Podcasts about human settlements

Africa Melane spoke to Tsekiso Machike - Spokesperson of the Minister of Human Settlements Human Settlements Minister, Thembi Simelane has clarified the government's stance on housing allocations, stating that beneficiaries cannot receive multiple state-funded houses across different provinces. This comes amid rising concerns over cross-provincial housing applications, especially between Gauteng and the Western Cape. The Minister emphasized that the government’s housing system must ensure fairness, prevent duplication, and prioritize those still on the waiting list.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

KwaZulu-Natal Transport MEC Siboniso Duma has expressed deep concern over payment delays affecting over 2,000 service providers. Duma says the R1.5 billion in outstanding payments is linked to technical glitches in a new accounting system. MEC Duma says management is working with the national treasury and provincial treasury to clear these payments. This comes after frustrated contractors yesterday, including road builders and public transport providers, stormed the Department's offices, demanding long-overdue compensation for their work. Elvis Presslin spoke to KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Duma

President Cyril Ramaphosa “stumbles through life under the misapprehension that he's not accountable to South Africans for what he does, forgetting who put him there in the first place. South Africans.” This is the charge from Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Advocate Glynnis Breytenbach. She spoke to BizNews after the DA laid charges of corruption against Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane for allegedly stealing more than R700 000 by fraudulently billing Eskom when she worked for Vitrovian whose charges to Eskom appear “ridiculously” inflated. Eskom was allegedly invoiced by Vitrovian for work done by employees that did not exist, and Simelane's signature appears on the very first of these fraudulent invoices. The corruption charges come on top of Simelane's alleged involvement and subsequent implication in the looting of VBS Bank - after which the President ignored calls to suspend or sack her, and instead just moved her from Justice to Human Settlements. He has also repeatedly refused to disclose the content of Simelane's report to him on these allegations. Breytenbach believes his continued protection of Simelane raises serious questions on his ability and willingness to root out corruption at the highest level. “There are many ministers in the Cabinet that are less than…salubrious…who should, in all fairness, step aside and not hold those positions,” Breytenbach says.

KwaZulu-Natal's MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Duma, who visited rain affected areas has urged residents on low laying areas to heed the weather warning. He says communities affected will be provided with temporary shelter. For more on this we are joined on the line by KZN MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Duma.....

The Human Settlements minister, Thembi Simelane, says several system failures led to the collapsed building in George in May last year. The collapse, that took place during construction, caused 34 deaths and dozens of injuries. Briefing Parliament's Human Settlements committee on the report that followed an investigation, Simelane says an almost 300 page report details several lapses in the construction process...

Minister of Human Settlements Thembi Simelane has vehemently denied allegations of her involvement in corrupt activities with Eskom contractor Vitrovian. The allegations claim Simelane was involved in inflating prices for community liaison work during her tenure at Vitrovian, for which she was paid at least R700,000. The Democratic Alliance (DA) has announced plans to lay criminal charges against Minister Simelane. To discuss this further, Elvis Presslin spoke to Advocate Glynnis Breytenbach, MP and DA Spokesperson on Justice and Constitutional Development

The Gauteng Department of Human Settlements has been hit with a R450 million budget cut for the 2024/25 financial year, reducing its budget from R6.092 billion to R5.642 billion. The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng attributes this significant reduction to the department's poor performance. Mervyn Cirota, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Human Settlements, discusses the implications of this budget cut with Elvis Presslin

The North West Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs says eight (8) of the province's 22 municipalities are under mandatory intervention in terms of Section 139 of the Municipal Finance Management Act due to poor financial management. These municipalities are the Ditsobotla, Kgetlengrivier, Madibeng, Ramotshere Moiloa, Tswaing, Maquassi Hills and Naledi Local Municipalities as well as the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality. However, the Department says much more work still needs to be done in the beleaguered Ditsobotla Local Municipality as all interventions in the municipality have continued to be met with resistance including criminal behaviour such as kidnapping and taking people hostage. Sakina Kamwendo Spoke to Lerato Gambu - Spokesperson of the MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs in North West

A devastating accident in KwaZulu-Natal's Van Reenen Pass has claimed 18 lives. The crash which occurred last night involved a truck and taxi. MEC Siboniso Duma has offered condolences and ordered a comprehensive investigation. Elvis Presslin spoke to Ndabezinhle Sibiya, Spokesperson for the MEC for Transport and Human Settlements in KZN

