Climate Change Adaptation in Urban Informal Settlements

Urban informal settlements, often characterised by high density, insecure tenure and limited infrastructure, face disproportionate exposure to the impacts of climate change. Rapid urbanisation in low- and middle-income countries has outpaced formal planning, leaving millions of residents vulnerable to flooding, extreme heat, storms and sea-level rise. The absence of adequate drainage, resilient housing and basic services amplifies both direct hazards and long-term health risks. Effective adaptation in these contexts demands integrated approaches that combine community-driven risk assessment, nature-based solutions such as urban greening and mangrove restoration, and inclusive governance that secures land tenure and fosters participatory planning. Strengthening adaptive capacity through targeted infrastructure upgrades, social protection measures and early warning systems can reduce exposure, while building social capital and local knowledge enhances the prospects for sustainable resilience. The global significance of this agenda is underscored by the concentration of informal dwellers in climate-sensitive coastal and riverine zones, with implications for urban equity, public health and the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have quantified the stark social disparities in flood exposure across thousands of urban neighbourhoods. In a comprehensive analysis of 44 698 neighbourhoods in Latin American cities, researchers demonstrated that residents in the lowest quintile of educational attainment experience flooding at rates five times higher than those in the highest quintile. Flood incidence correlated with coastal location, distance from city centres, lower population density and steeper terrain. This work highlights the need for city-level policies that prioritise adaptation investments in underprivileged areas, integrating spatial planning with socioeconomic interventions to address entrenched inequalities in hazard exposure and recovery capacity.

Climate Change Adaptation in Urban Informal Settlements publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in climate change adaptation in urban informal settlements across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Informal settlement: A densely populated urban area where residents lack secure tenure, basic services and formal planning approvals.

Adaptive capacity: The ability of individuals, communities or systems to adjust to climate change, moderate potential damages and exploit opportunities.

Early warning system: A set of tools and institutional arrangements that provide timely information on impending hazards to enable protective action.

Vulnerability: The degree to which a system or population is susceptible to, and unable to cope with, adverse effects of climate change.

References

1. Social disparities in neighborhood flood exposure in 44,698 urban neighborhoods in Latin America. Nature Cities (2025).
2. Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment in Informal Settlements of the Global South: A Critical Review. Land (2024).
3. Access to Early Warning for Climate Change-Related Hazards in Informal Settlements of Accra, Ghana. Climate (2022).
4. Local Perceptions and Scientific Knowledge of Climate Change: Perspectives of Informal Dwellers and Institutions in Accra, Ghana. Sustainability (2022).