Check out the episode:

You can find the shownotes through this link.

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Are you interested in how to manage multiple disasters at once?

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Our summary today works with the article titled Misfortunes never come singly. A holistic approach to urban resilience and sustainability challenges from 2023 by Cristina Serbanica and Daniela Luminita Constantin, published in the Cities journal.

This is a great preparation to our next interview with Keygan Huckleberry in episode 282 talking about disaster management and resilience.

Since we are investigating the future of cities, I thought it would be interesting to see the connection between urban resilience and sustainability. This article highlights the interplay between acute shocks, long-term stresses, and their implications for urban safety and inclusiveness.

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Welcome to today’s What is The Future For Cities podcast and its Research episode; my name is Fanni, and today I will introduce a research paper by summarising it. The episode really is just a short summary of the original paper, and, in case it is interesting enough, I would encourage everyone to check out the whole paper. Stay tuned until because I will give you the 3 most important things and some questions which would be interesting to discuss.

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Urbanization continues to grow globally, with predictions estimating that by 2070, 60% of the world’s population will live in cities. With this increasing urbanization come numerous challenges, both chronic and emerging. The United Nations has outlined the importance of making cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable, which is echoed in global initiatives like the New Urban Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, despite the growing focus on resilience, the term lacks a consistent, universally accepted definition. This has led to ambiguities, particularly in understanding how resilience connects with other urban concepts like sustainability and inclusiveness. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought these issues to the forefront, emphasizing the need for cities to be prepared for not just environmental hazards but also societal shocks and stresses.

Urban resilience and sustainability, while often discussed together, are distinct concepts. Resilience refers to a city’s capacity to recover from shocks and disturbances—whether natural disasters, economic crises, or infrastructure failures—by quickly bouncing back or adapting to new conditions. In contrast, sustainability emphasizes long-term development that meets the needs of present and future generations, with a focus on equity, environmental protection, and resource management. Both concepts are crucial for urban development, yet they have different focal points: resilience is about short-term survival, while sustainability aims for enduring stability and equitable growth.

There is a growing recognition that resilience and sustainability need to be understood in relation to each other, especially as global challenges like climate change blur the lines between short-term shocks and long-term stresses. For instance, extreme weather events caused by climate change (a sustainability issue) can trigger immediate crises like floods or heatwaves (a resilience issue). Scholars debate whether resilience and sustainability should be treated as complementary goals or separate pursuits. Some argue that combining the two can create synergies that allow cities to address both immediate risks and long-term vulnerabilities, while others warn of potential trade-offs, such as resilient solutions that might not be environmentally sustainable.

Another important intersection is the nexus between resilience, sustainability, urban safety, and inclusiveness. Safety, in this context, refers to the ability of cities to provide secure environments for their residents, while inclusiveness emphasizes equitable access to resources and opportunities. These concepts are intertwined, as resilient cities must also ensure that vulnerable populations are protected from both acute shocks and chronic stresses. Inclusive and safe cities are better equipped to build resilience and achieve sustainability by addressing systemic inequalities that can exacerbate the impacts of both shocks and stresses.

This study uses data from the 100 Resilient Cities (100RC) Program, where participating cities identified hazards, shocks, and stresses they face. By applying statistical methods like multiple correspondence analysis, the study seeks to understand how these challenges cluster together and differentiate between resilience and sustainability. The analysis also examines variations based on geographical location and income levels of the cities involved.

There are distinct patterns in how cities perceive and address resilience and sustainability challenges. Cities tended to associate acute shocks, such as natural disasters, infrastructure failures, and cyberattacks, with resilience. These shocks are disruptive and require immediate, often large-scale responses to minimize damage and restore functionality. The focus of resilience strategies, therefore, is on preparedness and the ability to respond quickly, especially in cities vulnerable to geophysical hazards like earthquakes or hurricanes. This aligns with a disaster risk reduction approach that seeks to strengthen infrastructure and protect vulnerable populations from sudden crises.

Conversely, sustainability challenges were tied to long-term stresses like climate change, economic inequality, and social cohesion. Cities facing these issues typically prioritize policies and strategies that promote equitable development, environmental stewardship, and social inclusion. Climate change, in particular, emerged as a dominant concern, especially in higher-income cities. This reflects the growing global emphasis on reducing carbon emissions, enhancing green infrastructure, and preparing for the long-term impacts of environmental degradation. Sustainability-focused strategies tend to aim for systemic change over time, with a focus on reducing disparities and promoting resource efficiency.

Certain challenges, such as infrastructure failure and inadequate health systems, straddle both resilience and sustainability dimensions. These “latent” challenges can transition from chronic stresses to acute crises, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, which exposed vulnerabilities in urban health systems. Geographic and economic variations challenge perception, with cities in North America and Europe emphasizing sustainability concerns, while cities in Africa and Central America focused more on resilience. Addressing both resilience and sustainability requires context-specific strategies that consider regional risks and socio-economic conditions.

Understanding the relationship between urban resilience and sustainability is crucial. While the two concepts have distinct focuses, they also intersect in crucial areas like safety and inclusiveness. Urban safety involves ensuring that cities can withstand both sudden shocks and long-term stresses, while inclusiveness addresses the need to provide opportunities for all citizens, particularly the vulnerable. With integrating resilience and sustainability in urban agendas, cities can thrive amidst future challenges.

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What was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Do you have any follow up question? Let me know on Twitter at WTF4Cities or on the wtf4cities.com website where the transcripts and show notes are available! Additionally, I will highly appreciate if you consider subscribing to the podcast or on the website. I hope this was an interesting paper for you as well, and thanks for tuning in!

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Finally, as the most important things, I would like to highlight 3 aspects:

1. Urban resilience focuses on immediate responses to shocks, while sustainability prioritizes long-term well-being and equity.
2. The concepts of resilience and sustainability overlap in areas like safety and inclusiveness, which are crucial for resilient, sustainable cities.
3. Global urban agendas must be adaptable to regional challenges, as different cities face varied combinations of shocks and stresses.

Additionally, it would be great to talk about the following questions:

1. How can cities better integrate responses to both chronic stresses, like climate change, and acute shocks, such as natural disasters, into their urban planning strategies?
2. How can cities balance the immediate need for resilience with long-term sustainability goals, especially when resources are limited?
3. What innovative solutions or partnerships can you initiate or support to help your city address its most pressing resilience and sustainability challenges today?

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