John Maytham speaks to Councillor Carl Pophaim, Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements at City of Cape Town, about their appeal to national government to urgently devolve the Emergency Housing Grant to the City, so they can assist the fire-affected residents as quickly as possible. In recent days fires have displaced thousands in Masiphumelele, Nomzamo: Dunoon and Langa.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The City reminds residents that the December public holidays will impact the operating hours of some of the City’s Customer Offices.The City of Cape Town’s Revenue Department offices (payment, account enquiries and motor vehicle registration and licensing) as well as Traffic Services’ driving licence testing centres, Human Settlements’ offices and municipal courts will be closed on several dates over the festive season period.City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Finance, Councillor Siseko Mbandezi joins us on the line now. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  Clement Manyathela speaks to ANC veteran Snuki Zikalala about the changes the president has made to his cabinet. Zikalala says instead of moving Minister Thembi Simelane from the Justice Department to Human Settlements, President Cyril Ramaphosa should have placed the minister on leave. Clement also speaks to Pauli Van Wyk, who is an Investigative Journalist at Daily Maverick about her investigation into Simelane and her lifestyle.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Maytham engages with political analyst Thobani Zikalala to unpack the implications of Thembi Simelane's controversial Cabinet reshuffle. Did President Cyril Ramaphosa's decision to reassign Simelane to the Human Settlements portfolio effectively addresses concerns over her alleged involvement in the VBS Mutual Bank scandal?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Glynnis Breytenbach, the Democratic Alliance spokesperson for Justice and Constitutional Development, has called President Cyril Ramaphosa's redeployment of the “deeply conflicted, deeply compromised” Justice Minister to another Ministry a “disgrace” and an “insult to the intelligence of all South Africans”. She fumes: “So for five months he sits on his hands and does nothing. Now in a late night sort of semi soft shoe shuffle, he moves her sideways to Human Settlements. Human Settlements is important…to millions of South Africans. Is he now suggesting that she's not okay as the Justice Minister because she's conflicted and compromised, but she's fine for the Human Settlement?” Breytenbach also tells viewers what she thinks of the new Justice Minister, and gives an update on the progress of her Anti-Corruption Commission Bill which has been opposed by MKP in Parliament. “Of course, I expected them to have concerns with it because if that legislation goes through, it will impact very directly on a lot of the MK members of Parliament and a lot of the members of their party in particular.”

Minister Thembi Simelane has been moved from the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Development to the Ministry of Human Settlements, while Mmamoloko Kubayi takes over as the new Justice Minister. The move comes as Simelane continues to face scrutiny over her alleged involvement in the VBS Mutual Bank scandal, which has left many questioning whether her new role will provide redemption or simply a fresh start. For reaction on the national executive changes, Elvis Presslin spoke to Advocate Glynnis Breytenbach, DA Spokesperson on Justice and Constitutional Development

"A global pandemic has brought renewed attention to an old question: what do we owe each other? " The crisis of the COVID-19 brought this question to a head, and with it, calls for rethinking a “new social contract” that would outlast the emergency measures, a social contract rooted in mutual aid, yes, but also a stronger, more active, welfare state. It also made painfully urgent to consider the process by which these measures were operationalized; that is, by which the intentions of the state to reach the most marginalized groups of urban residents were put into practice, given that these resdents and workers were also the least visible, often informal, and therefore illegible to the state. Gautam Bhan's article "Operationalising Social Protection: Reflections from Urban India" addresses this very question. Drawing from empirical cases at the Indian Institute for Human Settlements, Bhan explores how the social contract plays out through social protection systems, arguing that how we deliver both existing and new entitlements is as important as deciding what entitlements urban residents should be entitled to. We discuss four challenges: (a) residence as an operational barrier; (b) workplaces (thru informal worker orgs) as sites of delivery; (c) working w worker orgs as delivery infrastructures; and (d) building systems of recognition and registration of informal workers. Bhan also points out how the different trajectories of Brazil and India changed inequality, finding that the ecosystem of social protections (in education, housing, cash transfers and the right to the city) backed by social movements rose the conditions for the bottom 30% of Brazilians. For Bhan, “operational knowledge is essential to imagine what Simone and Pieterse (2017) describe as ‘grounded and speculative alternatives'” - and in this text, he reveals operationalization to be a profound reflection on putting solidarity in action. Gautam Bhan is an urbanist whose work focuses on urban poverty, inequality, social protection and housing. He is currently Associate Dean of the School of Human Development, at the Indian Institute for Human Settlements School, and the Senior Lead in Academics and Researhc at this same institution. He holds a PhD in urban studies and planning from the University of California, Berkeley. Pranav Kuttaiah is a researcher and writer from Bengaluru, India currently pursuing a PhD in City and Regional Planning (with designated emphases in Political Economy and Science and Technology Studies) at UC Berkeley.

