Cities are at the forefront of climate risks, and governing these complex risks is crucial to building resilience. With rising temperatures, flooding, desertification, and prolonged drought plaguing different parts of the African continent, the inclusion of multiple voices and knowledge is key to initiating practical, context-specific, and sustainable responses.

My interest in climate and health was sparked during my internship at the City of Cape Town (CCT). As part of the climate change planning team in the Risk & Resilience Department, I was exposed to various facets of urban risk and resilience engagement. None, however, were more fascinating than the City’s heat and health risk response efforts. During my tenure as a climate change adaptation planning intern, the department was in the process of finalizing the CCT Heat Action Plan. I had the opportunity to support various heat-related tasks, including conceptual heat planning, conducting research, and engaging with City officials.

“With rising temperatures, flooding, desertification, and prolonged drought plaguing different parts of the African continent, the inclusion of multiple voices and knowledge is key to initiating practical, context-specific, and sustainable responses.” 

My interest in climate and health stems from my internship experience at the City of Cape Town (CCT). Here, I was part of the climate change planning team in the Risk & Resilience Department, which exposed me to various facets of urban risks and resilience engagement undertaken by the city. However, it was no more fascinating than heat and health risk response and implementation. During my tenure as a climate change adaptation planning intern, the department was in the process of finalizing the CCT Heat Action Plan. This saw me being roped into supporting various heat-related tasks, including conceptual heat planning, research and communication engagements with City officials. As Cape Town is known for its scorching summers, understanding heat and its multifaceted nature is vital in aiding residents, especially vulnerable groups including women, children, differently-abled individuals, the elderly and outdoor workers, to adapt to increasing temperatures and build greater resilience. This vigor to conceptualize and contextualize heat risk and its associated health risks has led me to be involved in CASCADE, where heat is one of the climate risks being explored.  

CASCADE entices the mind to reflect critically and holistically on the intersectionality of climate risks, health and their cascading factors. The prospect of working collaboratively with colleagues from diverse academic backgrounds and across the continent with project cities varying in urban, governance and climate context and deducing lessons from their climate-health experiences is exciting. In addition, this experience offers the opportunity to build national and international professional and research networks. Establishing connections through enquiring and exploration in the pursuit of building local adaptive capacity to climate and health risks extends beyond the formal framework of the project. It is a central motivation to my outlook of the project. 

Having been on the project for a few weeks, I can confidently say that the research cluster discussions with project city partners have been stimulating and enriching. This is particularly true when engaging the various student research projects being undertaken, thus reaffirming Africa’s role in pioneering innovative and context-centered scholarship. 

CASCADE, therefore, offers a familiar and reminiscent feel to my professional exposure but with the added prospect of further research development. This places me center stage among the numerous opportunities the project has to offer. I look forward to a fruitful CASCADE experience!

Article written by Yaaseen Samuels