In the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, cities have been fighting against a backdrop of multiple existing shocks and stresses, and emerging vulnerabilities, while striving to put equity, economy and climate action at the centre of their recovery approaches. Within this, the notion of urban resilience has gained more attention and provides an orientation for cities to prepare for the future.
As the field of resilience is a very complex, some terms are clarified here:
Resilience is the capacity of a city’s systems, businesses, institutions, communities, and individuals to survive, adapt, and grow, no matter what chronic stresses and acute shocks they experience. By strengthening its underlying fabric and deepening its understanding of the risks that threaten its stability, a city can improve its overall trajectory and the well-being of its citizens, and prosper in the face of challenges both expected and as yet unimagined.
Recovery from shocks or stress events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, flooding or migration crisis, can happen in different ways, ranging from “building back” the way things used to be before, to taking the opportunity to “build back better” or even “build forward”. Green recovery, more specifically, seeks to combine an economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic with combating climate change. Just Recovery, on the other hand, seeks to overcome inequalities and promotes inclusive societies. Combining the two with the notion of resilience, a Resilient Recovery seeks transformational action by fostering adaptive socioeconomic models and increased social, economic and environmental benefits.
Shock is a sudden-onset event, leading, potentially, to adverse impact unfolded within hours or days in the urban areas.
Stress is defined as a chronic pressure whose cumulative impact undermine city’s capacity for resilience.
Note: Whilst “City WORKS for Resilience” includes references to all elements above, “City WORKS for Climate Action” allows for an even deeper dive into the “Climate-focused” dimension.