Urbanization, Housing, Homelessness and Climate Change

Abstract

The phenomenon of climate change heralds distinctive challenges for sub-Saharan Africa’s urban areas, with economic, social, and health impacts, and severe effects on housing and infrastructure. This study examined climate-change induced vulnerabilities including the urban housing crisis and homelessness in the context of Lagos mega-city, Nigeria, with a view to defining the potential lessons to learn from the Asian urban experience. The study conducted case-study analyses of Lagos and the Asian urban experience, highlighting the megacity-related vulnerabilities. It identified gender and aging as key factors in understanding vulnerability. Lessons from Asia relate to: the conscious policy-linkage of urban demographic expansion and economic growth; synergy between formal and informal sectors; urban densification through compact, mixed-land use development; broad-based urbanization; metropolitan expansion; pursuit of slum-free cities; prominence of housing in national policies; pro-poor financial frameworks; and extensive adoption of mitigation and adaptation strategies in the coastal conurbations. The paper concluded on the critical role of urban governance in reducing vulnerability, the need for greater multi-disciplinary stakeholders’ collaboration and partnership, and the expediency of fitting adaptation strategies and resilience responses to specific needs, capacities and priorities of impact groups. These could enhance the transformation of mega-cities into more adaptable and resilient urban systems.

Keywords: adaptation, climate-change, homelessness, urbanization, urban housing