One in five urban households in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) lives in an informal settlement, and two-thirds of people migrating to LAC urban areas settle in these neighborhoods (Inter-American Development Bank, 2021). These residents often have low and unstable incomes, with households led by women, Indigenous people, Afro-descendants, and people with disabilities … [Read more...] about Informal Neighborhoods: The Dual Problem of Natural Disasters and Environmental Pollution
Nora Libertun
Nora Libertun de Duren is a leading expert on sustainability, social inclusion, and affordable housing in urban areas. She has experience working in multilateral development banks, local government, and academia. She has managed a portfolio of $2,000 million in sovereign loans for affordable housing and urban development projects in Latin America, $1,000 million in federal and municipal funds for urban parks in New York City, and $2.8 million in research grants for climate change, gender, and diversity. She has published 20 peer-reviewed papers and more than 30 chapters and monographs and is a member of various technical committees. Currently, Nora leads the Inter-American Development Bank research and knowledge agenda on cities, and mainstreams gender and diversity issues in urban projects. Nora is also a lecturer in Urban Planning and Design at Harvard University. Previously, she was the Director of Planning and Natural Resources for New York City and has taught urban planning and international development at various universities, including Columbia University and the University of Buenos Aires. She is a member of various technical boards, including the Steering Committee of the Harvard Mexican Cities Initiative, and the World Resources Institute Ross Center Prize for Cities. Her publications focus on social inclusion in cities, sustainable development, and affordable housing. Her papers have been published in a range of academic journals, counting the Journal of Planning Education and Research, Housing Policy Debate, International Journal of Urban & Regional Research, Cities, Urban Studies, World Development Perspectives, and City & Community, among others. Nora holds a Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Planning from MIT with honors, a Master's in Urban Design from Harvard University, and a Master’s in Architecture from the University of Buenos Aires.
How can cities mitigate the impacts of climate change?: green and gray infrastructure
Climate change is no longer an abstract concept but a current challenge in our cities. As we analyzed in the previous article of this series, the rise in average temperatures and intense heatwaves, droughts, wildfires, and floods are some of the extreme weather phenomena that increasingly affect densely populated urban centers. What can cities in Latin America and the … [Read more...] about How can cities mitigate the impacts of climate change?: green and gray infrastructure
How will climate change impact cities in Latin America and the Caribbean?
Something as ordinary and pleasant as walking on the street on a summer day could become a risky activity in many cities around the world. The reason? Everything suggests that if we don't act quickly, our cities will become too hot to allow it. Consequently, this will negatively impact the productivity of our municipalities, the quality of life of those who reside in them, and … [Read more...] about How will climate change impact cities in Latin America and the Caribbean?
How will the cities of Latin America and the Caribbean grow?
Cities are the engines of economic and social development; home of the majority of the world’s population, and host of most of economic activities, cultural assets, and institutions. Therefore, the future of cities is decisive for the future of our planet. In other words, properly caring for, adapting, managing, and planning cities is essential to achieve international … [Read more...] about How will the cities of Latin America and the Caribbean grow?
How gender inequality affects access to housing credit?
Housing is a fundamental human right and a key factor for human development. However, many households in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) face difficulty accessing adequate and affordable housing. One of them are those led by women, also known as female-headed households (FHHs). In a FHH, the primary breadwinner and decision-maker is a woman. They are more common than some … [Read more...] about How gender inequality affects access to housing credit?