Suchergebnisse

ENGLISH VERSION Given the Cuban Governments intention to pursue a socialist society, housing as key sector in terms of basic need guarantees, most aspects of provision, distribution and - in parts - consumption differ from what we are used in market economies or under dictatorships. Naturally, the system of housing provision depends on many internal and external impacts, and needs to be adapted periodically. In 2013, the Cuban Government and its National Housing Institute (INH) embarked on a profound overhaul of its housing policy, and accepted the offer from UN-HABITAT to assist in this task - basically in assessing current achievements and problem areas of the sector, and documenting the findings as part of the UN-HABITAT HOUSING PROFILE series. A joint Cuban and international expert team was engaged under the lead of Dr. Kosta Mathéy, being a Professor in Havana and abroad. The assignment culminated in a 500+ pages analytical report, which also identified a list of possible policy measures to cure the detected shortcomings. A summary of findings was published as UN-HABITAT HOUSING PROFILE CUBA in 2014. However, in the same year the National Housing Institute (Instituto Nacional de la Vivienda) was closed down by the government, and its responsibilities transferred to different existing state offices, and the plan of a general overhaul of the housing legislation was abandoned until now. The first draft of this document, which draws on the findings collected in preparation for the Cuba Housing Profile as well as the editor's numerous research ventures in Cuba since 1985, represents the most detailed analysis of the housing sector in Cuba ever compiled. Therefore, this Open Access distribution will be highly welcome by the Scientific Community SPANISH VERSION Dada la intención de los gobiernos cubanos de perseguir una sociedad socialista, la vivienda como sector clave en términos de garantías de necesidades básicas, afecta la mayoría de los aspectos de provisión, distribución y consumo del habitat. Se destinguen ...

In revolutionary Cuba, the state theoretically assumed responsibility to guarantee adequate housing to everybody. This was one of the promises of the revolution, but could only be fulfilled in parts due to the limited state resources and a general bias towards industrial investments of all socialist governments at the time. Therefore, during the first 20 years after the revolution, the state was only able to one fourth of all new constructions, while the rest was erected by the residents themselves (but with some state assistance - especially in rural areas). However, with the US blockade following missile crisis, industrial production came to a standstill, and the now idle labour force was diverted to house building activities with the assistance of the state. This innovative approach, known as the Micro Brigades, eventually contributed to more than 10% of the entire housing stock (also including all historical housing units). Although different other self-help housing schemes continue to exist until today, the Micro Brigades - which do not require substantial imports of material - represent the most innovative and effective house building program in Cuba, if not universally. ; First published in 1992

At first sight, in looking at the absolute number of houses built by MINVAH since 1979, or measuring the problems of increased squatter settlements in Managua over the last four years, Nicaraguan housing policies do not suggest a great achievement. However, we must bear in mind that the Nicaraguans chose to put the main emphasis on non-physical improvements in housing provision and on social services in general, in order to benefit the largest number of people with the limited resources which were available. Within the wider field of social expenditure, housing was assigned the third priority after health and education. Since 1981 the housing deficit has grown by 17,000 units annually (Ruchwarger, 1987:170). The declining output in government shelter projects and the overall worsening of housing stress in Nicaragua must be attributed in the first place to the escalating war in the country, which has been imposed on the country by the Reagan administration. This has drastically curbed the disposable budget for any housing construction. At the same time, the influx of refugees fleeing the ever present threat of contra devastations and genocide has frustrated the decentralization policy and produced a chaotic situation in the cities where too many people have sought new homes. It may be true that not all problems encountered in the Nicaraguan housing system can be explained by the war. Due to the poor teaching facilities prevalent in the prerevolutionary period and the brain drain in response to the poor income opportunities, the level of professional and academic skills has been restricted - a condition affecting public authorities in particular when they seek to fill vacancies (because of the low wage levels they offer). There are additional concerns of coordination and competition between different ministries and other state institutions, which need years to sort. Certainly, these restrictions are endemic in most parts of the developing world, but they tend to be even more severe in periods following a political ...

Politische, rechtliche und ökonomische Momente der Wohnungsbaupolitik im sandinistisch regierten Nicaragua werden diskutiert. Ausgangspunkt ist die Frage, wie das Gegeneinanderführen alternativer Ansätze und der Realität im Wohnungssektor unter den Bedingungen weitreichender Reformpolitik verläuft. Es wird gezeigt, daß das Land auch in diesem Bereich - wie in vielen anderen - unter großen Schwierigkeiten leidet und deshalb ein Notprogramm mit relativ begrenzten Zielsetzungen umsetzen möchte. Dazu gehören als Maßnahmen: Bau von kompletten Siedlungen, Selbsthilfe-Wohnungsbau, Materialdepot-Errichtung, Teilerschließung von Grundstücken. Bei der Wohnraumversorgung werden drei Maximen verfolgt: (1) Überordnung der ökonomischen Planung über die Raumplanung, (2) Vorrang der Landwirtschaft als Akkumulationssektor und (3) Umstrukturierung der Bevölkerungsverteilung (Dezentralisierung). Technologisch-produktive und stadtbezogene Kriterien spielen bei der Wohnungspolitik eine hervorragende Rolle. Das "Revolutionäre" an der Wohnungsbaupolitik des Landes besteht seit 1979 nicht in der Beseitigung des Wohnraumdefizits, sondern in der Verbesserung der Wohnsituation der unteren sozialen Schichten. (HA)

In preparation for the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Meeting (COP21) in Paris, the government of China has announced that its GHG emissions will peak in 2030. Equally, it is committed to reduce by 2030 by 60-65% the intensity of its carbon usage in relationship to its gross domestic product (GDP), compared to 2005 levels. It will take on the responsibility to increase substantially its forest cover, and will ensure that by 2030 some 20% of its energy requirements will be covered by renewable energy. China's activities to create eco-cities must be seen as part of its contributions to low-carbon development with aim to mitigate climate change. Among the various support mechanisms which exist, to support low-carbon development, the Ministry of Housing, and Urban-Rural Development (MoHURD), is being supported by the European Union (EU) through the Europe-China Eco-Cities Link Project (EC Link). ; EC-Link Position Paper prepared for EC-Link Working Papers: edited by Florian Steinberg and Li Chunyan