Centre on African Public Spaces

A big thank you to all the #AFUF2025 presenters and participants, your contribution has been invaluable and we trust that you are feeling inspired, informed and connected! We are closing today with the launch of a virtual community of practice and the co-creation of a road map for the African nature-based solutions network. Through facilitated discussions we aim to outline strategies for capacity building, identify research directions, tools for monitoring and mapping, communication and resource mobilisation. #AFUF2025 #Urbanforests #climatefinancing #urbanAfrica #joburgreimagined #reimagingjoburg

Charting a way forward for urban green and climate finance in African cities. Our final keynote of Day 3 #AFUF2025 explores lessons learnt, challenges and opportunities for the way forward in shaping the future resilience of African Cities. Join our keynote speakers Ms Gcobisa Magazi, Director in the office of DDG: Public Finance, National Treasury and Mr Elijah Ramulifho, Programme Manager: Sustainable & Resilient Cities, @SACitiesNetwork on the City of Johannesburg’s livestream from 16h00 https://lnkd.in/dM93J7Te #AFUF2025 #Urbanforests #climatefinancing #urbanAfrica #joburgreimagined #reimagingjoburg Presidential Climate Commission

Welcome to researchers, Dr Sylvester Horvey and Dr Melody Mandevere of the Wits Business School Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment - CAPSI. Our keynote speakers for Day 3: Making the Business Case for Urban Forests. Together they will be presenting the key discoveries and strategic implications of an urban green and climate finance mapping study. All #AFUF2025 keynotes and plenary sessions can be live streamed using this link: https://lnkd.in/eyKMADSp #AFUF2025 #JoburgReimagined #UrbanAfrica #ReimaginingJoburg #urbanfinancing #urbanplanning City of Johannesburg FAO UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme) United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) African Union Development Agency-NEPAD The African Climate Foundation South African Local Government Association World Resources Institute IUCN Eastern and Southern Africa IUCN African Development Bank Group Urban and Municipal Development Fund

Making the Business Case for Urban Forests. Welcome to Day 3 of #AFUF2025! Building on discussions throughout the week, today’s session offers a strategic immersion into financing challenges and opportunities. Join us as we explore how African cities can navigate global economic uncertainties and secure sustainable funding. All plenary and keynote sessions are being livestreamed - join us virtually here: https://lnkd.in/dene-pSR Day 3 begins with an overview of the financial constraints African cities face and the need to expand funding sources. This will be followed by a presentation from the Wits Business School’s Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investmentsharing key findings from a recent mapping study on urban green and climate finance. The CAPSI presentation aims to highlight funding gaps, emerging opportunities, and investment priorities. Day 3 also features a dynamic roundtable discussion, chaired by Prof. Bhekinkosi Moyo from CAPSI, bringing together leaders from government, development banks, multilateral organisations, and the private sector. This conversation will explore how cities can leverage diverse funding mechanisms to invest in urban forests and green infrastructure amidst global economic disruptions—including the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical conflicts, and shifts in U.S. policy and aid withdrawal—and their implications for financing urban forests in Africa. Following the roundtable, parallel sessions will delve into critical topics such as equitable finance for local economic development, governance of nature-based solutions, and innovative approaches for monitoring urban canopy changes. Additional discussions will cover governance frameworks for nature-based solutions, evaluating urban beautification projects, and the use of digital tools for effective environmental service delivery. The afternoon will feature interactive side events and a thought-provoking poster session showcasing cutting-edge research and case studies on species selection for urban spaces, private sector partnerships, and strategies for resilient city greening. The day concludes with a keynote on strategic financial pathways and the launch of a virtual community of practice, culminating in a collective declaration to bolster urban greening initiatives across Africa. #AFUF2025 #Joburgreimagined #reimaginingJoburg #urbanAfrica #Greeningthefuture #urbanplanning #sustainabledevelopment African Cities Research Consortium Johannesburg Development Agency South African Local Government Association Kounkuey Design Initiative World Resources Institute IUCN Eastern and Southern Africa African Development Bank Group Urban and Municipal Development Fund WWF City of Johannesburg

"Just green enough" is a strategy that "focuses explicitly on social justice and environmental goals as defined by local communities, those people who have been most negatively affected... with the goal of keeping those people in place to enjoy any environmental improvements" - this term arose in today's #AFUF2025 roundtable. Here's an article from 2021 for those of you who are new to the term. https://lnkd.in/de3f5pWC

