Unjust Waters: Climate Change, Flooding and the Urban Poor in Africa

Poor communities often live in the most hazardous and unhealthy environments in urban areas. ¹ Many build their homes and grow their food on river floodplains in towns and cities. Others construct their shelters on steep, unstable hillsides or along the foreshore on former mangrove swamps or tidal flats. People suffering these poor conditions may find their difficulties compounded by the consequences of climate change. This chapter considers the implications for the vulnerability of the urban poor in Africa.