Enhancing Capacities for Building Climate and Disaster-Resilient Cities in Asia: Case Study of Cebu, Philippines and Nonthaburi, Thailand

Abstract

Enhancing capacity for building resilient cities is a growing concern among policy makers and international communities to minimize the impacts of climate change and natural disasters. The UN Conference on Sustainable Development 2012 and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015– 2030) called for urgent need in building resilient cities to face climate change and associated disasters. For that, city governments need to be aware of current and future potential risks and prepare in order to enhance the resilience of the urban systems and communities. Drawing on the experience of Cebu and Nonthaburi, this chapter aims to examine how developing cities can effectively plan and take specific measures to enhance resilient communities. First, it gives an overview of the recent evolution of theoretical and conceptual issues related to resilience in development practice. Based on these analyses, a conceptual framework that involved four key elements (context, disturbance, assets, and capacity to deal with disturbance, and reaction to disturbance) was developed to understand key factors influencing vulnerability and enhancing resilience of communities. Relevant information was gathered by literature review, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions with relevant stakeholders. The study findings suggested that resilience is a process rather than a static state, and as such, building resilience cities to deal with disturbance requires improving three distinct but interrelated capacities (absorptive, adaptive, and transformative), which are mutually reinforcing and exist at multiple levels. In planning and carrying out measures for achieving resilience, emphasis was given to the actions on disaster risk reduction (DRR), social protection, natural resource management, and management of public goods and services. For the effective implementation, city government need to enhance the potential for science-based policy making, effective leadership, efficient financing, multi-sector partnership, land use planning, and citizen participation. © Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020.