Transport MEC in KwaZulu-Natal, Siboniso Duma is engaging the All Truck Drivers Forum together with the Allied South Africa on their planned shutdown of the country's major highways today. The Forum had threatened to take to the streets over their concerns about foreign national being hired as truck drivers above local truck drivers. The Road Traffic Inspectorate in KZN says all roads are clear on the N3 corridor in the province despite minor disruptions in the Harrismith area. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Ndabezinhle Sibiya, spokesperson for MEC for Transport and Human Settlements

Subscribe to Grand Tamasha on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or your favorite podcast app. I spoke with  Atanu Chatterjee, a PhD candidate in geography at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, and a lecturer at the School of Human Settlements, XIM University Bhubaneswar. We discussed his dissertation examining the in situ slum rehabilitation scheme through a state-led intervention in low income housing in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. We talked about the reasons for the emergence of urban slums in Ahmedabad, the successes and failures of the in situ slum rehabilitation scheme, the differences across four recent slum redevelopments, the types of problems residents face post rehabilitation, and much more.  Recorded September 12th, 2024. Read a full transcript enhanced with helpful links. Connect with Ideas of India Follow us on X Follow Shruti on X Follow Atanu on X Click here for the latest Ideas of India episodes sent straight to your inbox. Timestamps (00:00:00) - Intro (00:01:10) - Grand Tamasha (00:02:54) - The Aims of In Situ Slum Redevelopment (00:05:58) - Frameworks for Understanding Slums (00:10:06) - The Economic Context of Slums in Relation to Governance (00:12:26) - Communal Violence and Segregation and the Formation of Slums (00:15:46) - Approaches to Slum Redevelopment (00:17:05) - Slum Redevelopment in Ahmedabad (00:19:37) - Ahmedabad As a Success Story? (00:21:35) - Consent and Coercion in the Redevelopment of Slums (00:26:07) - Public–Private Partnerships and Participation in Redevelopment Schemes (00:27:21) - Challenges in Adjusting to In Situ Redevelopment (00:30:19) - Expectations of Living in a Post-Redevelopment Colony (00:32:03) - Basis for Evaluating the Success of Rehabilitation (00:34:01) - Allotment of Homes and Ownership Restrictions (00:36:15) - Questions Regarding the Resale of Allotted Homes (00:40:04) - Issues that Impede Residents' Adjustment to Communal Living (00:42:51) - The Role of the State in Facilitating Transitions to Redeveloped Housing (00:44:14) - Mechanisms for Creating Successful Redevelopments (00:46:27) - A Participatory Approach Versus a Top-Down Approach to Redevelopment (00:49:03) - Building the Capacity of Community Associations (00:51:36) - Grounds for Optimism (00:53:09) - Improvements of the Institutional Framework Through Community Empowerment (00:54:45) - The Potentially Supportive Role of NGOs (00:56:390 - No Quick Fixes but Revised Platforms (00:57:33) - Outro

Lester Kiewit speaks to Ndabezinhle Sibiya, spokesperson for the Kwazulu-Natal MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, to get an update on the impact of heavy snowfalls in the province, especially along the N3 where motorists were trapped.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gilly Dlamini General Manager of Public Policy at the Banking Association of South Africa weighs in on comments made by human settlements minister Mmamoloko Kubayi on SA banks lending practices.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gauteng Human Settlements MEC, Tasneem Motara has assured residents of Bekkersdal that her department's Urban Renewal Project will be completed by July next year. Motara has been engaging the community after a number of multi-million rand infrastructure projects were left to decay. This, after the provincial government awarded a R220 000 000 tender to engineering company, TCT Civil and Construction, to upgrade and develop existing sewer network in the area. Community members have complained that they continue to live in squalor, despite government having invested heavily in delayed, incomplete, or abandoned projects. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to MEC for Human Settlements in Gauteng, Tasneem Motara

Johannesburg's MMC for Human Settlements, Mlungisi Mabaso has called for a swift investigation into the death of Economic Freedom Fighters councillor, Moshe Mphahlele. Mabaso expressed concern after Mphahlele was shot and killed on Sunday, when police and private security officers were evicting persons occupying containers erected to provide shelter during the Covid-19 pandemic, in Johannesburg's Alexandra township. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to Johannesburg MMC for Human Settlements, Mlungisi Mabaso

MMC for Human Settlements promises to turn housing crisis around in Joburg by Radio Islam

In a panel discussion about flood risks and informal settlement challenges and solutions, Moegsien Hendricks, the Executive Director of The Development Action Group, and Cllr Carl Pophaim, the MMC for Human Settlements for the City of Cape Town, join Lester Kiewit to address the pressing issue of informal settlements developing in flood-prone areas.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lester Kiewit speaks to the new Minister of Human Settlements, Mmamoloko Kubayi, about the interventions from government in assisting storm battered Cape residents.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wildfires in KwaZulu Natal have resulted in widespread destruction, leaving scores of people displaced and without homes. The provincial Department of Human Settlements reports that it has received preliminary and incomplete information regarding the destruction of homes in multiple areas, including eShowe, Nkandla, UMtshezi, Utretch, and Umtubatuba, due to the recent fires. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to Ndabezinhle Sibiya, Spokesperson for the MEC for Transport and Human Settlements in KZN.

