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1. The Future of Jerusalem Amid Political and Regional Changes: A Prospective Analysis

Author:
Rami Murad and Mahmoud Ereikat
Publication Date:
03-2025
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Pal-Think For Strategic Studies
Abstract:
Jerusalem represents a central axis in the Arab-Israeli conflict due to its unique religious, historical, and political significance. Over the decades, the city has remained a focal point of contention between Palestinians and Israelis. While Israel seeks to consolidate its control through settlement expansion and Judaization policies, Palestinians strive to preserve its Arab, Islamic, and Christian identity and establish it as the capital of their future state. Amid the current political and regional dynamics, Jerusalem faces unprecedented challenges that significantly impact its future and identity. Several factors shape its future, including regional geopolitical conflicts, shifts in the positions of major global powers, particularly the changes introduced by the new U.S. administration, the ramifications of the ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip, and internal challenges stemming from Israel’s right-wing policies toward the Palestinian population. This paper aims to explore the future of Jerusalem by analyzing the current reality and potential scenarios. Additionally, it seeks to propose policy alternatives that support the city’s resilience, safeguard its identity, and strengthen its presence in the international political landscape.
Topic:
Genocide, Settlements, Cities, Palestinians, 2023 Gaza War, and Judaization
Political Geography:
Middle East, Israel, Palestine, and Jerusalem

2. Cities and Climate: The Future of the Future

Author:
Nicolas J. A. Buchoud
Publication Date:
10-2024
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Baku Dialogues
Institution:
ADA University
Abstract:
The present paper is intended to serve as a background document for the World Urban Forum that will take place in Cairo in November 2024 under the slogan, “Cities and Climate: The Future of the Future.” It is critical to learn from the historical foundations of contemporary urban imaginaries and trends. This essay explores some of these as they crystallized during the 1960s and early 1970s, alongside the emergence of planetary or “world systems” understanding. There is much to learn from the context and impact of futurologist studies produced decades ago, particularly those that looked to the then-distant year 2000. A better understanding of this history is useful to have in mind in the context of envisioning future urban policymaking options, a few of which which will be examined in light of recent events and trends.
Topic:
Climate Change, Cities, and Future
Political Geography:
Middle East

3. COP27 and the Sustainable City: Global Climate Solution or Mirage?

Author:
Patrick J. Bohlen
Publication Date:
05-2023
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Cairo Review of Global Affairs
Institution:
School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, American University in Cairo
Abstract:
Cities are central to any discussion about climate change policy if for no other reason than that they create the most greenhouse emissions. They are also where most people live and where more of the world’s population will reside in the coming decades. Cities are responsible for an estimated 75 percent of climate emissions, despite the fact that they take up only 3 percent of the planet’s land surface. In addition to their current emissions, cities are likely to contribute more in the future due to projected increases in urban population and urbanization. The Sharm El-Sheikh Implementation Plan, which was revealed at COP27, recognizes the important role of cities in addressing climate change, but according to the UN-Habitat program, urban climate challenges and climate policies and responses do not always align. Furthermore, although global climate policy stresses the importance of cities, insufficient attention has been given to the intersecting issues of population growth, urban expansion, and urban sustainability. The world’s urban population is expanding rapidly. In 2018, cities accounted for 55 percent of the world’s population and, by 2050, they will account for a whopping 68 percent, with an estimated 6.7 billion people living in cities alone. Most of that projected growth will occur in large cities, including new and existing megacities, which are home to a population of more than 10 million. Nine of the ten new megacities that will emerge between 2018 and 2030 will be in developing countries—two in Africa and seven in Asia. Accommodating this urban growth will have an impact on the climate and is likely to increase global greenhouse gas emissions. Although recent estimates indicate that urban growth will slow down after 2030, the current alarming rate begs the question of which development paths cities will take in response, and what impact they will have on climate emissions and policy. For instance, the UN Environment Programme estimates that 90 trillion dollars of urban infrastructure will be built by 2050 to accommodate the growing global urban population. Building urban infrastructure requires immense quantities of fossil fuel-dependent materials such as steel, concrete, and plastic. Feeding the growing urban population means increased food production which is unlikely to be sustained without increased use of mineral fertilizer, another fossil fuel input. Even with heroic efforts to minimize the carbon footprint of expanding cities, for example by implementing best green building practices, building efficient mass transit systems, and incorporating renewable energy systems, it is hard to envision that these cities can be built without risking added greenhouse gas emissions.
Topic:
Climate Change, Cities, Sustainability, and Conference of the Parties (COP)
Political Geography:
Middle East and Dubai

