Urban Tree Planting in Kigali, Rwanda

Kigali, Rwanda, faces pressing climate hazards, notably flooding and landslides, exacerbated by the country’s rugged topography and rapid urban expansion. The Kicukiro, Nyarugenge, and Gasabo districts are characterized by steep slopes, with many homes exposed to the risk of landslides and flooding in downstream areas.

The Scaling Urban Nature-based Solution for Climate Adaptation in Sub-Saharan Africa (SUNCASA) project will restore the lower Nyabarongo River watershed to reduce flood risk, landslides, and soil erosion. The project will address these risks through a combination of gender-responsive nature-based solutions (NbS), including afforestation, reforestation, agroforestry, and urban tree planting—ultimately enhancing the resilience of 975,000 people.

Implemented in collaboration with local organizations, SUNCASA agroforestry and restoration activities will rehabilitate critical micro-catchments across the Nyabarongo River, which cuts through the Kicukiro, Nyarugenge, and Gasabo districts. In addition, vegetated buffer zones will be established to stabilize gullies and protect high-risk households while limiting encroachment.

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.