The climate crisis and associated extreme weather events pose a particular threat to poor urban dwellers. This is the conclusion of the latest study on "climate-related loss and damage" by Misereor and the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS). On the occasion of the "UN Day for Disaster Risk Reduction" on 13 October, Misereor is calling for more support for people in informal settlements. The study recommends measures to prevent, mitigate and deal with climate damage in these neighbourhoods.
Urban dwellers in the Global South are worried
"The livelihoods of people living in informal settlements, often pejoratively referred to as 'slums', are increasingly at risk," warns Kai Klause, urban development expert at Misereor. "The people who live there are already in an extremely precarious situation. They often lack basic supplies: tap water, reliable electricity, their own flush toilets or health facilities. This makes them extremely vulnerable and barely able to cope with extreme weather and climate change."
Using the cities of Jakarta (Indonesia), Nairobi (Kenya) and São Paulo (Brazil) as examples, the study documents that informal settlements are particularly affected by climate damage. This includes the increasing number and intensity of floods, landslides, storms and heatwaves. Misereor partner organisations are concerned about the living conditions in informal settlements, says Klause: "People want cities that are liveable and crisis-proof. Instead, the fear of new weather extremes is always present, as partners from Nairobi report with regard to this year's floods."
Making cities crisis-proof
1.1 billion people worldwide currently live in informal settlements. According to forecasts, another two billion people will be added in the next 30 years, most of them on the Asian and African continents. Increasing urbanisation and the growing climate crisis require immediate political action from city to international level, recommends Simone Sandholz, Director of Studies at UNU-EHS. "The study shows that informal settlements are often given too little consideration in the distribution of relief supplies and reconstruction after disasters. This increases their vulnerability to future disasters - a vicious circle. At the same time, the study has shown in all three cities that linking already established local measures, including by the affected people themselves, with government-led risk reduction initiatives can be very effective."
Respecting the human right to housing
According to the study, existing financial resources for coping with climate-related loss and damage are nowhere near enough to meet demand. The international UN climate conferences are currently discussing how a fund that has already been adopted can better support governments and affected communities in dealing with climate damage in the future. "It is crucial that the support effectively reaches the most vulnerable people in informal settlements," says Klause. "This requires addressing the structural weaknesses that lead to people's high vulnerability. This includes ensuring that they can exercise their right to adequate housing and have unrestricted access to land and housing rights, social security systems and urban infrastructure. The study also shows how important it is for affected city dwellers to have a political say - including on climate issues."
