Paper short abstract:

This paper argues that bottom-up, inclusive planning by inhabitants of informal settlements may be more effective than top-down planning for flood adaptation in the context of a changing climate in the West African Sahel. It focuses specifically on the cases of Dakar, N'Djamena and Niamey.

Paper long abstract:

The West African Sahel faces high urbanization rates, hovering on average at three percent annually. Most of this urbanization is poorly regulated and results in the proliferation of informal settlements often prone to floods. Ultimately a question of urban planning, these floods will be compounded by climate change in both frequency and intensity. Outside efforts led by national governments or NGOs have been of little use in improving adaptation, leaving communities to struggle on their own. This paper explores this disconnect and how inhabitants of informal settlements adapt to climate-exacerbated urban floods in three Sahelian cities: Dakar, N’Djamena, and Niamey. Reviewing existing literature, it is suggested that bottom-up, inclusive urban planning led by local leaders and community-level organizations could be well-suited to addressing urban flood adaptation in these cities. It is further argued that empowering inhabitants of informal settlements in the Sahel to make decisions affecting their spatial configurations could be promising not only in terms of improving climate resiliency, but that it could have knock-on effects in economic and financial resilience, as well as improved health outcomes.