Who We Are
At CASCADE, we aim to co-create impactful and sustainable initiatives within African cities.
Together with scientists, policymakers, and community members, our goal is to strengthen the resilience of African cities amidst the growing challenges of climate change and urban health.
Our mission is to deepen our understanding of the urban health challenges African cities face through transdisciplinary collaboration. Ultimately, our vision is centered on improving the lives of people across Africa.
Why our work is crucial
Climate change represents a growing threat to global well-being, with Africa being particularly vulnerable. By 2050, it is projected that 60% of Africa’s population will reside in urban areas, which are increasingly susceptible to climate-related risks. These urban challenges, ranging from water shortages to food insecurity, require innovative and collaborative solutions. CASCADE is positioned to address these contextual challenges through the broad expertise and local networks of our partners across Southern, Eastern, and Western Africa.
Our APPROACH
African cities have been identified as a critical focus of opportunity and risk. The dynamics of rapidly expanding and evolving urban landscapes, encompassing changes in space, livelihoods, economics, and governance, intersect with local, regional, and global climate shifts. This intersection could reverse progress made in alleviating human health burdens across the continent.
The complexity of these interactions may be greater than we previously thought. Understanding these complex dynamics therefore requires working across and beyond disciplines. A transdisciplinary approach is therefore central to CASCADE and fosters collaboration between academic and non-academic stakeholders, blending various perspectives on climate change and human health. This collective effort seeks to deepen our understanding of and to highlight actionable and effective solutions to improve the lives of people across Africa.
CASCADE City Learning Labs
CASCADE will use City Learning Labs as our primary tool for community engagement and learning. As a powerful and inclusive process designed to address complex urban challenges, these labs bring together a diverse group of participants such as researchers, counselors, city representatives, youth representatives, NGO’s, and many others.
Each city will develop its own City Learning Lab process, dedicated to appreciating diverse perspectives and deliberating on potential solutions tailored to its unique urban context.
Capacity Strengthening
At the heart of CASCADE, is the objective to grow scientific leadership within Africa. Supported by the SFA Foundation, the consortium is committed to empowering a new generation of researchers, enhancing their ability to contribute to the continent’s resilience to climate and health challenges. By focusing on capacity building, CASCADE ensures the sustainability of its initiatives and the ongoing evolution of scientific expertise in urban health and climate resilience.
CASCADE Research Questions
Urban climate-health risk pathways
What are the multiple risk pathways through which climate variability, extremes, and change lead to health risk in African cities?
Urban climate health interventions
What are effective and practical long-term interventions and health messages for reducing mortality and morbidity in African city contexts due to climate and health risks, and how can they be formulated to more effectively engage communities and inform decision-making related to urban climate and health risks?
Urban climate health governance
What urban climate health governance modes are required to support the implementation of priority interventions, particularly considering developmental vulnerabilities and societal inequalities related to socio-economics, gender and marginalised groups that are prevalent in African urban contexts?
Our Collaborative Network
Our work is supported by partnerships across Africa, ensuring a wide-reaching impact. These collaborations with major African cities and leading academic institutions enhance our ability to address the continent’s climate and health challenges effectively.
- University of Ghana
- Chinhoyi University of Technology
- Makerere University
- Global Change Institute
- (University of Witwatersrand)
- The African Population and Health Research Center
- Climate System and Analysis Group
- (University of Cape Town)
- Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre
- START International
These partnerships are fundamental to our mission of developing tailored solutions for the unique challenges faced by African cities.