Ecosystem-based Flood Management

The report examines urban flooding in five cities across Ghana, South Africa, and Kenya, highlighting the vulnerability of informal settlements to climate-exacerbated rainfall and poor urban planning. It compares the maturity of South African cities in integrating EbA into policy against the more response-oriented, 'grey' infrastructure bias in Kenyan cities. Key findings emphasize that collaborative, whole-of-society governance and the integration of green and grey infrastructure are most effective for long-term resilience.

• Urban flooding in the Global South is driven by a combination of rapid, unplanned urbanization, climate change, and inadequate service provision, particularly in informal settlements where residents lack formal property rights and basic infrastructure.
• South African cities, specifically Cape Town and Durban, show greater maturity in translating national EbA and biodiversity policies into local planning and action frameworks compared to Kenyan cities.
• In Nairobi and Mombasa, flood management is characterized by a strong bias toward 'grey' (engineered) infrastructure and a reactive approach focused on emergency response rather than proactive risk management.
• Effective flood management requires a 'whole-of-society' governance approach involving cross-organizational collaboration between municipal, national, and civil society actors, as well as the identification of internal 'champions' within government departments.
• Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) measures, such as the restoration of sand dunes and kelp beds in Cape Town or mangroves in Mombasa, provide co-benefits including improved public health, livelihood protection, and biodiversity conservation.
• Community-based adaptation (CbA) is critical in informal settlements, where residents often implement their own low-cost structural modifications, such as raising building foundations or using sandbags, due to government neglect or land tenure issues.
• The report recommends that Accra establish a learning partnership with Durban and Mombasa due to shared coastal characteristics, weather patterns, and existing EbA programs like Durban's Transformative Riverine Management Programme and Mombasa's mangrove rehabilitation.

APA

Gajjar, S. P., Wendo, H., Polgar, A., & Hofemeier, A. (2021). Ecosystem-based Flood Management. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2022-04/EXTERNAL_CDKN_PlanAdapt_EbA-Flood-Management_FINAL.pdf

Chicago

Gajjar, Sumetee Pahwa, Hausner Wendo, Ana Polgar, and Alannah Hofemeier. Ecosystem-based Flood Management. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2021. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2022-04/EXTERNAL_CDKN_PlanAdapt_EbA-Flood-Management_FINAL.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Gajjar |first1=Sumetee Pahwa |last2=Wendo |first2=Hausner |last3=Polgar |first3=Ana |last4=Hofemeier |first4=Alannah |title=Ecosystem-based Flood Management |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=2021 |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2022-04/EXTERNAL_CDKN_PlanAdapt_EbA-Flood-Management_FINAL.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{gajjar2021ecosystembased, author = {Gajjar, Sumetee Pahwa and Wendo, Hausner and Polgar, Ana and Hofemeier, Alannah}, title = {{Ecosystem-based Flood Management}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2021}, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2022-04/EXTERNAL_CDKN_PlanAdapt_EbA-Flood-Management_FINAL.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }