Trends in Urban Resilience 2017

Back to results
Author(s)
Fourniere, H., Leon, E. & Lewis, D.
Publication language
English
Pages
172pp
Date published
01 Jan 2017
Type
Research, reports and studies
Keywords
Disaster preparedness, resilience and risk reduction, Urban
Organisations
UN Habitat

As our world becomes predominantly urban, cities are increasingly emerging as the field where the main challenges for sustainable development will and must be tackled.

Collectively, cities are simultaneously responsible for 70% of global GDP, greenhouse gas emissions, and global waste, as well as over 60% of global energy consumption. The United Nations estimates that four out of five people will be living in urban areas by the middle of the century. Unprecedented urbanisation trends bring the potential to transform our cities into unique hubs for services, and to fulfil the promise of inclusion and better social and economic opportunities for all. However, if not properly managed and planned, these same trends can put a severe strain on urban systems: unleashing long-term stresses on their basic components and exposing their weaknesses to the disruptive impacts of multiple shocks.