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In PLUS research, people are our focus. Are you curious to know more about how this happens? PLUS researchers share their first-hand narratives about the societal relevance and impact of their research.

 

Green Infrastructure for Sustainable Development in Kampala

One of the key outcomes of the Integrated Flood Risk Management in Kampala project, funded by  UN-HABITAT’s Cities and Climate Change Initiative (https://unhabitat.org/programme/cities-and-climate-change-initiative), was the importance of Kampala’s green infrastructure in reducing storm water runoff and for flood water management. The city’s green infrastructure has two main components: an extensive wetland system in the low lying parts of the landscape and grassy and wooded areas on higher elevations. Utilising several spatial modelling techniques, our research has shown that over the coming decades both components will be substantially affected by planned and unplanned urban development, thereby increasing flood risk in the city. Given the high development pressure on these green infrastructure resources and the expectations of increased temperatures and rainfall due to climate change, it is important to investigate how green infrastructures can be used to enhance the environmental qualities of the city’s communities. For example, green infrastructures are a critical component of sustainable urban drainage system approaches which are now being widely adopted by local governments, also in Kampala.

 

Green infrastructures provide multiple eco-system services and an integrated approach to their management is therefore required. Peter Kabano’s current research will advance knowledge about how vegetation improves environmental conditions in fast-developing cities in the tropics, such as Kampala. Having previously studied the effect of urbanisation on the local climate and seasonality of vegetation in Kampala, Peter will be working with colleagues from Makerere University and the Kampala Capital City Authority to establish a low cost sensor network to analyse and monitor, in near-real time, the relationship between the quality of green infrastructure and local climate conditions and between green infrastructure and air quality throughout the city. By demonstrating that green infrastructure resources provide significant benefits for flood risk reduction and the moderation of local climate and air quality, the case for their protection from urban development can be reinforced and strategies to boost the resilience of Kampala through green infrastructure can be sought.

This research benefits all societal groups and is particularly important for the socio-economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods and communities that are most vulnerable to climate related hazards.  Our experience is that informed decision making and policy formulation benefit from inclusive research approaches which bring the worlds of science, urban policy and practice and citizens together and where results are open to all. For some, such transdisciplinary approaches may be unconventional, but our experience is that they help to develop solutions which are equitable, sustainable and have tangible impacts that can support transformative change.