Climate Resilient Cities: A Primer on Reducing Vulnerabilities to Disasters

'Climate Resilient Cities: A Primer on Reducing Vulnerabilities to Disasters' provides city administrators with exactly what they need to know about the complex and compelling challenges of climate change. The book helps local governments create training, capacity building, and capital investment programs for building sustainable, resilient communities. A step-by-step self-assessment challenges policymakers to think about the resources needed to combat natural disasters through an innovative “hot spot” risk and vulnerability identifi cation tool. This primer is unique from other resources in its treatment of climate change using a dual-track approach that integrates both mitigation (lowering contributions to greenhouse gases) and adaptation (preparing for impacts of climate change) with disaster risk management. The book is relevant both to cities that are just beginning to think about climate change as well as those that already have well established policies, institutions, and strategies in place. By providing a range of city-level examples of sound practices around the world, the book demonstrates that there are many practical actions that cities can take to build resilience to climate change and natural disasters.

Climate change is real. The contents of the Primer are timely and are of importance to many local governments like Albay. --Joey Sarte Salceda, Governor, Albay Province, the Philippines

The Primer which focuses on reducing vulnerability to climate change impacts and related disasters is a useful and valuable reference for . . . city managers and local government leaders. --Emeritus Mayor Peter Woods OAM, Secretary General, United Cities and Local Governments Asia-Pacific (UCLG ASPAC)

We commend the World Bank, the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery, and the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction s efforts on the Primer of guidelines to strengthen the capacity of local governments and partners in building resilient communities. CITYNET is very proud to be part of this initiative and we hope to promote optimal usage of the Primer through activities on mainstreaming disaster risk reduction and climate change in overall urban planning and management. --Dato Lakhbir Singh Chahl, Secretary General, CITYNET, (Regional Network of Local Authorities for the Management of Human Settlements)