When Communities Lead: Evidence-Based River Regeneration Frameworks from Nairobi's Informal Settlements

Nairobi’s informal settlements sit at the intersection of inadequate infrastructure, exclusionary planning, and limited community participation in climate governance. Drawing on research in the Nairobi River Basin, this session examines how pollution and public-health risks inform community-led river regeneration in Mathare, Kibera, and Mukuru.

The analysis combines water-quality data, ecological observations, and household surveys. Downstream sections recorded critical contamination (E. coli up to 100,000 CFU/100 mL), while residents face disease, unsafe water, and high flood risks. Three insights emerge for city decision-makers: regeneration must fix systemic sanitation and waste failures; it is more durable when residents co-design priorities and monitor risks; and implementation must link riparian restoration directly with participatory governance.

This session offers an evidence-based pathway for rapidly urbanizing African cities where informality drives climate vulnerability.