Over one billion people living in urban informal settlements worldwide are, or will be, negatively affected by climate change. The impacts aggravate inequities in gender, ethnicity, disability, age, location and income, leading to vast disruptions to people’s livelihoods, income, health and wellbeing in Africa and other regions in the Global South. However, pathways on how to increase resilience for marginalized urban residents in an inclusive and equitable manner remain unclear.

This project works in equitable partnership with marginalized urban residents, government and non-state stakeholders in Sierra Leone and Kenya to enhance climate resilience in seven sites in Kisumu, Naivasha, Nairobi and Freetown cities. The project builds on existing data to assess vulnerability and risk among the most marginalized urban residents in the two countries. Indicators of exposure and vulnerability will be mapped, including indoor temperature and humidity data using data sensors in houses and key locations, such as health facilities and schools. Data will also be collected on exposure to flooding and landslides. The project will provide an intersectional analysis of vulnerability, risk and climate change adaptation, filling identified knowledge and implementation gaps and promoting transformative climate change adaptation.

This project is part of Climate Adaptation and Resilience, a UK-Canada framework research program aiming to enable socially inclusive and sustainable action to build resilience to climate change and natural hazards in Africa and the Asia-Pacific region.