Dorothy Julian Nalumu is a doctoral researcher at the University of Louvain investigating the contribution of nature-based solutions to the urban metabolism of informal settlements in fast-growing West African cities. Her research responds to the limited availability of detailed data on how residents access water, food, energy, climate regulation and other basic ecosystem-related services.

Working with communities in Accra and Kumasi, she has developed and applied a socio-ecological data framework that differentiates between settlement typologies and the specific services provided by local nature-based practices. Her empirical research combines large household surveys, focus-group discussions and field observation to examine challenges such as water scarcity, waste management and urban heat. Published outputs assess both the environmental and social contribution of nature-based solutions and consider how co-produced scenarios can improve resilience. The research is designed to support planning and policy tools that recognise informal settlements as active socio-ecological systems rather than as areas defined only by infrastructure deficits.