Contribution To The Study Of Urban Growth And The Evolution Of The Environmental Situation. Case Of The City Of Bukavu, South Kivu, Democratic Republic Of Congo

Abstract

This study focuses on the town of Bukavu in South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo and aims to contribute to the analysis of the impacts of urbanization on the environmental situation in the city of Bukavu. The methodology consisted of the housekeeping survey, interview and field observation. The results show that the environmental situation in the city of Bukavu has deteriorated over time with the resurgence of catastrophic events such as: erosion, landslides, subsidence, floods, and this is due in part to anarchic construction and unsuitable sites and the loss of vegetation cover due to the small size of the plots yet the population knows the role of trees in a plot. The main cause of this environmental degradation is undoubtedly the resurgence of insecurity that prevailed in the territories of South Kivu province, thus causing a massive displacement of the inhabitants of these rural areas to the city. The promiscuity of the houses also has significant consequences for the harmony between the inhabitants and as a result, the results of the statistical analysis reveal that belonging to a municipality predisposes to the consequences of the promiscuity of houses (p-value = 0.009). This study is essential and shows the need to make urban planning a priority whether in the city of Bukavu or in the likely extensions to relieve congestion in this saturated city to reduce vulnerability to environmental risks.