Bongani Bingwa speaks with South Africa's Minister of Human Settlements, Mmamoloko Kubayi, about the latest updates on natural disasters in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, which have resulted in fatalities and people losing their homes, citizens building high lying areas and refusing to be removed despite being the target when the natural disasters struck, and what the government is doing to assist those affected by the weather.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our host Stephanie Fortunato speaks with Luisa Bravo, founder and president of City Space Architecture. They discuss principles for designing inclusively and creating moments for sharing and togetherness, and how it takes a village to create successful public spaces – including the importance of working with collaborators that might not agree with you.ReferencesCity Space Architecture: https://www.cityspacearchitecture.org/Mastering Public Space Magazine: https://www.masteringpublicspace.org/Ascoli Piceno: https://www.italymagazine.com/ascoli-picenoJan Gehl: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_GehlLife Between Buildings by Jan Gehl: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5597655-life-between-buildingsThe Journal of Public Space: https://www.journalpublicspace.org/index.php/jpsMuseo Spazio Pubblico: https://www.museospaziopubblico.it/The Overstory by Richard Powers: https://www.richardpowers.net/the-overstory/Buster Simpson, artist: http://www.bustersimpson.net/Presidio Tunnel Tops, San Francisco CA: https://presidio.gov/explore/attractions/presidio-tunnel-topsOld Tree by Pamela Rosenkranz: https://www.thehighline.org/art/projects/pamela-rosenkranz/Shadow Tree by Elizabeth Keithline: https://www.pem.org/shadow-treeUpside Down Trees by Natalie Jeremijenko : https://massmoca.org/event/upside-down-trees/The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/717356/the-creative-act-by-rick-rubin/ Luisa Bravo BioDr Luisa Bravo is a public space scholar and passionate activist, a cultural entrepreneur and an academic. After completing her PhD (2008), she has taught, researched and lectured in Europe, the United States, Middle East, Asia and Australia. She is Adjunct Professor in Urban Design at the University of Florence in Italy and has 20+ years experience in the professional field with a specific focus on public space.  Luisa holds a strong record of academic publications, she has been the recipient of grants and awards, such as the Australia Endeavour Executive Award, and she served as keynote speaker in major international conferences in 30+ countries. She has actively participated in key United Nations summits, such as the Habitat III conference (Quito, 2016), the World Urban Forum (Kuala Lumpur, 2018; Abu Dhabi, 2020; Katowice, 2022) the first UN-Habitat Assembly (Nairobi, 2019) and two High Level Meetings at the UN headquarters in New York (2017, 2022). With her non-profit organization City Space Architecture, that she founded in 2013, she organized and curated conferences, seminars, workshops and exhibitions internationally aimed at promoting public space culture. Under her leadership, City Space Architecture became partner of UN-Habitat and was engaged in the General Assembly of Partners (GAP), Research and Academia Partner Constituent Group. Luisa initiated and is currently leading several public space projects, such as: The Journal of Public Space, the first, interdisciplinary, academic, open access journal entirely dedicated to public space; the Public Space Academy, the first, free, interdisciplinary educational program on public space; the Public Space Museum, a collaborative and transdisciplinary practice on public space; the web-magazine Mastering Public Space, an online and free resource with a curated collection of news on public space from influential and reliable sources.  She is Member of AESOP Thematic group Public Spaces and Urban Cultures, Member of the Board of Experts for the European Prize for Urban Public Space, Expert to the European Commission for the Horizon Europe Program and for the research project 'Public Spaces as Spaces for Citizen Engagement', promoted by the JRC Competence Centre on Participatory and Deliberative Democracy. She is also an expert evaluator for the European COST project and for the Fulbright Commission (USA), and a consultant for the Global Platform for the Right to the City for which she wrote the thematic paper 'Cities and Human Settlements with Quality Public Spaces'.Luisa Bravo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luisabravodesign/City Space Architecture: https://www.linkedin.com/company/city-space-architecture/

Extreme heat has immense economic and social impacts in Southasia, an area that is most vulnerable to heat, that is densely populated, and that has a large numbers of people living in poverty. Research says that extreme heat is here to stay and will likely only get worse. An analysis of the 2022 heatwave across India and Pakistan showed that human-induced climate change makes Southasian heatwaves 30 times more likely. In this episode of State of Southasia, Nayantara Narayanan speaks to Chandni Singh, a senior researcher at the Indian Institute for Human Settlements who works on climate change adaptation across Southasia. Singh talks about how the current Southasian experience of heat is unlike anything the region has seen in the past. State of Southasia releases a new interview every four weeks. Episode notes: Further reading from Himal's archives: As India's election heats up, soaring temperatures from climate change find little mention in mainstream media: https://www.himalmag.com/politics/india-election-rising-temperatures-heatwaves-risks-climate-change-journalism-mainstream-legacy-media Nepal's unescapable trap of migration, farming and climate change: https://www.himalmag.com/politics/nepal-himalaya-migration-rural-farming-agriculture-climate-change INTERVIEW: COP28, the transition from fossil fuels and the Loss and Damage fund: https://www.himalmag.com/podcast/cop28-dubai-climate-change-net-zero-simon-evans Climate change in Bangladesh is driving a dengue outbreak in winter: https://www.himalmag.com/video/climate-change-dengue-outbreak-in-winter-bangladesh Primacy and absence of climate change: https://www.himalmag.com/excerpt/primacy-and-absence-of-climate-change-bangladesh-threatening-dystopias-excerpt-2021 Chipko to climate change: https://www.himalmag.com/reportage/chipko-to-climate-change-2021