4. Urban Politics in the Middle East

Author:
Mona Harb, Marc Lynch, Jillian Schwedler, Gehad Abaza, and Munqeth Othman
Publication Date:
10-2023
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
Project on Middle East Political Science (POMEPS)
Abstract:
Urban politics has received growing attention in the anthropology, sociology, and political science of the MENA region. In line with global trends, questions of scale, territory, flows and connectivities and materialities have come to the fore, with a wide range of creative and novel lines of inquiry connecting the global to the hyper-local and every scale in between. In February 2023, POMEPS partnered with the Beirut Urban Lab at the American University of Beirut and The Policy Initiative think tank for a workshop in Beirut to bring together an interdisciplinary group of young scholars from across the region to explore questions of urban life, politics, and culture. The papers moved beyond more traditional political science topics such as municipal government, decentralization, clientelistic voting, protests, and clientelism. While those themes certainly operated in the background, the authors assembled in Beirut pushed to shift the lens towards multi-scalar ethnographic modes of inquiry, highlighting the materialities and relationalities of the hyper-local, examining sites and places which concentrate power dynamics.
Topic:
Economics, Migration, Politics, Race, Religion, Sectarianism, Culture, Syrian War, Mobility, Urban, Trade, Music, Transportation, Cities, Heritage, Resistance, Labor Market, Domestic Work, and Urbicide
Political Geography:
Iraq, Iran, Middle East, Tehran, Baghdad, Algeria, North Africa, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Beirut, Cairo, Tunis, and Aqaba

5. Environmental Protection and Climate Change Budgets of Metropolitan Municipalities: An Assessment For 2021

Author:
Public Expenditures Monitoring Platform
Publication Date:
01-2022
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV)
Abstract:
It is argued that cities can fulfill significant functions in the fight against global warming and climate crisis, and it is stated that for this reason, they can play a pioneering role in both reducing greenhouse gases and adapting to the changing climate. Approximately 600 cities in Europe and 9,400 cities around the world have begun to implement mitigation and adaptation measures against climate change at different levels. It is known that big cities, including many metropolitan municipalities from Turkey, cooperate at an international level for the purpose of mitigation and adaptation. The primary aim of this study is to classify1 the environmental protection and climate change (EPCC) goals stated in 2021 performance programs of 14 metropolitan municipalities (MM) and their affiliates (i.e. AF, water and sewerage administrations and transportation departments) with the highest expenditure under the goals of mitigation, adaptation, waste and other environmental goals, and to examine the budgets allocated to these goals. Also, in this review, the pros and cons of the budgets allocated for the mitigation, adaptation and waste related goals of 14 metropolitan municipalities will be evaluated together, and concrete policy recommendations will be developed as to the areas where the allocated budgets should be increased/decreased.
Topic:
Climate Change, Environment, Budget, and Cities
Political Geography:
Europe, Turkey, Middle East, and Mediterranean

6. The State Comptroller’s Report on Cities with Mixed Jewish and Arab Populations in May 2021

Author:
Meir Elran
Publication Date:
08-2022
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Institute for National Security Studies (INSS)
Abstract:
In May 2021, 520 sites were damaged when tensions peaked between the Jewish and Arab populations in Israel. The State Comptroller issued a special report on these events, focusing on the Police, the Border Police, and the country’s municipal systems. Based on the report, this article proposes policy recommendations to reduce the possibility of a revived conflagration
Topic:
Urban, Cities, Pluralism, and Identity
Political Geography:
Middle East and Israel

