Resources

Summary

This policy brief explores challenges faced in urban disaster resilience. The world’s population passed eight billion in late 2022, with much of the increase concentrated in ever-expanding urban areas, where more than 80 percent of global GDP is generated.

The policy brief offers an integrated, inclusive framework for resilient urban development, driven by policy, planning, governance, and financing. National policies should empower local authorities for risk-informed, sustainable development. Investment in preventive measures, like the Early Warning for All, safeguards citizens’ lives and well-being. Clearer metrics, public-private partnerships, and regulatory frameworks ensure resilient local infrastructure. Technology, accessible to least-developed and small island states, supports data analysis and risk management. Initiatives like Making Cities Resilient 2030 facilitate peer learning, tackle urban disaster challenges, and secure support from partners, including the private sector, promoting urban resilience.