Towards Risk-Sensitive and Transformative Urban Development in Sub Saharan Africa

Hayley Leck, Mark Pelling, Ibidun Adelekan, David Dodman, Hamadou Issaka, Cassidy Johnson, Mtafu Manda, Blessing Mberu, Ezebunwa Nwokocha, Emmanuel Osuteye and Soumana Boubacar
Additional contact information
Hayley Leck: Department of Geography, School of Global Affairs, King’s College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK
Mark Pelling: Department of Geography, School of Global Affairs, King’s College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK
Ibidun Adelekan: Department of Geography, University of Ibadan, Ibadan 200284, Oyo State, Nigeria
David Dodman: Human Settlements Research Group, International Institute for Environment and Development, 80-86 Grays Inn Rd, London WC1X 8NH, UK
Hamadou Issaka: Département de Géographie et Aménagement de l'Espace, Institut de Recherches en Sciences Humaines, Université Abdou Moumouni de Niamey, BP 10896, Niamey, Niger
Cassidy Johnson: Bartlett Development Planning Unit, University College London, 34 Tavistock Square, Bloomsbury, London WC1H 9EZ, UK
Mtafu Manda: Urban and Regional Department, Mzuzu University, Private Bag 2, Luwinga, Mzuzu, Malawi
Blessing Mberu: African Population and Health Research Centre, APHRC Campus, Manga Cl, P.O. Box 10787-00100 Nairobi, Kenya
Ezebunwa Nwokocha: Department of Sociology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan 200284, Oyo State, Nigeria
Emmanuel Osuteye: Bartlett Development Planning Unit, University College London, 34 Tavistock Square, Bloomsbury, London WC1H 9EZ, UK
Soumana Boubacar: Agroéconomiste, Département de Sociologie et Economie Rurales, Faculté d'Agronomie, Université Abdou Moumouni, BP 10960, Niamey, Niger

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 8, 1-21

Abstract: Risk-sensitive urban development is required to reduce accumulated risk and to better consider risk when planning new developments. To deliver a sustainable city for all requires a more frank and comprehensive focus on procedure: On who makes decisions, under which frameworks, based upon what kind of data or knowledge, and with what degree and direction of accountability? Acting on these procedural questions is the promise of transformative urban development. This paper explores the status of risk sensitive and transformative urban development and the scope for transition towards these components of sustainability in urban sub-Saharan Africa through the lens of diverse city cases: Karonga (Malawi), Ibadan (Nigeria), Niamey (Niger) and Nairobi (Kenya). The paper draws from a 3-year research and capacity building programme called Urban Africa: Risk Knowledge that aims to address gaps in data, understandings and capacity to break cycles of risk accumulation. A common analytical framework is presented to help identify blockages and opportunities for transition towards a risk-sensitive and transformative urban development. This framework is then illustrated through each city in turn and a concluding discussion reflects on city observations to draw out recommendations for city level and wider action and research partnerships.

Keywords: risk-sensitive development; transition; transformative urban development; sub-Saharan Africa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/8/2645/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/8/2645/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:8:p:2645-:d:160358

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().