New report: 'Climate Resilient Cities'

World Bank: …The world’s urban centers—many are coastal—are increasingly exposed to rising sea levels and other consequences of climate change. These changes threaten the property and the lives of billions of urban citizens. Damage inflicted could even undermine the world’s economic gains of the past few decades, experts warn.

Now the good news: cities’ vulnerability to climate change-induced disasters can be reduced. Policy-makers responding to the greater risks will find support from international development institutions including the World Bank. Cities that have already responded are also willing to share good lessons with others, especially those in poorer countries. Technical and financial assistance for local governments is also available.

However, most of the necessary measures must be taken by the cities themselves. To help local governments do just that, the World Bank joined with the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR) and the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) to publish an interactive report entitled, “Climate Resilient Cities.” The report is being launched today throughout the East Asia and Pacific Region.

A Primer on reducing cities’ vulnerability to climate change disruption and strengthening disaster risk management, “Climate Resilient Cities” should prove a useful tool for city managers the world over. After all, eight of the world’s 10 most populous cities are located near rivers or sea and are already exposed to hazards (flooding, earthquakes, typhoons, and low-quality infrastructure). With the trend toward more frequent and extreme weather events, city managers should plan for these impacts now rather than later.

“Ultimately, the cities hardest hit by climate change will be the ones least prepared,” said Neeraj Prasad, the Lead Environmental Specialist of the World Bank in East Asia and Pacific.

Map of Hanoi after the First World War. The descriptions are in Czech. Wikimedia Commons