Institutional Capacity, Climate Change Adaptation and the Urban Poor

The urban poor frequently live in the most hazardous urban locations - at risk from many environmental hazards and extreme events and vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Reducing this vulnerability requires effective urban governance, involving municipal authorities, national governments, utility providers and civil society organisations. This article considers the role of these stakeholders in combining support for climate change adaptation and improving the social, physical and economic wellbeing of low-income urban residents. In particular, the article argues for the development and application of specific tools, methods and approaches to deliver pro-poor adaptation. Relevant case studies and examples are used to show that climate change adaptation requires solutions based in improved institutional capacity and better urban governance - and that if properly applied, this can help to meet the broader needs of the urban poor.