David Mahlobo, Deputy Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation reviewed the progress made by the government in commemoration of World Water Day, the necessity for investment in water infrastructure, and the SA-Zim collaboration to improve water delivery.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

OPPOSITION PARTIES COMMEMORATE HUMAN RIGHTS DAY IN SHARPEVILLE. Human Rights Day - MEC for Human Settlements and Infrastructure Development Lebogang Maile visited Diepkloof Hostel amidst a violent service delivery protest that erupted in the area today by hostel dwellers.A solidarity pilgrimage is taking place calling for an end to the conflict in Gaza, Palestine, in the form of a walk from Simon's Town to the Cape Town CBD, representing the length of the besieged Gaza Strip. Human Rights Day is a chance to celebrate our gains and rededicate ourselves to continue improving workers' lives- COSATU. POSITIVE MASCULINITY IS CRUCIAL TO PROMOTING HUMAN RIGHTS FOR ALL. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL SOUTH AFRICA: No one should be killed fighting for fundamental human rights. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This special guest episode, produced by the Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS) looks at the work of a social network in Delhi that delivered food relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Delhi Coordinated Relief Network succeeded in reaching some of the most vulnerable neighbourhoods in the city during an unprecedented crisis. This episode of Make Change Happen is hosted by Rashee Mehra of the Indian Institute for Human Settlements, with guests Juhi Jain, deputy director of the Centre for Advocacy and Research and Dr Gautam Bhan, the associate dean of the School of Human Development at IIHS.

The relatively new Minister of Human Settlements is making her mark. She speaks about the housing backlog and what her department is doing to accelerate delivery, increase accountability, create better communities, and empower women. Podcast series on Moneyweb

According to UNHCR, the global number of people forcibly displaced by conflict, violence, human rights abuses, and other forms of persecution has reached 110 million. When asked to imagine the living conditions of refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs), rows of white tents or temporary structures often come to mind. In fact, around 60% of refugees and IDPs live in towns and cities. This episode of Make Change Happen is hosted by Lucy Earle, director of IIED's Human Settlements research group, and features Nassim Majidi, co-founder and executive director of Samuel Hall; Jack Makau, associate director of Slum Dwellers International in Kenya; and Samer Saliba, director of city practice at the Mayors Migration Council. The podcast discusses challenges and lessons from ‘participatory forums' – part of a 3.5-year research project – that bring together different stakeholders and refugee representatives together. Read more: https://www.iied.org/help-cities-help-people-bringing-everyone-together-refugee-response-make-change-happen-podcast As a listener of IIED's Make Change Happen podcast, we value your opinion and are keen to understand your preferences and gather valuable feedback to enhance our podcast. Please, take this survey to help us create content that resonates with you: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/IIEDpodcastsurvey Your responses will play a crucial role in shaping the future of the Make Change Happen podcast, making it an even more informative experience for all.

Heatwaves are growing in frequency and intensity around the world due to climate change. Extreme heat is now gripping three continents - Europe, the US and Asia - and there is more to come. Temperatures are breaking records, driving wildfires and prompting serious health warnings and evacuations. Europe may see its hottest week ever. Islands off the South of Italy - Sicily and Sardinia - recorded temperatures of 48 degrees Celsius according to the European Space Agency and at least 2,000 people have been evacuated due to wildfires on the Spanish island of La Palma. In the US, a third of Americans are under extreme heat advisories. Japan has issued heatstroke warnings for millions. Meanwhile South Korea's president has vowed to “completely overhaul” the country's approach to extreme weather from climate change as at least 40 people die from flooding and landslides. So, what does extreme heat do to our bodies? How can countries and people adapt now - and in the future - to better deal with a hotter world? And are governments doing enough to deal with the effects of global warming and, if not, what more needs to be done? Shaun Ley is joined by: Dr Chandni Singh, senior researcher at the Indian Institute for Human Settlements and the lead author for Asia in the latest UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report Jeff Goodell, journalist and author of 'The Heat Will Kill You First' Dr Eleni Myrivili, Global Chief Heat Officer to UN Habitat and senior advisor for resilience and sustainability to the city authorities in Athens, the capital of Greece Also featuring: Dr Sharmistha Sarangi, an Internal Medicine Specialist in India Photo: A child uses a fan as she and her mother wait at the entrance to the Sagrada Familia basilica in Barcelona, Spain, July 18, 2023 Credit: REUTERS/Nacho Doce Produced by Pandita Lorenz and Rumella Desgupta

