This working paper reviews existing SEI expertise on urban issues and identifies the existing and potential research areas and partners that SEI Africa should concentrate on as it develops this new programme.

Recent and current research activities have focused on 10 interrelated areas: water resources, climate change, sustainable sanitation, disaster risk reduction, household energy, green infrastructure, urban air pollution, sustainable urban mobility, the urban environment and human wellbeing, and resource- efficient communities. Overall, SEI’s work at the urban scale falls broadly into three categories: scientific research and knowledge development, policy engagement and capacity development.

Significant sections of the paper are dedicated to climate change and adaptation, in the face of increasing environmental- and climate change-related vulnerabilities.