23.06.2016 | Uni Bonn: Climate partnership Bonn-Cape Coast

Paradoxically urbanization in Africa is an emerging threat to human wellbeing and the environment. In Ghana urban areas, whilst accommodating more than 50% of the population, are characterized by surging GHG emission and ambient temperatures (urban heat island effect), poverty, erratic flush floods, droughts and inadequate clean water supply, high environmental pollution and insanitary conditions, modified biodiversity, loss of natural capital, irregular power outages, and many others. In response, the government, non-parastatal organizations and urban dwellers have devised various in situ policy and pragmatic measures to cope with these challenges.

Looking at this context municipalities and city administrations have developed alliances with sister cities in the global north to help forge better urban solutions in the country. One example is the partnership between the City of Bonn and the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly, which was initiated in 2008. The two cities are particularly collaborating in the field of climate mitigation and adaptation. Since 2012 the City of Bonn cooperates with Cape Coast in the implementation of a project for the restoration of the Fosu Lagoon in Ghana. Climate change and the resulting rise in surface water temperature, the drop in water levels caused by increased evaporation, and more frequent torrential rainfall, as well as human activities have had a massive negative and damaging impact on the lagoon’s sensitive ecosystem in recent years. The project shows along a specific example of city-to-city collaboration what partnerships between local governments can contribute for strengthening the situation of municipalities.

A general introduction into the topic will be given by Betrand Nero from the Center for Development Research (ZEF), followed by a presentation of a specific example for municipal cooperation by Verena Schwarte from the City of Bonn (Dept. of International Affairs and Global Sustainability).

Source: Press release, 21.06.2016Paradoxically urbanization in Africa is an emerging threat to human wellbeing and the environment. In Ghana urban areas, whilst accommodating more than 50% of the population, are characterized by surging GHG emission and ambient temperatures (urban heat island effect), poverty, erratic flush floods, droughts and inadequate clean water supply, high environmental pollution and insanitary conditions, modified biodiversity, loss of natural capital, irregular power outages, and many others. In response, the government, non-parastatal organizations and urban dwellers have devised various in situ policy and pragmatic measures to cope with these challenges.

Looking at this context municipalities and city administrations have developed alliances with sister cities in the global north to help forge better urban solutions in the country. One example is the partnership between the City of Bonn and the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly, which was initiated in 2008. The two cities are particularly collaborating in the field of climate mitigation and adaptation. Since 2012 the City of Bonn cooperates with Cape Coast in the implementation of a project for the restoration of the Fosu Lagoon in Ghana. Climate change and the resulting rise in surface water temperature, the drop in water levels caused by increased evaporation, and more frequent torrential rainfall, as well as human activities have had a massive negative and damaging impact on the lagoon’s sensitive ecosystem in recent years. The project shows along a specific example of city-to-city collaboration what partnerships between local governments can contribute for strengthening the situation of municipalities.

A general introduction into the topic will be given by Betrand Nero from the Center for Development Research (ZEF), followed by a presentation of a specific example for municipal cooperation by Verena Schwarte from the City of Bonn (Dept. of International Affairs and Global Sustainability).

Source: Press release, 21.06.2016