#Ep.054 Energy, climate change, and regional integration are interconnected and interdependent in many ways. The production and consumption of energy significantly contribute to climate change, with fossil fuels being major culprits. Transitioning to cleaner and renewable energy sources is crucial for mitigating climate change. In this regard, regional integration is vital in addressing energy and climate change challenges. It enables countries to collaborate on renewable energy development, share resources, establish interconnections, and create integrated energy markets. Regional cooperation is essential for adapting to and mitigating shared climate change impacts. It also enhances energy security by diversifying energy sources and reducing dependence on a single supplier. Additionally, regional integration promotes policy harmonization, collaboration, and clean energy trade. By working together, countries can maximize their efforts toward achieving a sustainable, low-carbon future. In this episode, PEI colleague Shreeya Rana sits with Dr. Shubhakar Dhakal to discuss South Asia's Energy Scenario. The two discuss the current status of regional integration efforts to tackle climate change and the role of China and India in the Region.   Shobhakar Dhakal currently serves as the Vice President for Academic Affairs at the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand. His expertise lies in energy policy, climate change mitigation, policy modeling, and analysis. Dhakal has actively contributed to the international scientific community as the Coordinating Lead Author for the Nobel Prize-winning IPCC's 5th Assessment Report on Human Settlements, Infrastructure, and Spatial Planning. He was also a member of the author group involved in developing the recent UNEP-led global scientific assessment titled "Making Peace with Nature,"  If you liked the episode, hear more from us through our free newsletter services, PEI Substack: Of Policies and Politics, and click here to support us on Patreon!!

In this episode of Make Change Happen, marking LGBTQI+ Pride month, we want to spark conversations about how urban development and climate action can be truly inclusive of queer communities. What can we learn from queer thinking and practice? How can we challenge LGBTQI+ erasure in decision making to deliver stronger and more equitable change?  Hosted by Tucker Landesman, senior researcher in IIED's Human Settlements research group, this podcast features lawyer and urban planner Rodrigo Faria G. Iacovini, working with the Instituto Pólis in Sao Paul, Brazil and queer activist Sarah Louis Montgomery, project coordinator at the global network GenderCC-Women for Climate Justice in Berlin, Germany.  Both guests share their experience working with queer communities and activists to bridge gaps between LGBTQI+ civil society and urban development and climate action, respectively, to achieve a just result.

Have you ever noticed that you flush your toilet with the same water that come out of your tap? Have you ever wondered why you pay someone to take away yard waste and then pay for fertilizer? Have you ever wanted to not water your yard so much? Then this episode is especially for you. "The problem is the solution" is a simple conceptual phrase coined by Bill Mollison, the Australian co-creator of the modern Permaculture movement. Often if we take the time to think about it our natural resource problems can often be solutions, either to the problem itself or to another problem that we have. Still confused? Hopefully we explain it a little better in the episode! We also discuss why this concept is important and relevant for natural resource conservation.     LINKS!!! 1) Special thanks to News 5 Cleveland for allowing us to use a an audio clip from their broadcast of the June 2022 tornado in Richland County! The broadcast was posted to their website here: Richland County Tornado - News 5 Cleveland 2) Bill Mollison's first book was written with David Holmgren, and was entitled: Permaculture One: A Perennial Agriculture for Human Settlements. He also wrote a handful of other informational books on permaculture.  3) To learn more about permaculture online, you can explore permaculture's key principles here, and read some common definitions and concepts relating to permaculture here, and read the article the article that Josh quotes from here. 4) Visit our websites! Richland SWCD's Residential Programs & Kingwood Center Gardens   MUSIC Permission was generously given to use the following tracks! "Run One Down" by Dan Lebowitz, and "A Brand New Start" and "Easy Stroll" by TrackTribe

Guest: Azola Mayekiso, CEO of NHFC, an entity of the Department of Human SettlementsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Construction is ready to begin at the City of Cape Town's R84 million Rusthof Infill housing project in the Gustrow area of the Strand. To find out more about this project, Jan-Willem chats to Alderman James Vos, Acting Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements.

