Visioning just transitions in African cities

African cities face unprecedented challenges. Without urgent action, they will face intensified inequality, climate-driven displacement, destruction of settlements and ecosystems, unsustainable resource extraction and loss of life.

At the same time, Africa is a continent rich with the power to reinvent, reimagine, and lead. As we move towards exceeding the 1.5 degree global temperature threshold, set out by the Paris Agreement in 2015, what happens in African cities won’t just shape the continent – It will define the future of our planet.

Visioning and futures thinking processes offer transformative alternatives to move beyond the current constraints, reimagine possibilities, and unlock systemic change, empowering leaders to confidently and competently navigate and shape our uncertain futures. Thanks to the support of the UMI Fund, ICLEI Africa convened a two-day immersive visioning process, bringing together urban leaders from around Africa to pause, reflect, and creatively work with the future – to envision fair transitions in African cities. This report features insights from that workshop.