Remote Sensing for Urban and Rural Development & Resilience (ReSiDeR) in South Africa

February 2025 - Climate change is increasingly affecting both urban and rural areas. Cape Town gained global attention as the first major city facing a severe water crisis, while the urban heat island effect is becoming a growing concern. Better spatial data is crucial for local planners to map changes and identify solutions, with satellite imagery and GIS playing a key role.

This project explored trade-offs and win-win scenarios between urban and rural development and natural resource conservation under climate change. It provided scientific support to the SAF-ADAPT project, which collaborated with South African policymakers. The University of Cape Town led implementation, working with the Universities of Venda and Fort Hare. Two KU Leuven PhD students conducted research, with key findings presented in this session.