Arising from Anton Cartwright’s report Better Growth, Better Cities: Rethinking and Redirecting Urbanisation in Africa, on 11 November 2015 the ACC participated in a public event in Johannesburg jointly hosted by the New Climate Economy (NCE) and the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL).

Facilitated by Richard Calland (CISL), panellists Anton Cartwright (ACC), Joanne Yawitch (National Business Initiative), Damane Hlalele (ARUP) Jak Koseff (City of Johannesburg) and Christina Culwick (Gauteng City-Region Observatory) addressed the following questions:

• Is the combination of climate change and urbanisation a wicked blow to African cities or might it usher in an alternative?
• What are the opportunities for encouraging better urban growth to generate enhanced economic, social, and carbon benefits in Africa’s rapidly expanding cities?
• What are the merits of low carbon service delivery (energy, transport, waste, sanitation and urban form) relative to more conventional development pathways?

The Panel Discussion was attended by 55 people from business, civil society and local and national government.