Infographic: The building blocks of urban resilience
The Rockefeller Foundation describes Urban Resilience as the capacity of cities (individuals, communities, institutions, businesses and systems) to survive, adapt, and thrive in the face of stress and shocks, and even transform when conditions require it.
Local, bottom-up urban resilience building is an inclusive, decentralized and iterative approach that addresses the needs of vulnerable communities. In this inclusive and self-determined process, solutions are collectively decided to fit the needs of each urban community and vulnerabilities are reduced by moving away from top-down, one-size-fits-all processes.
In Semarang City, Indonesia, a number of community-led resilience building projects have helped to improve ecosystem services, strengthen coastal protection, enhance local livelihoods and protect built assets.
The projects – which included a mangrove reforestation project, a micro-finance project for sanitation, and a drought adaptation project – have also led to a well-informed community that is aware of its vulnerabilities and built its capacity through a participatory approach. This experience will also help replicate similar projects in other communities and further build resilience.
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To learn more about Urban Climate Change Resilience, ACCCRN and its partners have a range of resources available. These include:
- Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network (2015). Urban climate change resilience in action: Lessons from projects in 10 ACCCRN cities. Available from: https://assets.rockefellerfoundation.org/app/uploads/20150201235447/ACCCRN_ProjectsInsightsPaper_single.pdf
- Friend, R., & Moench, M. (2013). What is the purpose of urban climate resilience? Implications for addressing poverty and vulnerability. Urban Climate, 6, 98-113. http://acccrn.net/resources/what-purpose-urban-climate-resilience-implications-addressing-poverty-and-vulnerability
