Strengthening climate resilience in African cities

This research paper by the African Centre for Cities and the Climate and Development Knowledge Network proposes a framework for 'climate compatible development' in African cities, specifically focusing on informal settlements. It argues that because a significant portion of Africa's urban growth occurs in slums, climate resilience must be integrated with poverty alleviation and in situ upgrading to avoid exacerbating existing inequalities.

• African cities are experiencing an unprecedented second wave of urbanisation, with the urban population projected to grow from 33 million in 1950 to 744 million by 2030 and over 1.2 billion by 2050.
• Informal settlements in African cities are highly vulnerable to climate change due to their location on marginal land and a lack of infrastructure to withstand hazards such as intense rainfall, rising sea levels, and extreme heat.
• The authors propose a vision for 'adaptive African cities' that accepts informality as a core part of the urban fabric and prioritises resilient public infrastructure and slum upgrading over forced relocation.
• Climate compatible development in Africa should prioritise adaptation over mitigation, as per capita emissions are low, but it should seek 'co-benefits' where adaptation measures also reduce greenhouse gases.
• The proposed framework for in situ development includes eight principles, such as achieving rapid results to drive long-term change, ensuring affordability of technologies, and enhancing security of land tenure.
• The paper outlines an eight-step process for implementing climate compatible development: 1) develop a vision, 2) map climate-sensitive linkages, 3) assess current vulnerabilities, 4) consider future projections, 5) identify adaptation options, 6) assess mitigation co-benefits, 7) prioritise implementation, and 8) establish tracking mechanisms.
• A community-based, bottom-up model is recommended to ensure that the urban poor are central to the agenda, linking household-level benefits to city-wide planning and national reforms.

APA

Taylor, A., & Peter, C. (2014). Strengthening climate resilience in African cities. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/CDKN_ACC_WP_final_web-res.pdf

Chicago

Taylor, Anna, and Camaren Peter. Strengthening climate resilience in African cities. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2014. http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/CDKN_ACC_WP_final_web-res.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Taylor |first1=Anna |last2=Peter |first2=Camaren |title=Strengthening climate resilience in African cities |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=May 2014 |url=http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/CDKN_ACC_WP_final_web-res.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{taylor2014strengthening, author = {Taylor, Anna and Peter, Camaren}, title = {{Strengthening climate resilience in African cities}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2014}, month = may, url = {http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/CDKN_ACC_WP_final_web-res.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }