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Sustainable urban development

Adequate shelter for all

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Presented by:Mr. Erik V. Christensen

Urban Emergency Advisor for SyriaBeirut, 30 May – 2013

The Urban Dimension of the Crisis in Syria

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• People– Urban Population from 57% -> 65-70%– Cities are main recipient of IDPs (town -> city

and city -> city)– Most diversity in Shelter (informal, collective,

hosted, rental, repair, etc.)– Informal urban settlements from 40% -> ?%

• Services– Excessive increase in demand (Water, Sanitation,

Waste and Energy)– Reduced capacity to maintain services

(Damages, breakdown, collapse)– Increased health risks to general urban

population

• Economy– Unemployment from 10% -> +45%– Eroded tax base for public investments and

spending– Declining urban economy (supply/demand

affected, production, financial systems, etc.)

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• In urban settings, it is often difficult to distinguish between – chronic vulnerability (Increased

urban poverty) – crisis induced vulnerability (urban

warfare)

• Conventional approaches to needs assessment, beneficiary identification and the provision of humanitarian assistance become extremely complicated.

• The revised SHARP includes a series of more specialized assessments

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Urban density and lack of space

• Access to certain parts of a city – particularly dense informal settlements – can be challenging even in a non-crisis environment.

• In a crisis context, what limited infrastructure there may be is destroyed, debris, human waste, lack of clean water, shelter, and the most basic of services complicate humanitarian action.

• Access to usable land for interim shelter and humanitarian support can be difficult, and land-use patterns often exacerbate crisis.

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• Government authorities (national and local), service providers (public and private) and civil society organizations make coordination for preparedness and response extremely challenging.

• Multiple aid organizations, delivering sector-based services often place urgency ahead of efficiency.

• Donor/government demand often creates barriers to recovery.

• Residents of affected communities are often left out of dialogue and planning for their future.

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