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5 climate change takeaways from Davos 2019
Dozens of private jets flew into Switzerland in late January for the 2019 annual meeting of the World Economic Forum’s (WEF), which convened more than 100 governments and 1,000 businesses in the Alpine ski resort of Davos to discuss globalization’s future.
Yet, climate change and inequality were two of the issues that dominated the event.
Cities need to grow up - not out - to survive, researchers warn
Poor land records, rampant speculation and weak or corrupt implementation of regulations means that cities are using land inefficiently
WASHINGTON, Jan 31 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Urban areas are expected to grow by 80 percent by the end of the next decade, and unless they grow up rather than out, they could be in trouble, according to a new report from the World Resources Institute and Yale University.
Scottish Land Commission launches new guidance on engagement over land ownership
The Scottish Land Commission has launched a new toolkit to provide practical advice on how landowners, land managers and communities can make better decisions on land use.
The protocol, which defines good practice for engagement over land use and management, is the first in a series of publications from the commission aimed at encouraging practical implementation of the principles within the Scottish Government’s Land Rights and Responsibilities Statement (LRRS).
Families told they have ‘no right to land’ vow to fight on
Authorities have claimed that some 100 families who clashed with police in Preah Sihanouk province’s Prey Nop district last week have no legal rights to the land as they do not possess proper titles.
However, the villagers claim to have lived there for a significant time after having paid for their plots – something not recognised by the authorities, with one vowing to die for his.
Cities could help conserve pollinator communities
- While cities are generally considered to be poorer in biodiversity than rural areas, new research finds that urban areas could actually play a key role in conserving pollinator communities.
- A team of researchers led by scientists at the UK’s University of Bristol studied pollinators and floral resources at 360 sites in four British cities representing all major urban land uses, including allotments (community gardens), cemeteries, gardens, man-made surfaces like parking lots, nature reserves and other green spaces, parks, sidewalks, and road verges.
Aboriginal voices are missing from the Murray-Darling Basin crisis
The Murray-Darling crisis has led to drinking water shortages, drying rivers, and fish kills in the Darling, Macintyre and Murrumbidgee Rivers. This has been the catalyst for recommendations for a Royal Commissionand creation of two independent scientific expert panels.
Land Reforms in Kenya: Achievements and the Missing Link
This past week, one of the local dailies ran a story narrating how many county and national government institutions are squatters on what used to be public property, and even face eviction by new owners. It described how in Meru for instance, land meant for the most critical public institutions — police stations, hospitals, government offices, roads, even sensitive installations like the County Commissioner’s residence — has been allocated to individuals. Land grabbing and irregular land allocation is commonplace in Kenya.
Institute for Law and Environmental Governance
ILEG is an independent, non-profit public interest law and policy organization focused on promoting sustainable development. We work with local communities, governments, the private sector and civil society organizations (CSOs) to ensure fair, balanced and equitable development policy choices to improve peoples’ lives and protect the environment. Our work seeks to transform the way governments make decisions that affect the environment and natural resources on which livelihoods depend.
Land Tenure Management Systems in Informal Settlements
Formal land administration systems in developing countries have failed to cope with the wide range of land rights that have evolved under non-formal land tenure arrangements. Urban informal settlements in particular pose a challenge to existing land administration infrastructure in these countries. The tenure types, land rights and spatial units found in such settlements are inconsistent with the provisions of existing land law. Conventional land administration approaches can not work in these settlements.
Tackle tenure issues in informal settlements
Four years ago, I was part of a research team looking at access to land and basic services in informal settlements.
We conducted field interviews in Mukuru slums in Eastlands. We were amazed at the levels of development in the area. People were constructing permanent structures despite the fact that they were under the impression that informal settlements are characterised by temporary structures.
Four years later, there are ongoing discussions to address the plight of informal settlements. A fundamental starting point is to address issues of tenure security.