Solutions to housing problems must deal with the issue of building materials – especially advancing those which lower construction cost and costs to the environment. This paper aggregates and reviews empirical evidences to show the advantages and disadvantages of earthen construction materials in terms of cost, energy and thermal properties. We reviewed 136 academic outputs from 17 African countries. Apart from a few studies that differ, literature concurs that earthen construction materials are generally cheaper, cleaner and more thermally comfortable. Notwithstanding the advantages, the level of uptake is presently low. Earthen materials’ strength and durability are key limitations. We identify possible areas for future research and present specific recommendations that can promote the uptake of earthen materials for housing construction in African cities

Green infrastructure plays a critical role in environmentally sustainable urbanization in developing countries. Based on a review of academic outputs, this paper explores green infrastructure in the context of informal urban settlements. It identifies three ways informal settlements are connected to green spaces and natural ecosystems functioning as urban green infrastructure and then shows examples of benefits derived (ecosystem services) by the urban poor from these connections. Undesirable aspects and negative outcomes, regarded as ecosystem disservices, from the connection to natural ecosystems are also pointed out. The potentials of enhancing ecosystem services in terms of improving quality of life and the environment in informal settlements came to the fore. This work contributes to the growing body of knowledge on urban green infrastructure from the perspective of informal settlements in developing countries.

This study considers climate impacts and environmental challenges (flooding and sea-level rise) in one of the coastal informal settlements in Lagos, Nigeria. A mix of methods was used to generate data. First, 14 residents, selected through purposive sampling, were interviewed. A survey (sample size = 300) of residents was conducted as a follow-up to the interviews. To elicit information on spatio-temporal dimensions, GIS-based mapping showed change in land use/cover from 1990 to 2020 and simulates impacts with 0.5 m, 1 m, 1.5 m and 2 m sea level rise scenarios. The results illuminate negative corollaries at the intersection of informal urbanisation and climate change in coastal settings. Flood-related impacts on the built and natural environment were significant. Climate adaption and resilience will need to involve restoring the decimated natural ecosystem and integration of indigenous systems in the study area and similar low-income coastal urban communities.

In urban areas, green spaces and natural ecosystems can be a source of benefits to different socio-economic classes of residents, including those within unplanned informal settlements. Using a qualitative research approach, this study brings to light some of the existing green infrastructure (domestic gardens, informal parks, open spaces, stream with wetlands and the riparian corridor) in Kya Sands informal settlement in Johannesburg. It shows the way residents utilise green infrastructure and perceptions of their usefulness. The relevance of green infrastructure in the context of informal unplanned settlements became clearer. In the absence of state interventions, self-help initiatives in greening were observed in the study. Productive collaboration with the state and relevant non-governmental organisations is necessary for upgrading and to overcome limitations of individual initiatives within the community. The paper contributes to the growing body of knowledge on greening in low-income, informal and unplanned urban environments.