Visioning just transitions in African cities

African cities are home to some of the fastest urbanisation rates on the planet, driven by rapidly expanding youth populations, with high levels of ingenuity, resourcefulness and adaptability. With rapid growth, comes risks and opportunities that are set to intensify with the now very likely overshoot of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. To thrive in these uncertain futures, African cities must proactively prepare for and adapt to these changing conditions.

At the end of January 2025, ICLEI Africa, thanks to the support of the UMI Fund, gathered urban leaders, planners, and changemakers to step back from the day-to-day and creatively work with the future to envision just transitions in African cities—where equity, resilience, and sustainability drive transformation. Together, they envisioned fair transitions in African cities as pathways to navigate these complex futures.

African change agents come in diverse forms, from diverse settings, and with the necessary support are best placed to confidently and competently drive locally appropriate fair transitions, and contribute to fair transitions of our continent. Hear directly from those change agents here: https://youtu.be/O4JuIpxwxYs