A recent publication by WASCAL doctoral researcher Aliou Gadiaga examines how urban residents in Abuja (Nigeria) and Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) respond to the impacts of climate change. The study, focuses on household-level adaptation and mitigation strategies related to heat waves, floods, and windstorms—events that have become more frequent in West African cities.
The research involved a quantitative survey of 840 households in each city. The findings show that while residents are employing various methods to adapt—such as strengthening homes, using cooling methods, and altering building orientation—there is a notably low uptake of mitigation strategies. Use of renewable energy remains limited, and in Ouagadougou, public transport is underutilized.
The study also highlights important differences linked to sociodemographic factors. For example, younger and more educated respondents were more likely to adopt mitigation measures such as using solar energy or planting trees.
Key recommendations include:
- Strengthening local adaptation strategies through improved infrastructure and planning,
- Expanding access to renewable energy and public transportation,
- Integrating climate awareness into urban development policies.
This work contributes to WASCAL’s broader efforts to support evidence-based climate policy and planning in West Africa.
The full link to the article: https://www.mdpi.com/2225-1154/13/7/132
Climate2025, 13(7), 132; https://doi.org/10.3390/cli13070132