Providing Sustainable Electricity to Urban Informal Settlements of the Global South

The seminar explored the challenge of providing basic services to informal urban settlements, which have historically lacked access to electricity. The seminar examined how sustainability and steady electricity provision can be integrated into service provision in these settlements. Dr. Mensah shared his research on electricity provision in Accra's slums, while Dr. Kitio presented UN-Habitat's work on providing safe access to electricity. The seminar was based on research funded by the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania and highlighted the importance of addressing sustainability concerns in providing basic services to informal settlements.

Speakers

James Kwame Mensah, Ph.D. 

Senior Lecturer, Department of Public Administration and Health Services Management, University of Ghana Business School 

Dr. James Kwame Mensah is a Lecturer in the Department of Public Administration and Health Services Management at the University of Ghana Business School. Dr. Mensah also serves as the Chief Local Economic Development and Resilient Advisor to the Accra Metropolitan Assembly where he played a major role in the development of Accra’s Resilient Strategy. Dr. Mensah’s research focuses on improving the performance of public sector employees and the development of local economies to improve the quality of life for all residents in local and rural communities. Dr. Mensah is also researching in the area of urban informality in its multiple dimensions― economy, informal settlements, livelihood, among others.

Vincent Kitio, Ph.D. 

Architect, Chief, Urban Energie Unit, UN-Habitat 

Vincent Kitio is an architect and holds a PhD in Appropriate Energy Technologies (energy efficiency and renewable energy) for Developing Countries. He heads the Urban Energy Unit of UN-HABITAT, a section that works on three focus areas: universal energy access for the urban poor; energy efficiency in the built environment and renewable energy technologies in urban areas. He oversees the implementation of two regional programs in Africa: “Promoting Energy Efficiency in Buildings in East Africa” that aims at mainstreaming energy efficient measures in housing policies, building codes, building practices and building finance; and the “Mainstreaming Energy and Resource Efficiency measures, and Renewable Energy technologies into Building Codes in West Africa (Senegal, Nigeria and Cameroon). 

Moderator

Eugenie L. Birch, Ph.D. 

Nussdorf Professor of Urban Research and Education, Department of City and Regional Planning, Weitzman School of Design and Co-Director, Penn Institute for Urban Research, University of Pennsylvania 

Eugenie L. Birch is the Lawrence C. Nussdorf Chair of Urban Research and Education. She teaches courses in global urbanization and the doctoral seminar and serves as chair, Graduate Group in City and Regional Planning, co-director, Penn Institute for Urban Research, co-editor, City in the 21st Century Series, University of Penn Press and co-editor, SSRN Urban Research e-journal.