Unsustainable Development, Climate Change and Floods: Interactions and Impacts

Abstract

The impacts of global climate change on communities and economies the world over has been a topical issue in recent years. One of the notable and most devastating impacts of climate change over the years has been flooding. Every year, reports from all over the world give an indication of the devastation caused by floods through loss of lives and property in both rural and urban areas. The problem in the urban centres is usually exacerbated by unsustainable development practices evident through the sprawling of slums, deforestation and building in waterways which are all mainly due to poor land use planning. The study examined the combined impact of climate change and unsustainable development on the frequency and severity of flood events in Ghana in the face of rapid population growth. The study reviewed related studies in other flood-prone areas of the world looking at attempts that have been made and how successful and otherwise these attempts have been and recommendations made accordingly.