Global Urban Planning Challenge: Developing an Open Innovation Competition

Global Urban Planning Challenge

07/07/2021 2:00 pm
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Developing an Open Innovation Competition

The pace of urbanisation in many Commonwealth Countries in Asia and Africa is without precedent, in Africa urban populations are expected to triple by 2050.

However, there is a critical shortage of reliable, easy-to-use, data-driven planning and mapping tools to support planning decision-making in rapidly urbanising countries.

Cost-effective, user-led, data-driven products and services have the potential to significantly improve the capacity of local governments and communities to make planning decisions that support sustainable and equitable development principles.

We think a challenge prize could drive innovation in this space. 

Join us for a webinar on Wednesday 7 July, to explore where an open innovation competition could have significant leverage in supporting sustainable growth in rapidly urbanising cities. We’ll discuss the challenge prize approach; current barriers to developing, using and scaling data-driven tools in rapidly urbanising places; and strategies to engage innovators, cities and stakeholders to accelerate innovation.

This will be the third of a three-part webinar series, ‘Building Better Data to Support Sustainable Urbanisation in the Commonwealth’, planned as part of the Call to Action on Sustainable Urbanisation in the Commonwealth, to investigate how to build a strong evidence base and enable data-driven decision making to deliver sustainable and equitable planning and development activities in rapidly urbanising countries.

The series will be held on 5, 6 and 7 July 2021 in support of the Call to Action on Sustainable Urbanisation in the Commonwealth that has been developed jointly by the Association of Commonwealth Universities, the Commonwealth Association of Architects, the Commonwealth Association of Planners and the Commonwealth Local Government Forum, with support from the Government of Rwanda and The Prince’s Foundation. The Commonwealth Association of Architects, the International Growth Centre, Ordnance Survey, and Nesta Challenges are hosting this series.

Agenda

14:00-14:05 – Welcome and context

Peter Oborn, Senior Vice President, Commonwealth Association of Architects

14:05-14:25 – Global Urban Planning Challenge

Kathy Nothstine, Head of Future Cities, Nesta Challenges

Olivier Usher, Head of Research, Nesta Challenges

14:25-15:05 – Context of the problem and need

Patrick Lamson-Hall, Research Scholar, New York University Marron Institute of Urban Management

Manuel de Araujo, Mayor of Quelimane City, Mozambique

Dr. Shipra Narang Suri, Chief, Urban Practices Branch, Global Solutions Division, UN-Habitat

Kilion Nyamubuga, Programme Officer, Slum Dwellers International

15:05-15:25 – Q&A and discussion: how a challenge could deliver impact

15:25-15:30 – Concluding remarks

Click the boxes below to learn more about the other sessions

  • 12:30-13:45 BST, Monday 05 July 2021: Register here

    UN-Habitat suggests that 65% of the 169 targets underpinning the 17 Sustainable Development Goals are linked to territorial and urban development. Faced with the complex challenges of rapid urbanisation, climate change and the recovery from Covid-19, this session will bring together policymakers, academics and practitioners to consider (1) the importance of building an evidence base in fast-growing cities, (2) the kind of data and evidence that we need, and (3) how we can work together more effectively to help build a strong evidence base for effective policy making and action on the ground to help deliver sustainable urbanisation, leaving no one and no place behind.

  • 12:30-13:45 BST, Tuesday 06 July 2021: Register here

    Informal settlements make up over 54% of the urban population in Africa, with profound consequences in terms of health & well-being, prosperity and environmental impact, plus the fact that retrofitting infrastructure is three times more expensive. In Lusaka, Zambia, an urbanisation plan is needed to better target investment in critical infrastructure and services, upgrading informal settlements to provide for the most vulnerable residents. But how do policy makers make informed decisions? And quickly? Working with the IGC and CAA, Ordnance Survey produced detailed data in less than a few weeks so that policy makers could start to ensure a more resilient urban future for Lusaka and its residents. We also discuss tools that can help nations measure their progress against SDGs and help with their resilient recovery from Covid-19.

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