Wetland Destruction Trends in Three African Cities and Their Sustainability Implications

Kwaku Karikari Manu; Seth Appiah-Opoku PhD; Nana Serwaa  Antwi; Kwasi Aning  Dwumah

doi:10.55845/jos-2025-1287

Authors

Kwaku Karikari Manu Department of Geography and the Environment, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, USA https://orcid.org/0009-0003-8081-0969
Seth Appiah-Opoku Department of Geography and the Environment, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, USA
Nana Serwaa Antwi Department of Urban Planning and Public Policy, University of California, Irvine, USA
Kwasi Aning Dwumah A Rocha Ghana, Southern Sector, Kumasi, Ghana

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55845/jos-2025-1287

Keywords:

Sustainability, Urban Growth, Wetlands

Abstract

Sustainable city development encompasses the integration of the natural environment; as such, key ecosystems such as wetlands are essential in ensuring ecological equilibrium and urban sustainability. Rapid urbanisation, weak regulatory frameworks, and socioeconomic pressures have led to a massive degradation of urban wetlands in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This study examines the rate of wetland depletion in Dar es Salaam, Accra and Lagos, primarily relying on satellite imagery from the year 2000 to 2024. The result of the study is worrying and shows significant wetland loss across these three major cities. For instance, the rate of wetlands coverage in Dar es Salaam dropped from 11% in 2004 to 6% in 2024, while the coverage of built-up/developed areas rose from 18% to 67%. Land cover results for Accra and Lagos also showed similar trends. These changes over time suggest the need to adopt innovative, tried and tested approaches that can be used to protect the natural environment in developing countries. The study recommends approaches such as Conservation easements, Purchase of Development Rights (PDR), Transfer of Development Rights (TDR), and Urban Growth Boundaries (UGB) for the protection and preservation of wetlands in SSA. Incorporating these into urban planning and public awareness campaigns can help stop more loss and create sustainable urban futures in SSA cities.

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Author Biographies

Kwaku Karikari Manu, Department of Geography and the Environment, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, USA

Kwaku Karikari Manu is a PhD student in the Department of Geography at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. His research interests include Urban Greenspace Planning, Transportation Planning, Public Health, and Environmental Management.
Seth Appiah-Opoku, Department of Geography and the Environment, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, USA

Professor of Geography and teaches Urban Planning and Analysis, Land Use Regulation, World Regional Geography, and a field studies in Africa course. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and has contributed questions to the AICP exam. He is the author of two books and has edited three others. He has served on the international editorial board of the Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment since 2003 and has published scholarly articles in several renowned journals. He served on the Technical Advisory Team that advised the government of Ghana on the preparation of a 40-year development plan for the country in 2015. He teaches at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and has served on several thesis and dissertation committees.
Nana Serwaa Antwi, Department of Urban Planning and Public Policy, University of California, Irvine, USA

Nana Serwaa is a PhD student in the Department of Urban Planning and Public Policy at the University of California, Irvine. Her research interests span energy transitions, focusing on the marginalization, vulnerability, and exclusion associated with energy access. These interests underscore a firm resolve to contribute to energy justice scholarship.

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