Clement is in conversation with Mmamoloko Kubayi, the Minister of Human settlements about the challenges facing the department, including a mounting housing backlog, illegal occupation of land and rising homelessness.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Samaaj came before Sarkaar and Bazaar. We are more than subjects of the state and consumers of the market. Rohini Nilekani joins Amit Varma in episode 317 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss her life and her learnings, why citizens need to embrace their agency -- and why those with wealth have a special responsibility. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN.) Also check out 1. Rohini Nilekani on Amazon, Wikipedia and Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies. 2. Samaaj, Sarkaar, Bazaar : A citizen-first approach -- Rohini Nilekani. 3. Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies. 4. Arghyam, EkStep and Pratham Books. 5. The Annual Status of Education (ASER) Report, 2022. 6. Enid Blyton, Just William, Winnie the Pooh, Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys on Amazon. 7. A Terrible Beauty -- Peter Watson. 8. Iris Murdoch and VS Ramachandran on Amazon. 9. The Tell-Train Brain -- VS Ramachandran. 10. The Long Road From Neeyat to Neeti -- Episode 313 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Pranay Kotasthane and Raghu S Jaitley). 11. Sansar Se Bhage Phirte Ho — Song from Chitralekha with lyrics by Sahir Ludhianvi. 12. Profit = Philanthropy — Amit Varma. 13. Arshia Sattar and the Complex Search for Dharma -- Episode 315 of The Seen and the Unseen. 14. Germaine Greer, Nancy Friday and Betty Friedan on Amazon. 15. The Life and Times of Urvashi Butalia — Episode 287 of The Seen and the Unseen. 16. Select episodes on The Seen and the Unseen that touched on feminism & gender with Paromita Vohra, Kavita Krishnan, Mrinal Pande, Kavitha Rao, Namita Bhandare, Shrayana Bhattacharya, Mukulika Banerjee, Manjima Bhattacharjya, Nilanjana Roy, Urvashi Butalia, Mahima Vashisht, Alice Evans, Ashwini Deshpande, Natasha Badhwar, Shanta Gokhale and Arshia Sattar. 17. The Loneliness of the Indian Man — Episode 303 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Nikhil Taneja). 18. The Will to Change — Bell Hooks. 19. The Jackson Katz quote on passive sentence constructions. 20. The Life and Times of Vir Sanghvi — Episode 236 of The Seen and the Unseen. 21. Imposter Syndrome. 22. Gerald Durrell, The Jungle Book and Black Beauty on Amazon. 23. Indian Institute for Human Settlements. 24. Episodes of The Seen and the Unseen with Mohit Satyanand: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. 25. The Chauri Chaura Incident. 26. Episodes of The Seen and the Unseen on Covid-19: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. 27. Every Act of Government Is an Act of Violence — Amit Varma. 28. The Third Pillar — Raghuram Rajan. 29. Participatory Democracy — Episode 160 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Ashwin Mahesh). 30. Cities and Citizens — Episode 198 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Ashwin Mahesh). 31. Helping Others in the Fog of Pandemic — Episode 226 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Ashwin Mahesh). 32. Lewis Mumford on Amazon, Wikipedia and Britannica. 33. Abby Philips Fights for Science and Medicine — Episode 310 of The Seen and the Unseen. 34. The Median Voter Theorem. 35. Mohammad Zubair's Twitter thread on the Dharam Sansad. 36. Lessons from an Ankhon Dekhi Prime Minister — Amit Varma's column on the importance of reading. 37. Janaagraha. 38. Emergent Ventures. 39. Giving Billions Fast, MacKenzie Scott Upends Philanthropy -- Nicholas Kulish. 40. The/Nudge Institute, Give India, Dasra and Bridgespan India. 41. Lewis Hyde on Amazon. 42. The Brass Notebook: A Memoir - Devaki Jain. 43. Breaking Through: A Memoir -- Isher Judge Ahluwalia. 44. My Life in Full -- Indra Nooyi. 45. A Full Life -- Sabira Merchant. 46. Savarkar: Echoes from a Forgotten Past and Savarkar: A Contested Legacy -- Vikram Sampath. 47. Ramachandra Guha on Amazon. Check out Amit's online course, The Art of Clear Writing. And subscribe to The India Uncut Newsletter. It's free! Episode art: ‘Nurture' by Simahina.

Guest: The Western Cape Department of Human Settlements strongly urges residents to be aware of online housing scams that request you to pay for government housing assistance. Western Cape Minister of Infrastructure, Tertuis Simmers joins Africa to explain. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our last episode of 2022 brings together experts from across the world to explore how far climate mitigation action can respond to pervasive urban poverty in the global South – seen in a lack of housing and basic services such as water, sanitation and energy – and contribute to more just and equitable cities. This special episode is hosted by Anna Walnycki, principal researcher in IIED's Human Settlements research group. Alongside two IIED colleagues, principal researcher Aditya Bahadur and researcher Tucker Landesman, she is joined by two experts working on urban mitigation projects. Bijal Brahmbhatt is executive director of the Mahila Housing Trust in Gujarat, India; Daniel Kozak is senior researcher at the National Scientific and Technical Research Council of Argentina and director of the Research Center Habitat and Energy.

