Green infrastructure for climate adaptation in peri-urban areas

Our project combines multi-scalar institutional analysis, empirical data collection, and participatory scenario planning for a comprehensive understanding of the synergies and trade-offs of UGI for climate adaptation in the peri-urban areas of Sub-Saharan Africa. We focus on the overabundance or scarcity of water, given the growing need to secure a reliable water source to cities with quality and supply-demand constraints, and because cities typically rely heavily on engineering infrastructure for water storage/purification. The project has four interlinked objectives: Determine the impacts of seasonal variability on water supply in rural and peri-urban areas, and adaptation pathways; Assess the comparative impacts of water-related UGI on ecosystem service provisioning and wellbeing in peri-urban areas; Identify the barriers to the mainstreaming of UGI in peri-urban settlements for climate adaptation; and Examine diverse, plausible scenarios to achieve desired futures for 2030 and 2063, using participatory scenario planning. The main empirical work will use a comparative, transdisciplinary, in-depth case study research design. Work will focus on two peri-urban areas in southern and East Africa (Windhoek, Namibia and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania) that effectively represent water-related EI and associated hydro-climatic risks, and offer broad regional coverage, a range of population sizes, inland verses coastal locations, and growth rates.