Informal settlements as catalysts for a just urban transition

South Africa’s economy needs to shift away from its reliance on coal and move towards a low-carbon economy. Given the rate and scale of urbanisation and the concentration of economic activity in cities, the Presidential Climate Commission has developed a Just Urban Transition Framework that argues for the vital role of cities in decarbonising the economy and enhancing climate resilience while ensuring that inequality and social exclusion are addressed. To transition South Africa to a net zero economy in a manner that is just and inclusive, informal settlements cannot be left behind.
 
In 2023/24 Isandla Institute engaged experts, civil society organisations and informal settlement communities to explore what the just urban transition means for informal settlements and for informal settlement upgrading. The resulting synthesis Making sense of a just urban transition for informal settlement upgrading (PDF, 2.58MB) offers a provocation to key actors to think differently about the intersection between the just (urban) transition and the lived reality of millions of people in South Africa. Amongst others, it raises critical questions and opportunities to rethink the governance, programme structure and finance dimensions of informal settlement upgrading, such that vulnerabilities and risks are addressed, and socio-economic opportunities are leveraged. The project also developed an engagement tool for municipal practitioners wishing to engage with informal settlement communities about upgrading decisions to drive a just urban transition. A just urban transition for and with informal settlements: The art of deliberative engagement (PDF, 1.59) helps to facilitate meaningful and inclusive decision-making about equitable and sustainable service delivery options and priorities.
 
Building on this earlier work, Isandla Institute in partnership with National Treasury’s City Support Programme hosted three strategic dialogues earlier this year to deepen the understanding of a just urban transition for, with and in informal settlements. The participants represented a diverse range of actors from civil society, government, practitioners and experts working on informal settlements, climate change and the just transition.
 
The dialogues focused on three themes and are captured in these practice briefs:
#1 Undoing the crises of vulnerability and spatial injustice: Prioritising informal settlements in the just urban transition (PDF,1.28MB)
#2 Centring the local economy and livelihoods in informal  settlement upgrading (PDF, 977KB)
#3 Governance and funding for informal settlement just transitions (PDF, 107MB)
 
The insights and recommendations emanating from the dialogues are summarised in a synthesis document: Informal settlements as catalysts for a just urban transition (PDF, 1.69MB).

We hope you will find these knowledge products useful and will use them to help advance a just urban transition, where informal settlements are prioritised for sustainable, people-centred development.

Abstract based directly on original resource.