The Cape Urban Observatory (CUO) is an applied urban research initiative of the African Centre for Cities (ACC). Work on the CUO began in July 2008 with the establishment of a coordinating group comprising Prof Susan Parnell and two codirectors, Dr Julian Smit and Dr Ralph Hamann. In addition, a CUO Forum was established with representatives of organisations with a direct stake or interest in the CUO’s purpose and activities. Initially, these were the City of Cape Town, the Provincial Government of the Western Cape, the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), the South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON), and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Subsequently, it was agreed that the Forum should include representatives from the other municipalities within the CUO’s geographic scope, described below.
During the first few months of its establishment, numerous discussions within the coordinating group and the Forum were focused on developing the purpose, identity and organisational structure of the CUO. This also involved interviews conducted by the co-directors with the members of CUO Forum, which were meant to obtain a better understanding of these organisations’ perspectives, interests and concerns related to the CUO. The outcomes of these interviews were discussed in a dedicated workshop with the Forum members.
Resource collections
- Coordination
- Topics
- UN Habitat - Urban Response Collection
- Urban Response - Urban Crisis Preparedness and Risk Reduction
- Urban Response Collection - Community Engagement and Social Cohesion
- Urban Response Collection - Economic Recovery
- Urban Response Collection - Environment and Climate Change
- Urban Response Collection - Housing, Land and Property
- Urban Response Collection - Urban Crisis Response, Recovery and Reconstruction
- Urban Response Collection - Urban Resilience