7. One Neighbourhood: CARE’s humanitarian response in Tripoli

Author:
Leah Campbell
Publication Date:
04-2020
Content Type:
Case Study
Institution:
ALNAP: Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance
Abstract:
'One Neighbourhood: CARE’s humanitarian response in Tripoli' is the second in a series of case studies showcasing examples of humanitarian projects operating effectively in complex urban environments. The case study examines CARE's 'One Neighbourhood' project in Tripoli, Lebanon. The project aimed to build the resilience of affected communities and people in vulnerable neighbourhoods Tripoli neighbourhoods between 2015 and 2019 through individual shelter rehabilitation projects, communal projects, awareness-raising sessions, household outreach, committees and more. By delving into the project, this case study specifically seeks to answer how the project managed to navigate urban complexity in Tripoli, how it overcame challenges and obstacles in the implementation of ways of working and what enabled the project to be successful.
Topic:
Urban, Cities, Community Engagement, Humanitarian Response, Outreach, and Assessment
Political Geography:
Middle East and Lebanon

8. Can Arab Cities Be Eco-Sustainable?

Author:
David Sims
Publication Date:
03-2020
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Cairo Review of Global Affairs
Institution:
School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, American University in Cairo
Abstract:
Separating fiction from reality, and corporate interests from true innovation in the new “eco-cities” of the Middle East.
Topic:
Environment, Urban, Innovation, Cities, and Sustainability
Political Geography:
Middle East

9. IPCRI In Between Conference: Divided Societies, Shared Spaces - Mr. Tareq Nassar

Author:
Tareq Nassar
Publication Date:
02-2020
Content Type:
Video
Institution:
Israel/Palestine Creative Regional Initiatives (IPCRI)
Abstract:
Since 2017, the Davis Institute for International Relations from the Hebrew University and the Center for Regional Initiatives (IPCRI) have been engaged in a project aimed at building shared visions for Jerusalem. In this project, local residents from diverse communities from across Jerusalem engaged in mapping local needs and designing their visions for the future of the city. As complementary to this work, IPCRI organized in partnership with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and the Irish Aid delegations of experts and civil society leaders from Jerusalem to other contested cities such as Belfast, Nicosia and Sarajevo. These delegations focused on the reality of cities in conflict and highlighted the lessons that can be learned from other conflicts. This conference presented the outcomes of both projects. In the first part of the conference, scholars presented policy recommendations designed by local residents and will receive input from experts from other contested cities. Following this part, we will host panels and workshops focusing on the practice of bringing change to contested spaces. From urban planning through shared education and equal representation, we aim to present a comprehensive vision towards the future of those cities in conflict. This video presents the remarks delivered by Mr. Tareq Nassar on placemaking projects in East Jerusalem.
Topic:
Education, Conflict, Cities, and Urban Planning
Political Geography:
Middle East, Israel, Palestine, and East Jerusalem

10. IPCRI In Between Conference: Representation & Authority in a Contested City - Dr. Lior Lehrs

Author:
Lior Lehrs
Publication Date:
02-2020
Content Type:
Video
Institution:
Israel/Palestine Creative Regional Initiatives (IPCRI)
Abstract:
Since 2017, the Davis Institute for International Relations from the Hebrew University and the Center for Regional Initiatives (IPCRI) have been engaged in a project aimed at building shared visions for Jerusalem. In this project, local residents from diverse communities from across Jerusalem engaged in mapping local needs and designing their visions for the future of the city. As complementary to this work, IPCRI organized in partnership with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and the Irish Aid delegations of experts and civil society leaders from Jerusalem to other contested cities such as Belfast, Nicosia and Sarajevo. These delegations focused on the reality of cities in conflict and highlighted the lessons that can be learned from other conflicts. This conference presented the outcomes of both projects. In the first part of the conference, scholars presented policy recommendations designed by local residents and will receive input from experts from other contested cities. Following this part, we will host panels and workshops focusing on the practice of bringing change to contested spaces. From urban planning through shared education and equal representation, we aim to present a comprehensive vision towards the future of those cities in conflict. This video presents remarks delivered by Dr. Lior Lehrs on the policy recommendations considering local representation in Jerusalem.
Topic:
Conflict, Representation, Public Policy, Cities, and Urban Planning
Political Geography:
Middle East, Israel, and Palestine