SDG Project : informal urban fabrics flood resilience

Flooding is a major threat to cities, especially those in the Global South. The progressive transformation of natural land into impermeable soils reduces infiltration and generates significant runoff. In many countries of the Global South, urban expansion is associated with the development of informal settlements because of the inability of local governments to produce sufficient space and housing to accommodate the new inhabitants. This situation is exacerbated by urban fragmentation, which is very present in post-colonial cities. Informal settlements are often located in flood-prone areas, and this process tends to weaken vulnerable populations. The proposed responses are often temporary and not very resilient. The main objective of this research is to develop an analysis of the interactions between urbanisation, exposure to floods, and social vulnerability to produce a hydrosocial model for the long-term adaptation of informal settlements located in flood-prone areas. The agglomeration of Antananarivo (Madagascar) is the proposed study site for the research. We will apply methods based on open-source data and high-resolution satellite images. They will be accompanied by a qualitative approach based on field surveys and active collaboration with local communities. This research will provide innovation in urban flood management by proposing sustainable solutions for improving the flood resilience of informal settlements, particularly in the Global South.