SACRED GROUND: COMMON FUTURE Day 2 of #AFUF2025 features an important roundtable that brings together diverse stakeholders including government leaders, academics, traditional healers, artists, and activists to explore the systemic legacies that have shaped environmental access. These legacies have contributed to gentrification, spatial inequality, and the exclusion of marginalised communities from urban forests and green spaces. The discussion will include a focus on the role of urban forests in fostering social cohesion and collective well-being, providing a platform for multiple voices to address the unequal distribution of green spaces in African cities. Panellists will emphasise the importance of integrating indigenous knowledge and traditions into urban environmental and health strategies, while advocates for indigenous inclusion will highlight how land-based practices and deep ecological wisdom offer sustainable solutions for climate resilience and environmental justice. A key theme will be the recognition and integration of informality in African cities, acknowledging how community-led practices and informal settlements interact with urban forests in transformative ways. Additionally, the discussion will centre on the role of traditional healers and sacred natural sites—forests, rivers, and other ecologically significant landscapes—as integral to African cultural and spiritual heritage. The session will also explore how urban forests can serve as sources of economic empowerment, particularly for women and young people, by providing livelihoods and food security. The roundtable discussion will be moderated by Dr Jessica Thorn, Lecturer at the University of Namibia and Imperial College London and will be live-streamed on https://lnkd.in/dene-pSR #AFUF2025 #Joburgreimagined #reimaginingJoburg #urbanAfrica #Greeningthefuture #communityled Kounkuey Design Initiative Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation (IPATC)

Please join us in welcoming Dr Msizi Myeza, CEO of Council for the Built Environment and our 2nd keynote speaker for Day 2: Equitable Access, Health and Well-being. An expert in sustainable urban development, infrastructure planning, and governance, Dr Myeza’s #AFUF2025 address explores the critical role of play in urban environments and examines how urban forests and green spaces can be leveraged to enhance social inclusion, mental health, and overall community well-being. All #AFUF2025 keynotes and plenary sessions can be live streamed using this link: https://lnkd.in/dUQz3Bu3 #JoburgReimagined #UrbanAfrica #ReimaginingJoburg #communitydriven #cities4all

A warm welcome to Prof Tolullah Oni, Founder/CEO of UrbanBetter and our 1st keynote speaker for Day 2: Equitable Access, Health and Well-being. Tollulah’s global practice is grounded in a science-informed, Africa-led, participatory approach to generating new knowledge that supports partnership between science, policy and societal role players. Tollulah is passionate about identifying creative strategies to address complex urban population and planetary health challenges in rapidly growing cities globally. All keynotes and plenary sessions can be live streamed using this link: https://lnkd.in/dUQz3Bu3 #AFUF2025 #JoburgReimagined #UrbanAfrica #ReimaginingJoburg #communitydriven #urbanhealth

We are looking forward to an insightful second day of #AFUF2025! Welcome back to all our delegates – do join us online from 09h00 via our livestream link: https://lnkd.in/dene-pSR Themed: Equitable Access, Health, and Well-being, today’s sessions will dive deep into an exploration of the role of urban forests in enhancing public health, encouraging active lifestyles, and strengthening social cohesion. Keynote speakers will examine the intricate relationship between green spaces, health, and climate change in African cities, while discussing the role of interdisciplinary collaboration in urban greening. Insights will be drawn from urban planning, landscape architecture, architecture and property development to address structural inequalities. Day 2 features a roundtable discussion exploring the systemic legacies that have shaped environmental access and that have contributed to gentrification, spatial inequality, and the exclusion of marginalised communities from urban forests and green spaces. The roundtable will be moderated by Dr Jessica Thorn, Lecturer at the University of Namibia and Imperial College London and brings together government leaders, academics, traditional healers, artists, and activists to explore these legacies. The day’s programme also includes poster sessions and side events, exploring themes such as sustainable agriculture, innovative urban greening, and citizen science, providing a platform for diverse perspectives and collaborative learning. The day will conclude with an interactive cocktail reception, offering participants a chance to network and deepen conversations around urban greening and sustainability. Thanks to @ABSA for sponsoring this networking event. #AFUF2025 #Joburgreimagined #reimaginingJoburg #urbanAfrica #Greeningthefuture #communityled

More opportunities to connect! Do join us at the cocktail networking event this evening (19 March). #AFUF2025