Climate Change/Variability, Adaptation and Urban Vulnerability: Understanding the Role of Asset Mobilisation in Adaptation to Flooding in Lagos.

ABSTRACT
Globally, it is acknowledged that climate change impacts, manifested through severe weather like flooding, fall disproportionately on the cities of the global south. This thesis examined the vulnerability, impact and adaptation to flooding of two communities (Owode-Ajegunle and Iwaya) in Lagos State, Nigeria. This is premised on the call in the global arena to situate adaptation planning at the lower levels of communities and households. Despite this call, literature on adaptation to flooding in urban sub-Saharan African is scanty, a gap that this thesis addresses. Qualitative approach tools of interviews (key informants and semi-structured) and focus group discussions, were used to explore the flooding experiences and the adaptation strategies at different levels by different actors. Documents were also collected and analysed to understand the context of the people’s experiences and adaptation. Analysis was based on the Asset Adaptation Framework and Adaptation Activity Sphere Framework that support engagement with people as active agents and highlight the different ‘activity spheres’ of adaptation. This then facilitated an understanding of adaptation actions at the different levels of households, community and governments. The vulnerability of people to flooding was multi layered and occurred on multiple fronts. People were exposed based on their environment and location; government policies and activities; and also based on socio-economic factors like kinship, ethnicity and livelihoods. Exposure, impacts and strategies however varied for different groups within and between the communities, mediated by access to resources for asset building. In view of which this thesis argues that although the people’s vulnerability was compounded, they were not passive victims, rather they utilised different assets at different stages in addressing their flooding experiences. It also argues that transformational adaptation could occur when self-conscientiousness is matched with spaces for inclusion, recognition and participation. This thesis suggests that an understanding of who, how and why people are vulnerable to flooding and what is utilised at different stages to address impacts, will highlight areas of intervention at different levels. This will facilitate an adaptation policy that shifts activities beyond resilience building towards an adaptation agenda that is transformational.