In June 2015, after two days of heavy rain, flood water washed away Sarah’s small store in Accra, which provided for her family of three. The flood that hit the city in June 2015 affected around 53,000 people in the city and caused an estimated US$100 million in damages. Slum areas in the Odaw basin were among the worst hit.

Heatwaves across south-east Australia continue to break records. New Orleans is still searching for solutions to its flooding issues following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Researchers look for global lessons in the aftermath of extreme weather events to see how cities can respond to environmental challenges ahead.