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Climate change exposes the vulnerabilities of Kenya’s informal settlements.[File, Standard]
For decades, many of Kenya’s informal settlements existed in plain sight yet remained invisible in official planning. Entire communities raised families, ran businesses and built neighbourhoods in places that rarely appeared on city maps or featured in development plans.
The consequences of that invisibility are becoming more apparent as climate change intensifies. Heavy rains flood homes, poor drainage turns streets into rivers, burst sewer lines contaminate neighbourhoods and overcrowded housing amplifies health risks.
While climate discussions often focus on cutting carbon emissions, a growing number of urban planners, researchers and community leaders argue that one of the country’s most effective climate solutions begins much closer to home: where and how people live.
