The Urban Management Tools for Climate Change course brought together professionals worldwide, eager to deepen their understanding of climate action in urban settings. In the article, three participants share their experiences and key takeaways they plan to apply in their work.
Returning to IHS
Marcela Kanitz has a Master’s in Urban Planning and completed a one-year course on Urban Management & Development: Sustainable Urbanism at IHS in 2014. Now, she works as a researcher at the Technical University of Denmark and as a consultant in Brazilian and global projects for climate and social impact.
Marcela was happy to return to IHS for the short course on Urban Management Tools for Climate Change. “The course was an excellent opportunity to refine and expand my skills in urban management tools, which I can then apply to ongoing and future projects both globally and within Brazil.”
When asked about the course, Marcela highlights the mixture of classes and group field trips, where they could see real projects and initiatives and learn more about the process of implementing them. She liked that the course focused on applying the CityRAP Tool in a real case and worked in groups, enhancing their soft skills. She found that the most valuable part of this course was the deep discussions about the opportunities and challenges behind the planning, design and implementation of effective climate actions that make our cities more resilient.
“Listening to other professionals from such different contexts and cultures and finding common challenges and shared vision was really important and inspiring.”
Marcela Kanitz
Tailoring solutions to local contexts
Londiwe Dlamini holds a Master’s degree in hydrology, with a specialised focus on water management, driven by her passion for sustainability and finding solutions tailored to African contexts. According to Londiwe, the course was filled with insightful conversations with fellow participants on different experiences and perspectives and learning from the various lecturers and guest lecturers.
“It was particularly informative to unpack the suitability of various solutions in different cities around the world and the importance of tailoring solutions to local contexts.”
One of her most valuable takeaways was the hands-on experience during group work, particularly the application of the UN-Habitat CityRAP tool. Thanks to the diverse classroom, Londiwe gained the cultural and professional diversity that often exists when applying an integrated resilience planning tool such as the one presented during the short course.
In her career, Londiwe plans to use the knowledge and skills gained by integrating the mechanism the CityRAP tool outlines. “As a professional engaged in management and planning aspects, I will apply the concepts presented in the course through collaborative engagement and advocating for the use of adaptive resilience tools to identify priority actions.”
“The opportunity to undertake this course was exciting and felt like an extension of my professional interests and drive to respond and adapt to climate change in a local context.“
Londiwe Dlamini
Practical solutions to complex climate issues
Sarah El Aich is an architect working at The Ministry of National Territorial Planning, Urbanism, Housing, and City Policy of Morocco. Alongside her work at the ministry, she is also pursuing a PhD at the Institute of Land Use Planning and Urbanism of Rabat, with her research focusing on land management and the urbanisation of coastal areas between Rabat and Casablanca.
“There is a real need to formulate practical solutions to grasp the full complexity of climate issues in urban areas and to develop the capacity to produce effective action plans. This course perfectly aligned with these objectives while providing the opportunity, even for a short period, to explore the Dutch academic environment and their vision of cities.” – says Sarah.
A key highlight of the course for her was its learning method. The case study format stimulated extensive debates among the participants and helped them address issues related to climate change. She also mentions the City RAP tool, which effectively constructed action plans. “The tool has reinforced my belief that responses to climate issues in urban areas must emerge from local management scales, such as local authorities and civil society.”
When asked about her future plans, Sarah wants to use the insights gained from the course to develop localised action plans that address the specific climate vulnerabilities of her region with the help of the City RAP tool. Amongst other things, she would also like to share knowledge and best practices across borders. “In my work, I will seek to establish partnerships with other cities facing similar challenges to enrich our collective approach to climate action and adaptation.”
Is this course for you?
If you're passionate about building climate-resilient cities and want practical skills to make a real impact, the Urban Management Tools for Climate Change course is for you. Learn from experts, connect with diverse professionals, and bring new solutions to your urban challenges.
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