnership and Transitions Research examines the landscape of urban resilience solutions in informal contexts across the Global South. Based on a review of approximately 130 solutions, the report identifies a significant gap in urban climate investment—where only 1.2% of urban climate finance flows to adaptation and resilience—and highlights that most non-governmental solutions are still in early development stages. It provides recommendations for municipalities, funders, and policymakers to scale these innovations through better coordination, hybrid financing, and the integration of informal settlements into city planning.

This insights brief by the Southern African Resilience Academy (SARA) examines the role of urban informality in building equitable resilience in cities across southern Africa and the Global South. It argues that while informality is often invisible or viewed as a challenge, it provides critical services, livelihoods, and innovation that can enhance urban resilience if harnessed through inclusive governance and partnerships.

An open letter from Jabu Hlatshwayo, an intern at the Public Affairs Research Institute, to President Ramaphosa, urging the South African government to prioritize urban land reform and the youth following the February 9, 2023, State of the Nation Address (SONA).

This SEI discussion brief argues that nature-based solutions (NbS) are often framed as apolitical, leading to the neglect of social equity and justice in their design and implementation. The document proposes five core principles to ensure NbS do not reproduce existing inequalities and provides a case study from Kaptembwa, Kenya, to illustrate the integration of these principles in an urban informal settlement.

This case study describes the activities of the Namungona Women Empowerment Initiative, a savings group in Kampala, Uganda, and its founder Esther Mirembe. It details how the group uses collective savings and waste-to-value projects to build economic resilience and adapt to climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic.

This case study describes the Manggahan Low Rise Building Project in Pasig City, Philippines, where residents of informal settlements collaborated with government and NGO partners to design and build climate-resilient housing to avoid forced relocation following Typhoon Ondoy.

This case study by GreenCape examines the implementation of an alternative service delivery model in the Witsand informal settlement in Cape Town, South Africa. Through a partnership between GreenCape, ThinkWifi, and community leaders, the project utilized an Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) approach to co-design and deploy wifi-enabled solar street lights to address critical needs for connectivity and safety.

The iShack project is a social enterprise in South Africa that provides pay-for-use solar power units to informal settlements, specifically in Enkanini, to improve living conditions, create local jobs, and reduce reliance on hazardous energy sources.

This expert note from the World Resources Institute argues that the transformation of informal settlements is critical for achieving global and national climate goals. It advocates for the integration of these settlements into climate and development strategies, emphasizing the need for meaningful community participation and a significant increase in climate finance directed toward the urban poor to foster just, low-carbon, and resilient urban development.

This report examines the integration of gender-sensitive approaches into climate compatible development in urban Kisumu, Kenya. It uses the 'People’s Plans into Practice' (PPP) project (2008–2013) as a case study to analyze how gender relations influence vulnerability to climate risks and how participatory planning can empower marginalized groups. The study identifies structural, cultural, and policy barriers to gender equality while providing recommendations for national, county, and local policy-makers to better align gender and climate change interventions.

This briefing describes the outcomes of the Public Private People Partnerships for Climate Compatible Development (4PCCD) project (2011-2013), which tested participatory urban planning in Maputo, Mozambique, to integrate local perspectives into climate adaptation and municipal planning.

This research paper by the African Centre for Cities and the Climate and Development Knowledge Network proposes a framework for 'climate compatible development' in African cities, specifically focusing on informal settlements. It argues that because a significant portion of Africa's urban growth occurs in slums, climate resilience must be integrated with poverty alleviation and in situ upgrading to avoid exacerbating existing inequalities.

This case study examines the Public Private People Partnerships for Climate Compatible Development (4PCCD) project (2011-2013), which used a participatory planning methodology to address climate change in the Chamanculo C neighborhood of Maputo, Mozambique. The project aimed to integrate local perspectives into municipal planning, resulting in the creation of a Community Plan for Climate Change Adaptation and the establishment of a Climate Planning Committee (CPC) to lead local action.

This report by the African Centre for Cities at the University of Cape Town examines flooding risks in Cape Town's informal settlements, specifically in the Philippi area, and along its coastline. It highlights the intersection of apartheid-era spatial planning, poverty, and climate change, arguing that technical engineering solutions must be paired with collaborative governance and community participation to be effective.

The Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) is launching the Resilience Innovation through Scaling Entrepreneurship (RISE) Urban Challenge to support and scale innovative solutions addressing climate resilience in urban informal settlements within ODA-eligible countries.

This FAQ document describes the Alternative Service Delivery Unit (ASDU), an initiative implemented by GreenCape to manage energy services for unserviced communities. The document specifically outlines a tender process for providing energy services to the Nomzamo Agricultural Village in Mpumalanga, South Africa, focusing on a community-led, financially sustainable model.

The Alternative Service Delivery Unit (ASDU), implemented by GreenCape, is seeking technical partners to provide sustainable off-grid energy services for approximately 300 homes in the Nomzamo Agricultural Village. The project, starting in February 2024, follows a year of social mobilisation and data collection to identify the community's specific energy needs and financial capacity.