Urban Tree Planting in Kigali, Rwanda

Kigali’s capital and largest city is increasingly exposed to destructive flash floods driven by climate change and land degradation. The Kicukiro, Nyarugenge, and Gasabo districts are characterized by steep slopes, leaving many homes and critical infrastructure vulnerable to landslides and downstream flooding. 

The SUNCASA (Scaling Urban Nature-based Solutions for Climate Adaptation in Sub-Saharan Africa project is restoring 2,500 hectares of land across six high-risk micro-catchments in the Nyabarongo River watershed. By implementing gender-responsive nature-based solutions (NbS), including afforestation, reforestation, agroforestry, and the planting of 85,000 urban trees, the project is strengthening the climate resilience of nearly 1 million residents. 

A Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) assessment reveals that these interventions are highly cost-effective, and lead to many long-term economic, social and environmental benefits. Key findings from the assessment include: 

• Every USD 1 invested in Kigali’s nature-based solutions generates USD 2.09 in benefits, with the project paying for itself in just seven years. 
• NbS significantly reduce flood damage to Kigali’s urban infrastructure protecting flood-prone areas and delivering the largest share of total benefits. 
• The project boosts the local economy by creating 3,062 jobs during implementation and supporting nearly 1,900 ongoing roles for long-term maintenance through 2050. 
• Restored landscapes will increase carbon storage by 30% while lowering public health costs through cleaner water and cooler urban temperatures.
   

Local partners include the City of Kigali, Albertine Rift Conservation Society (ARCOS), the Association of Genocide Widows Agahozo (AVEGA), and the Rwanda Young Water Professionals.

Photo: Cesar H. Arrais

ABOUT SUNCASA

By 2050, more than 65% of Africa’s 2.5 billion population will live in cities. However, incipient climate governance systems, rapid urbanization, and deforestation have degraded landscapes and ecosystems, affecting urban communities’ capacity to adapt to climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts temperatures in Africa will rise faster than the global land average, and many cities will face water scarcity, droughts, increased urban heat, and greater flood risk from intensifying storm events. As environmental threats multiply, underserved and marginalized communities are likely to experience increasingly adverse impacts.

Jointly managed by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the World Resources Institute (WRI), with USD 22 million in funding from Global Affairs Canada through the Partnering for the Climate Program, SUNCASA will benefit 2.2 million people by increasing their resilience to climate risk, directly train and support over 22,000 individuals involved in implementation, and improve water security for millions more.

The project will work with local partners in Dire Dawa (Ethiopia), Kigali (Rwanda), and Johannesburg (South Africa) to improve vulnerable urban communities’ capacity to adapt to climate change. By adopting and implementing gender-responsive NBS to restore watersheds, riparian corridors, and urban green spaces, the SUNCASA project directly responds to risks like climate change-induced flooding, landslides, extreme heat, and biodiversity loss. SUNCASA also aims to address gender gaps in climate adaptation: at least 50% of the project’s beneficiaries will be women, representing a shift in existing social norms.