Building Resilience to Climate Change in Informal Settlements
Approximately one billion people live in informal settlements, primarily in urban areas in low- and middle-income countries. This paper reviews how community- and city-government-led upgrading can enhance climate resilience for at-risk urban populations, and how barriers to greater scale and effectiveness can be overcome in synergy with the Sustainable Development Goals.
Primary findings
Informal settlements concentrate climate risk through poor housing, infrastructure, and hazardous sites
ExploratoryCommunity- and government-led upgrading can provide a foundation for climate resilience
ExploratoryUpgrading and resilience agendas overlap strongly when focused on local risks
ExploratoryScaled impact requires overcoming institutional fragmentation between upgrading and climate agencies
Exploratory
Methodology
Evidence review of informal-settlement upgrading and climate-resilience practice across cities in low- and middle-income countries
Application context
Limitations
- Single-study synthesis; context may not transfer universally.
Evidence suggests association within stated boundaries — not universal causation.