Sustainable Urban Expansion to Make Climate-Resilient Cities: The 21st Century Challenge

Abstract

The urbanization process is increasing globally, with over half of the world’s population living in cities. Anthropogenic climate change is one of greatest environmental, social and economic threats. Climate change will have inevitable impacts on urban systems and populations, particularly in developing countries, where cities are growing rapidly and a high proportion of urban populations are vulnerable to climate-related disturbances. Therefore, sustainable urbanization and planning are crucial preventative tools and provide solutions to avoid or mitigate potential environmental dangers. With the increasing frequency and severity of environmental hazards such as heat, drought, and precipitation, urban design strategies, preventing sprawl patterns of cities’ expansion will play an important role in reducing vulnerability, promoting health, and building resilience. Adaptation and mitigation measures can diminish the risks associated with climate change. Cities of tomorrow must become resilient to a wider range of dangers and pressures as to effectively cope with climate change. Therefore, the efforts to strengthen resilience and to promote urban sustainability must be included in the planning process. This will require a long-term collaborative effort to increase knowledge and awareness about resilient city planning and design.