Financing the Resilient City

Material Information

Title:
Financing the Resilient City a demand driven approach to development, disaster risk reduction, and climate adaptation
Creator:
Brugmann, Jeb
Disaster Risk Reduction Program, Florida International University (DRR/FIU) ( summary contributor )
Publisher:
ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability
Publication Date:
Copyright Date:
2011
Language:
English

Subjects

Subjects / Keywords:
Urban development ( lcshac )
Climate change ( lcshac )
Genre:
non-fiction ( marcgt )

Notes

Summary:
This report presents a conceptual framework for integrating climate adaptation and other risk reduction measures into urban planning, with resilience understood within the context of economic performance. While traditionally emphasis has been focused on top-down adaptation financing, the document calls for more locally responsive strategies. According to the report, cities invariably face the brunt of climate change adaptation costs, which the World Bank estimates at 80 percent of an expected US$80-100 billion per year. In the meantime, trillions of dollars are invested in urban fixed assets every year, often without proper application of disaster risk reduction (DRR) principles, thus increasing systemic risk. These investments are likely to be 300 times greater than those available for adaptation, meaning that funds allocated for adaptation will likely have a negligible impact if not leveraged for a fundamental shift away from traditional supply-driven strategies of international development assistance. The demand-driven strategy advocated moves away from the single-purpose project approach based on narrow risk reduction objectives, towards a broader focus on increasing overall resilience and economic performance of urban areas, creating a market driven incentive for adaptation investment. This means understanding that much of urban risk is related to where cities are located, how they are designed and constructed, and the way services are provided in urban settings. In resilience upgrading, different types of risk are not treated independently, but as part of a complex and interacting whole. Emphasis is placed on increasing the ability of an urban area to provide predictable performance in terms of economic utility and quality of services in the face of various potential shocks. The author contends that in order to generate incentives for the private sector to invest in reducing risks, a number of reforms must be made. First, resources must be focused on integrating DRR and adaptation into local, sub-national, and national approval requirements for new urban construction and infrastructure investments. Also, innovation must begin with existing adaptation funds so that these limited amounts are leveraged in ways that will increase resilience and thus attract greater private financing. This means aligning adaptation with other agendas such as slum upgrading, green building, urban re-generation, and urban development more generally so as to improve the general conditions and performance of urban areas. ( English )
Subject:
Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction ( English )
Citation/Reference:
Brugmann, J. (2011). Financing the resilient city: a demand driven approach to development, disaster risk reduction, and climate adaptation. Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI).

Record Information

Source Institution:
Florida International University
Rights Management:
Refer to main document/publisher for use rights.
Resource Identifier:
FI13042185

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