Water Resilient Green Cities for Africa (WGA)

PROJECT IS CLOSED
Project period: 2013 to 2019

The project investigated the options for leapfrogging conventional urban water systems to landscape-based systems for increasing the climate resilience of larger African cities and for providing inclusive urban green spaces, and better local planning and governance. This was through developing catchment plans, facilitating a rapid mind-set change through champions, encouraging stakeholder involvements through design charrette and developing low-tech and local material based green technologies.

The WGA project was led by the Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management (IGN) University of Copenhagen. Project partner institutes were the Institute of Human Settlements Studies (IHSS) at Ardhi University, Tanzania and the Ethiopian Institute of Architecture, Building construction and City Development (EiABC) at Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. The project was in close collaboration with representatives from the city administrations and selected communities in Addis Ababa and Dar es Salaam.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management (IGN), University of Copenhagen, Denmark

The Ethiopian Institute of Architecture, Building construction and City Development (EiABC), Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia

  • Dr. Kumelachew Yeshitela (kumeyesh@gmail.com), lead for WP 1
  • Dr. Ketema Abebe, city researcher
  • Associate Prof. Abraham Workneh, city researcher
  • Dr. Alazar Assefa, Earlier PhD student of the WGA project (WP1)
  • Dr. Liku Workalemahu, Earlier PhD student of the WGA project (WP2)
  • Dr. Dagnachew Adugna, Earlier PhD student of the WGA project, PhD student (WP3)

The Institute of Human Settlements Studies (IHSS), Ardhi University, Tanzania

  • Prof. Kombe W.J. (kombewilbard@yahoo.com), lead for WP3
  • Dr. Tatu Mtwangi Limbumba, researcher WP3
  • Dr. Liberatus K. Mrema, researcher
  • Dr. Given Justin, Earlier PhD student of the WGA project (WP2)
  • Dr. Simon Mpyanga, Earlier PhD student of the WGA project (WP1)
  • Ms. Martha Mkupasi, Earlier PhD student of the WGA project (WP3)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Articles

Assessing the Potential for Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting from Large Public Institutions (In Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health)

Mapping the gap of water and erosion control measures in rapidly urbanizing Mbezi River catchment of Dar es Salaam (In Water MPDI Journal

Conditions and opportunities for green infrastructure – Aiming for green, water-resilient cities in Addis Ababa and Dar es Salaam (In Landscape and Urban Planning 2017)

Access to a Videnblad: Klimatilpasning ved landskabsbaseret vandhåndtering i afrikanske byer (Videnblade Planlægning og Friluftsliv 5.2-18, Skov og Landskab, December 2016)

Green infrastructure for flood-risk management in Dar es Salaam and Copenhagen: exploring the potential for transitions towards sustainable urban water management (in Water Policy 2014)

Sustainability Transitions in the Developing World: Exploring the Potential for Integrating Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems in the Sub-Saharan Cities

Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems: Examining the potential for green infrastructure-based stormwater management for cities in Sub-Saharan Africa 

Public recreational parks and green environmental development in Addis Ababa (by Kumelachew Yeshitela 2015, in Amharic)

WGA reports

Municipal level policies and site-specific neighbourhood strategies for the Mbezi river catchment

LSM strategy for Jemo River Catchment in Addis Ababa

Local institutional frameworks at community level in Dar es Salaam and Addis Ababa (Report 2 – WP 3)

Green area typologies and mapping of green structures in Addis Ababa and Dar es Salaam (Report 1-WP1)

Urban Water Management in Addis Ababa and Dar es Salaam (Report 1-WP2) 

City Level Institutional Comparisons of Landscape Based Stormwater Management in Dar es Salaam and Addis Ababa Cities (Report 3-WP3)

Green space & livelihood in the WGA case sites of Addis Ababa and Dar es Salaam (Report 2-WP 1)

Draft landscape‐based stormwater management strategies for the Jemo and Mbezi River catchments (Report 2-WP 2)

Thesis

Options for Landscape based Stormwater Management & Green Infrastructure in Urban Areas within developing Countries: A case study of an informal settlement in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (by Lagiya Ayoub Khatib)

The crucial need of urban open spaces in the adaptation to climate change: A case study of the use, function and perception of the open spaces in the unplanned settlement Kawe Ukwamani in Dar es Salaam (by Marie Madsen)

Water resilience and social capital: Comparing informal and formal housing areas in Addis Ababa (by Silje Breckan Paulsen)

 

Newsletters

(October 2015)
– The pathways for leapfrogging, Design Charrette, and PhD students.

Newsletter 1-which is about the project, the case study areas, and the latest progess.

News

2017
Grøn infrastruktur kan mindske byernes tørst, Ingeniøren 10. juni 2017

Afrikas fremtid afgøres i byerne, Ingeniøren 10. juni 2017

Verdens byer boomer – men kan de bære væksten? Ingeniøren 20. maj 2017

News

2015
Intro til Byer under vand. Politiken, 2015

News

2014
Danske forskere skal afhjælpe oversvømmelser og tørke i Afrika, July 18, 2014

Danske forskere vil afhjælpe oversvømmelser i afrikanske storbyer, dr.dk, July 21, 2014

Danske forskere skal afhjælpe oversvømmelser og tørke i Afrika, Videnskab.dk, July 22, 2014

Danish Stormwater Solution To Solve Drought And Flooding In Africa
, modernghana.com, July 25, 2014

Danish Researchers To Fight Flooding In Africa, spyghana.com, July 25, 2014

Solving Flooding in Africa: Danish Researchers to the Rescue, spynewsagency.com, July 26, 2014

Institute, stakeholders sign city flood curbing MoU, Ethopian Herald, January 18, 2014

Curbing flood for the city, Addis Fortune, vol. 14, No. 716. January 19, 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The project was funded by Danida

Danida-logo

Project:  Water Resilient Green Cities for Africa (WGA)
Principal investigator: Marina Bergen Jensen, the Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management
Start: 31 August 2013
End: May 2019

watergreenafrica.dk

Water Resilient
Green Cities
for Africa
(WGA)