Residents in informal settlements in Lagos have established effective climate adaptation systems while generating income from related activities, according to a study by Brianna Castro, assistant professor of urban sustainability at the Yale School of the Environment.
The study, published in Climate and Development, indicates that government policies aimed at development and climate change mitigation are dismantling these settlements, ultimately increasing vulnerability among all Lagos communities.
Approximately 40% of Lagos consists of water bodies, with low-elevation coastal plains that are susceptible to flooding. Many residents choose to live near the coast due to more abundant resources and better drainage from sandy soils.
To address rising floodwaters, residents have created makeshift drainage systems and adaptive infrastructures, including land stabilization with sand infilling, bridge construction, and group shelters. Additionally, some residents use plastic waste to elevate floors within their homes, allowing them to remain in their residences during floods.
“The plastic elevation inside the house enables people to stay in their homes and maintain a sense of daily normalcy through flood stages,” Castro noted.
Moreover, residents have developed livelihoods centered on climate adaptation, generating income from sand procurement, plastic waste collection, and freshwater well installation, with benefits extending to wealthier neighborhoods in the city.
“We should start asking about the strategies people in the toughest conditions are using to live well, and what gets lost during these evictions that could have been scaled to help others,” said Castro.
Yet, ongoing coastal development has led to the demolition of informal housing, which accommodates more than 50% of Lagos’s population, often framed as necessary climate protection measures.
Castro remarked, “The state views these spaces as having no value, so they do as much damage as possible. Instead, we should start asking about the strategies people in the toughest conditions are using to live well.”
Source: environment.yale.edu via Google News.
