Post-crisis planning is a major task for local government to build back better from shocks. This article introduces the Urban Recovery Planning System developed by the United Nations Innovation Technology Accelerator for Cities (UNITAC) in Hamburg, which facilitates crisis response and reconstruction in cities.
Background
The Urban Recovery Planning System was developed in Ukraine, where several challenges were identified, including the displacement of populations and the return of internally displaced people, which requires support in re-establishing the functionality of their cities and lives. Data and analytical tools play an important role in this process by helping local governments develop better construction plans and manage migration. Geospatial and urban data platforms, in particular, support assessing infrastructure damage, setting recovery priorities, conducting housing, land, and property (HLP) analysis, and risk screening.
It is important that the sharing and analyzing of urban data be lightweight, standardized, accurate, timely, and accessible to those responsible for developing recovery plans. The Ukrainian government mandates that all 1,469 local governments adopt geospatial data, yet many lack the capacity to do so. As a result, two projects are developed.
- Step 1: “Towards inclusive and resilient urban recovery in Ukraine”, which aims to support the recovery of cities and towns in Ukraine by providing policy and technical advice at both the national and local levels, engaging regional and local governments in urban recovery planning, and ultimately building capacity among relevant urban stakeholders.
- Step 2: “Just transitions: digital tools and capacity for inclusive, smart and. Resilient urban recovery in Ukraine”, which aims to build digital urban data platforms to support efforts to enhance climate resilience and recovery planning.
Credit: UN-Habitat
Project methodology and achievement
The second step, “Just transitions: digital tools and capacity for inclusive, smart and. Resilient urban recovery in Ukraine”, is implemented jointly between UN-Habitat, the United Nations Office of Information and Communications Technology (OICT), and the HafenCity University through the UNITAC structure, which supports digital urban data generation and analysis of evidence-informed and participatory decision making.
The project adopted the urban profiling methodology. It aims to develop a shared understanding of the current conditions in a specific urban area, especially the impact of the crisis, by collecting and analyzing available urban data and conducting spatial analysis. UN-Habitat has an established method for urban profiling and recovery planning during and after crises, called the Urban Recovery Framework. This framework, along with the Kriv Urban Lab’s approach, offers the overall structure and methodology for delivering the services.
The urban profiling will include at least the following key components:
- Collection and analysis of the required urban data (e.g., sectoral needs assessments, damage assessments).
- Undertake spatially informed analysis of the urban area.
- Draft diagnostic reports on findings, including both spatial and non-spatial recommendations, such as an urban profiling report.
- Plan and deliver visioning and scenario planning sessions.
The methodology is the foundation of the Urban Recovery Planning System, as data collected through urban profiling feeds into the platform, which supports data access, results, and stakeholder engagement.
The project will support at least three local governments in Ukraine in strengthening their capacity to use data and digital platforms for urban planning, particularly to help them develop urban recovery plans in line with the UN Transitional Framework and national directives and regulations. Particular attention will be given to spatial dynamics, participatory processes, transparency, and ensuring fully equitable and fair access to services.
Credit: UN-Habitat
Urban Recovery Planning System’s functionalities and uses
The Urban Recovery Planning System is a product of the project. It is a web-based, open-source digital platform that supports crisis response and reconstruction efforts to build back better. UNITAC developed the platform in partnership with four Hromadas in Ukraine, Makariv, Irpin, Drohobych, and Kamianets-Podilskyi, the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine, and UN-Habitat Ukraine Country Office.
This spatial decision support system helps users improve and expand their spatial analysis skills while complementing the capabilities of proprietary Geographical Information System (GIS) software. Its functions include visualizing and analyzing datasets across various sectors, as well as planning features such as reachability analysis and facility simulation. Its features include:
- Consolidate statistical, geospatial, and non-spatial data into a unified platform, enabling quick, accurate, and evidence-based analysis for recovery and spatial planning.
- Enable residents to give location-based feedback and assist local governments in ranking and prioritizing projects based on proximity to key services, facilities, and other public resources.
- Reveal the social and economic value of land by linking data on services, facilities, land use, and population groups to promote fair and efficient decision-making.
- Support and simplify the development of strategic and urban planning documents, specifically the Comprehensive Recovery Plans (DRPs) and Integrated Development Concepts (IDCs), with more dynamic data visualization and analysis, moving beyond static maps.
- Process and visualize over 750 datasets in Ukrainian and English.
With its data visualization feature, the platform supports urban profile analysis to help identify critical areas for intervention, setting the stage for strategic planning and resource allocation. Furthermore, local governments can assess damage and repair levels, as well as the availability and provision of shelter and emergency facilities, based on population distribution.
Open-source and scalability are two key aspects of digital solutions to ensure efficiency and timeliness. The platform’s modular design and standardized data model enable scalability to new cities, towns, and sectors, while seamlessly integrating additional datasets, access points, and analytical features as recovery evolves.
Credit: UNITAC
Conclusion
The Urban Recovery Planning System highlights the importance of data and digital tools in supporting post-crisis recovery. While it is created for post-war recovery, the platform can be adapted to assist recovery efforts in other crisis-affected areas both inside and outside Ukraine.
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