Tackling disaster risk in African cities

9 March, 2015

Urban Africa Risk Knowledge (Urban ARK) is a three-year programme which will work in cities to better understand the nature and scale of disaster risks in urban centres.

A new research programme has been announced that will aim to reduce disaster risk in urban sub-Saharan Africa.

Urban Africa Risk Knowledge (Urban ARK) is a three-year programme which will work in cities in Senegal, Nigeria, Malawi, Kenya and Niger to better understand the nature and scale of disaster risks in urban centres.

By studying the interaction of environmental hazards, such as earthquakes and temperature extremes, in areas with poor housing and marginalised communities, the research aims to break the cycles by which vulnerability and the incapacity to cope with hazards accrue in society.

It is being supported by the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

The programme has been awarded £3.3 million through the ESRC-DFID Poverty Alleviation Programme.

The programme is being led by Professor Mark Pelling of King’s College London, and the project will look to engage the private sector, community organisations and local research partners.

For more information see the ESRC website.

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