Welcome to the second edition of the Global Environment Outlook (GEO) for Cities!1


This analysis of urban and


environmental trends, combined with innovative visions and pathways for an environmentally sustainable future, led by cities large and small from around the globe, draws on the analysis of the main report for GEO-6 (UNEP 2019) and was developed using the GEO participatory, expert-led process. With the world still in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic and many of our biggest and most vibrant cities still affected by this terrible virus, the need for transformational action for a healthy planet, healthy people and healthy cities has never been more critical. The pandemic holds an important message: a healthy planet is essential for our own health. It is time to take stock of our relationship with nature and learn how to build back better and greener,2


placing nature at the heart of how cities function and thrive in the future.


As present and former mayors of two very different cities – Mandlazaki, a small city in Mozambique and Toronto, a large city in Canada – we want to share how this publication relates to our own experiences in Africa and North America. We see this document as a powerful reference for mayors from cities of all sizes when redesigning cities to support a healthy, safe, and low carbon future for people and nature (Locke et al. 2020) and healthy spaces for humans. We also want this publication to guide urban experts in the public and private sectors so that cities continue to make a positive contribution to a world with restored biodiversity, a stable climate and the near-zero waste economies of the future.


We will use our conversation in this first chapter to set the stage.


David Miller: Maria-Helena, it is a pleasure to work with you on this first chapter to introduce the GEO for Cities publication. I am keen to learn more about your city of Mandlakazi and what you are seeing in Mozambique.


Maria-Helena Jose Correia Langa: Thank you, David. The Municipality of Mandlakazi Village is a vibrant, green city located in the province of Gaza, about 260 km from the capital, Maputo. It covers just under 100 km2


and has a


population of 51,000 people who live in a mixture of urban and peri-urban areas. Just 20 km out of a road network of 240 km is paved. This means that road access in peri-urban neighbourhoods is difficult, reducing the quality of services provided for residents of the municipality.


The issues we face in Mandlakazi are similar to those facing Mozambique as a whole as it undergoes a process of urbanization. We are seeing a surge in informal settlements that are poorly served by basic services, lack adequate housing and suffer from poor mobility and transport systems and a shortage of public spaces. By 2025, Mozambique will


1 GEO-5 for Local Governments can be found at: https://www.unep.org/resources/geo-5-local- government


2 The title of this second edition of GEO for Cities is ‘Towards green and just cities’. Throughout this publication the term ‘green’ is synonymous or the same as ‘environmentally sustainable’ to ensure better understanding. This helps link the findings of the report to the environmental dimension of the Sustainable Development Goals and the environmental pillar of sustainable development, more broadly.


Figure 1.1: Location and boundaries for Mandlakazi, Mozambique


be the fourth most urbanized country in sub-Saharan Africa, with the highest concentration of people living in urban areas. Moreover, about three-quarters of the population work in the informal sector, where they lack job security and labour rights. The situation is further complicated by a severe lack of infrastructure, equipment and services throughout the country: 42 per cent of urban households do not have a water source inside their compounds; 13 per cent do not have a latrine or toilet; 39 per cent share improved sanitary facilities; and 28 per cent do not have a connection to the electricity grid or a connection to their home.


David, how similar is this to your city, Toronto, and North American cities in general?


David: In the last 40 years, Toronto has grown in size and prominence. Today it is the fourth largest city in North America, with a surface area of 630 km2


and a metropolitan


population of about 6.4 million. It is also recognized as one of the most multicultural and cosmopolitan cities around the world.


Despite its larger population and size, Toronto has a high urban density, concentrated property and ageing infrastructure. These challenges increase the city’s vulnerability to extreme climate events, which have impacted it over the last decade. Toronto is also located on one of the Great Lakes, Lake Ontario, which makes the city particularly susceptible to flooding and extreme weather. In 2013, there was major city-wide flooding in July and an extreme ice storm in December. Similarly, in 2017, the Toronto Islands were flooded in spring, and a major heatwave hit the city in late summer. The risk we face is that these extreme climate events are becoming more variable, frequent and intense. This is causing Toronto to experience hotter, wetter and wilder weather.


14 GEO for Cities


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