ELI-T: The growing problem of urban gullies in the Tropical Global South

On February 11, the Earth and Life Institute is delighted to welcome Dr. Matthias Vanmaercke for a new ELI-Sustainability Talk. 

Abstract 

A silent crisis is unfolding across many rapidly expanding cities of the tropical Global South. Urban gullies - deep, fast-forming erosion channels - are emerging as a major yet underrecognized threat to infrastructure, livelihoods, and community resilience. 

Drawing on remote sensing analyses, modeling efforts, and extensive fieldwork in the D.R. Congo and across sub-Saharan Africa, this presentation reveals how urban gullies are proliferating as a result of rapid, unplanned urbanization in landscapes already prone to erosion. 

It provides the first assessment of the scale of this problem, showing that several million people are directly exposed to this largely overlooked geo-hydrological hazard. 

Finally, the talk explores pathways for mitigation - linking geomorphological insights with urban planning and local action. 

Understanding and addressing urban gully erosion is not only a scientific challenge, but also a pressing issue for sustainable development in an increasingly urbanized world. 

The guest 

Dr. Matthias Vanmaercke is an Associate Professor at KU Leuven who studies how and why gullies form, evolve, and impact landscapes and communities, from remote African cities to entire continents. Through a mix of fieldwork, satellite data, and modelling, his team explores ways to better predict, understand, and prevent these often-destructive erosion processes. Their work has been published in leading journals such as Nature.

Practical 

You are cordially invited to take part in this seminar, to be held on February 11 from 16:15 to 17:15 in Ocean room (B.002, de Serres building, Croix du Sud 2, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium). 

A drink with the guest speaker will be held in the cafeteria of the de Serres building at 17:15 for participants at the ELI-T seminar.