Resilience Reset: Creating Resilient Cities in the Global South

Drawing on evidence from urban resilience initiatives around the globe, the authors make a compelling argument for a "resilience reset", a pause and stocktake that critically examines the concepts, practices and challenges of building resilience, particularly in cities of the Global South.

In turn, the book calls for the world’s cities to alter their course and "pivot" towards novel approaches to enhancing resilience. The book presents shifts in ways of acquiring and analysing data, building community resilience, approaching urban planning, engaging with informality, delivering financing, and building the skills of those running cities in a post-COVID world grappling with climate impacts. In Resilience Reset, the authors encourage researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to break out of existing modes of thinking and doing that may no longer be relevant for our rapidly urbanising and dynamic world. The book draws on the latest academic and practice-based evidence to provide actionable insights for cities that will enable them to deal with multiple interacting shocks and stresses.

The book will be an indispensable resource to those studying urbanisation, development, climate change and risk management as well as for those designing and deploying operational initiatives to enhance urban resilience in businesses, international organisations, civil society organisations and governments. It is a must-read for anyone interested in managing the risks of climate impacts in urban centres in the Global South.

Aditya V. Bahadur, PhD, is a Principal Researcher at the International Institute for Environment and Development, specialising in climate-resilient urban development. Previously he worked with the Action on Climate Today programme supporting governments with climate policy and institutional development and with the ODI (Overseas Development Institute). Aditya completed a PhD at the University of Sussex, UK, and a postdoctoral programme at Columbia University, USA.

Thomas Tanner, PhD, is a development geographer specialising in building resilience and adaptation to climate change through development policy and practice. He is Director of the Centre for Development, Environment and Policy at SOAS University of London, where he leads work on climate change, sustainability and development. He previously held positions at the ODI, the Institute of Development Studies, the United Nations Development Programme and the UK's Department for International Development.