Local experiences and perspectives of resilience and sustainability to climate and environmental hazards in two informal settlements in Accra, Ghana

Resilience and sustainability have gained prominence in academic research as key approaches to climate and environmental risk reduction. However, dominant interpretations are shaped by experts, practitioners, and scholarly opinions, with limited attention to how local communities perceive and experience these concepts. This study addresses that gap by drawing on in-depth interviews with residents of Old Fadama and Nima informal settlements in Accra, Ghana – areas highly vulnerable to climate and environmental-related hazards. Three key findings emerge: (1) practitioner frameworks do not fully capture the multiple local perspectives of resilience and sustainability; (2) resilience and sustainability are interconnected concepts embedded in everyday experiences; and (3) institutional responses remain poor and undermine efforts to transition resilience into long-term sustainability. Based on the findings, the study recommends rethinking resilience and sustainability and recognising informal community structures as important actors in local climate adaptation and urban planning processes.