Uneven cities, uneven finance: Climate funds, Municipal capacity, and the Urban poor

Abstract

Cities are central to climate adaptation but face growing risks from flooding, heat, and water insecurity that disproportionately affect the urban poor (IPCC, 2022; Dodman et al., 2022). Although urban climate finance has increased, municipalities-especially in the Global South-often lack the fiscal autonomy and institutional capacity to access and deploy these resources effectively (Diezmartínez & Gianotti, 2024). Weak fiscal decentralization, fragmented intergovernmental transfers, and limited borrowing authority constrain local investment in climate-resilient WASH and infrastructure (Sow & Razafimahefa, 2015). In Bangladesh, climate-induced migration intensifies urban service deficits, reinforcing vulnerability among low-income and informal populations (Banks et al., 2011; Tanjeela, 2023).