TakingITGlobal

ACCR A , GH A N A L ONDON, UK ME X ICO CI T Y, ME X ICO W hile i t 's cur r en t popula tion o f 2 . 3 million is modes t by global s t andar ds, Accr a is gr ow ing r apidly, similar t o o ther ci ties acr oss Af r ica, w i th many r ecen t in-migr an t s inhabi ting ex panding in f or mal se t tlemen t s. Si tua ted on the coas t , f looding and s t or m sur ges ar e an acu te r isk , as is dr ough t and f ood insecur i t y. Accr a's popula tion s tr uc tur e is also ske wed, w i th a high per cen t age o f r esiden t s under the age o f 24 . Accr a s tr uggles w i th high pover t y, and s tudies indica te limi ted pr epar edness f or clima te change, bu t the Gover nmen t has begun t o engage in clima te educa tion ac ti v i ties. Mex ico Ci t y is an ancien t ur ban cen tr e tha t has w i ths t ood numer ous his t or ic challenges. Rapid popula tion gr ow th (cur r en tly a t 2 1 million) has t a xed the Ci t y 's wa ter supplies t o such an ex ten t tha t cr i tical shor t ag- es ar e a concer n, exacer ba ted by clima te change. Clima te change also ir onically poses an incr eased r isk o f f looding, gi ven the ci t y 's t opogr aphy. T he municipal gover nmen t has commi t ted t o a Clima te Ac tion Pr ogr am, howe ver, in an e f f or t t o adap t . A global economic hub, L ondon's 1 4 million inhabi t an t s enjoy r ela ti vely high incomes and educa tion and ar e thus be t ter equipped than many ci ties t o inves t in clima te change adap t a tion and mi tiga tion. Indeed, ci t y o f f icials ha ve de veloped and implemen ted a L ondon Clima te Change Par tner ship (L CCP) plan, and inves ted hea v ily in f lood r isk managemen t . T he challeng- es ar e none theless f or midable, in the f or m o f ex tr eme hea t and f looding, exacer ba ted by dense ur ban de velopmen t . W hile no t ob v ious f r om a map, L ondoner s ar e ex posed t o tidal sur ges, and the T hames Ri ver connec t s dir ec tly t o the ocean.

• Cover