Clement speaks to  ANC Deputy President candidate, ANC's head of economic transformation and Minister of Human Settlements, Mmamoloko Kubayi about her campaign for the upcoming conference which prioritises a gender and generational mix in the party's top structures. Kubayi further talks about the transformation of informal settlements and access to housing for the destitute.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Between March and May of this year, large parts of India and Pakistan were hit by a severe heat wave that claimed at least 90 lives and seriously impacted people's livelihoods and the environment. What made this heat wave so different and possibly worse than previous ones? Who was particularly at risk? And where does India stand in terms of adaptation strategies? In this episode, Hanna Geschewski talks with climate change researchers Dr. Chandi Singh and Dr. Emmanuel Raju about the recent heat wave and how to deal with increasingly frequent temperature extremes. Dr. Chandni Singh is a Senior Researcher at the Indian Institute for Human Settlements in Bangalore, India. She is also a Lead Author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change or IPCC where she covered topics of vulnerability and adaptation in Asia in the Assessment Report 6 published in March 2022. She works on examining what drives differential vulnerability to climate change and how and why certain people adapt while others don't or can't. Dr. Singh wrote about the 2022 heat wave in her New York Times guest essay, “Spring Never Came to India This Year.” Dr. Emmanuel Raju is an Associate Professor at the Global Health Section at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. He is also currently the Director of the Copenhagen Center for Disaster Research (COPE), which provides a platform for interdisciplinary research on disaster and climate change. Dr. Raju recently co-authored a study titled "Climate Change made devastating early heat in India and Pakistan 30 times more likely," which highlighted the most severe impacts of the recent heat wave and how it can be attributed to climate change. Hanna Geschewski is a PhD researcher in Human Geography at the Chr. Michelsen Institute and the University of Bergen in Norway, focusing on socio-ecological adaptation processes in Tibetan refugee settlements in Karnataka, India. The Nordic Asia Podcast is a collaboration sharing expertise on Asia across the Nordic region, brought to you by the Nordic Institute of Asian Studies (NIAS) based at the University of Copenhagen, along with our academic partners: the Centre for East Asian Studies at the University of Turku, and Asianettverket at the University of Oslo. We aim to produce timely, topical and well-edited discussions of new research and developments about Asia. About NIAS: www.nias.ku.dk Transcripts of the Nordic Asia Podcasts: http://www.nias.ku.dk/nordic-asia-podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Between March and May of this year, large parts of India and Pakistan were hit by a severe heat wave that claimed at least 90 lives and seriously impacted people's livelihoods and the environment. What made this heat wave so different and possibly worse than previous ones? Who was particularly at risk? And where does India stand in terms of adaptation strategies? In this episode, Hanna Geschewski talks with climate change researchers Dr. Chandi Singh and Dr. Emmanuel Raju about the recent heat wave and how to deal with increasingly frequent temperature extremes. Dr. Chandni Singh is a Senior Researcher at the Indian Institute for Human Settlements in Bangalore, India. She is also a Lead Author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change or IPCC where she covered topics of vulnerability and adaptation in Asia in the Assessment Report 6 published in March 2022. She works on examining what drives differential vulnerability to climate change and how and why certain people adapt while others don't or can't. Dr. Singh wrote about the 2022 heat wave in her New York Times guest essay, “Spring Never Came to India This Year.” Dr. Emmanuel Raju is an Associate Professor at the Global Health Section at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. He is also currently the Director of the Copenhagen Center for Disaster Research (COPE), which provides a platform for interdisciplinary research on disaster and climate change. Dr. Raju recently co-authored a study titled "Climate Change made devastating early heat in India and Pakistan 30 times more likely," which highlighted the most severe impacts of the recent heat wave and how it can be attributed to climate change. Hanna Geschewski is a PhD researcher in Human Geography at the Chr. Michelsen Institute and the University of Bergen in Norway, focusing on socio-ecological adaptation processes in Tibetan refugee settlements in Karnataka, India. The Nordic Asia Podcast is a collaboration sharing expertise on Asia across the Nordic region, brought to you by the Nordic Institute of Asian Studies (NIAS) based at the University of Copenhagen, along with our academic partners: the Centre for East Asian Studies at the University of Turku, and Asianettverket at the University of Oslo. We aim to produce timely, topical and well-edited discussions of new research and developments about Asia. About NIAS: www.nias.ku.dk Transcripts of the Nordic Asia Podcasts: http://www.nias.ku.dk/nordic-asia-podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/environmental-studies

Guest; Mmamoloko Kubayi - Minister of Human SettlementsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 1/2:  #Climate:  #EU:  Future climate discipline on transportation , housing and cuisine.  Felix Creutzig,TU Berlin. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-01616-z Professor of Sustainability Economics of Human Settlements at TU Berlin Scientific Coordinator Climate Change Center Coordinating Lead Author of the IPCC's 6th Assessment Report

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 2/2:  #Climate: #EU: Future climate discipline on transportation , housing and cuisine.  Felix Creutzig, TU Berlin https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-01616-z Professor of Sustainability Economics of Human Settlements at TU Berlin Scientific Coordinator Climate Change Center Coordinating Lead Author of the IPCC's 6th Assessment Report