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Just Urban Transitions and Shifting Labour Patterns

Urban transition is happening, but is it in a "Just" way? join us for amazing discussions around the study "Just Urban Transitions and Shifting Labour Patterns" sharing experiences from Thailand, Egypt, Jordan and more

Dina Kisbi

Moderator

date November 5, 2024 | 13:30 - 14:30
place
Urban Library - room B
organization
Regional Climate and Energy Project MENA Friedrich Ebert Stiftung
country
Jordan
language
English, Arabic
Reference: 
UL-B 4

Summary

Globally, cities are responsible for around 75 per cent of the world’s energy consumption and over 70 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. As part of international commitments toward low-carbon development, increasing attention is being paid to cities as critical sites for change. However, there is currently a limited understanding of the justice aspects of these shifts. Moreover, little is known about how the world of work will change in cities. In 2015, International Labour Organization (ILO) guidelines underscored the connection between climate policies and human and labor rights, emphasizing the potential for sustainable transition to drive social equity, inclusion, and poverty eradication. However, there remains a lack of clarity around what “good green jobs” might look like in cities and how to ensure vulnerable groups are not left behind – particularly in developing cities of the Global South which are often characterized by high rates of informal labour.
This event builds upon research conducted by Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) and Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) in 2023 to explore examples from cities around the world. drawing out key themes and implications to build a conceptual framework for a Just Urban Transition. Desk based literature review was combined with interviews with FES offices and key partners in selected cities in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, and Europe. Topics include cooperative models of public transportation modernization, the role of the informal waste sector, urban agriculture pilot schemes, and discussion on the transformative potential for 15-minute city models of urbanism to address intersecting social and ecological challenges.

The event will begin with a 10-minute presentation to set the scene and relay key findings from the research. This will be followed by a 40-minute panel discussion involving urban practitioners, researchers, urban planners, academics and municipal representatives to provide ground-level insight into the topic. Key questions will centre around what Just Urban Transition looks like in different urban contexts, the overarching principles we need to take forward, how we can turn policy to action, and how good practice approaches and local actions can be further scaled while showcasing some success stories from Amman, Cairo, and Bangkok. The final 10 minutes will be reserved for Q&A and plenary discussion.
The full report this session is based on is available here:
https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/international/20601.pdf

Objectives

Disseminate research findings and draw attention to the critical role of cities within Just Transitions in addition to highlighting the roles of different stakeholders
Stimulate discussion between different types of urban stakeholders (academics, practitioners, trade unions municipal actors) to seek points of synergy and build alliances to advance the Just Urban Transition agenda while ensuring sustainability, equity, resilience and inclusion
Showcasing success stories and implementation on ground by government, civil society and urban planners, while discussing opportunities, challenges and lessons learned
Identify concrete principles and entry points for scaling actions that support Just Urban Transition (a pathway forward)
Networking with interested Forum attendees with the goal of building future work programmes

Session panelists

Panelist
Role
Organization
Country
Ms. Pareena Prayukvong
Co-founder/Secretary General
Bangkok Rooftop Farming SE/ The NETWORK for Sustainable Development Association
Ms. Chloe Pottinger-Glass
Research Associate
Stockholm Environment Institute
Mr. Dr. Amir Gohar
Senior Lecturer Planning and Urban Leadership Program Leader
University of West of England
Ms. Nisreen Daoud
Manager of Sustainable Development and Amman Resilience Unit
Greater Amman Municipality