scholarly journals Resilient Cities

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abhilash Panda ◽  
Dilanthi Amaratunga
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Population ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Urban Resilience ◽  
Coping Capacity ◽  
Reduction Strategies ◽  
Nations Department ◽  
Risk Reduction Strategies ◽  
First Time

In 1990, 43% (2.3 billion) of the world’s population lived in urban areas, and by 2014 this percentage was at 54%. The urban population exceeded the rural population for the first time in 2008, and by 2050 it is predicted that urbanization will rise to 70% (see Albrito, “Making cities resilient: Increasing resilience to disasters at the local level,” Journal of Business Continuity & Emergency Planning, 2012). However, this increase in urban population has not been evenly spread throughout the world. As the urban population increases, the land area occupied by cities has increased at an even higher rate. It has been projected that by 2030, the urban population of developing countries will double, while the area covered by cities will triple (see United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, “World Urbanization Prospects: The 2014 Revision”). This emphasizes the need for resilience in the urban environment to anticipate and respond to disasters. Realizing this need, many local and international organizations have developed tools and frameworks to assist governments to plan and implement disaster risk reduction strategies efficiently. Sendai Framework’s Priorities for Action, Making Cities Resilient: My City is Getting Ready, and UNISDR’s Disaster Resilience Scorecard for Cities are major documents that provide essential guidelines for urban resilience. Given that, the disaster governance also needs to be efficient with ground-level participation for the implementation of these frameworks. This can be reinforced by adequate financing and resources depending on the exposure and risk of disasters. In essence, the resilience of a city is the resistance, coping capacity, recovery, adaptive capacity, and responsibility of everyone.

scholarly journals Governance of disaster risk reduction in Cameroon: The need to empower local government

2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Henry N. Bang
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Research Policy ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Reduction Strategies ◽  
Risk Reduction Strategies ◽  
The Impact

The impact of natural hazards and/or disasters in Cameroon continues to hit local communities hardest, but local government lacks the ability to manage disaster risks adequately. This is partly due to the fact that the necessity to mainstream disaster risk reduction into local governance and development practices is not yet an underlying principle of Cameroon’s disaster management framework. Using empirical and secondary data, this paper analyses the governance of disaster risks in Cameroon with particular focus on the challenges local government faces in implementing disaster risk reduction strategies. The hypothesis is that the governance of disaster risks is too centralised at the national level, with huge implications for the effective governance of disaster risks at the local level. Although Cameroon has reinvigorated efforts to address growing disaster risks in a proactive way, it is argued that the practical actions are more reactive than proactive in nature. The overall aim is to explore the challenges and opportunities that local government has in the governance of disaster risks. Based on the findings from this research, policy recommendations are suggested on ways to mainstream disaster risk reduction strategies into local governance, and advance understanding and practice in the local governance of disaster risks in the country.

scholarly journals Building Resilience to Natural Hazards at a Local Level in Germany—Research Note on Dealing with Tensions at the Interface of Science and Practice

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (22) ◽  
pp. 12459
Author(s):  
Gérard Hutter ◽  
Alfred Olfert ◽  
Marco Neubert ◽  
Regine Ortlepp
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Knowledge Integration ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Research Note ◽  
Urban Resilience ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Core Element ◽  
Building Resilience ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Extreme Flood

Building resilience is a core element of urban resilience that refers to both the (1) intended physical change of the building stock and the related blue, green, and grey infrastructure, as well as (2) the social process of increasing resilience through the goal-driven cooperation of scientists and practitioners. Building resilience at the interface of science and practice is characterized by tensions and a range of approaches to dealing with tensions. To specify this proposition, this research note adopts a strategic spatial planning perspective and introduces the typology of “motors of change” from organizational and management research. We focus on a goal-driven motor of change (“teleology”) and highlight three approaches to dealing with tensions: developing a strategic focus of knowledge integration, setting priorities to enhance resilience as a pro-active ability of disaster risk reduction (DRR), and compromising in the management of trade-offs, such as those between the scales of resilience. For the purpose of illustration, this research note refers to examples of building resilience at a local level in Germany, dealing with heat stress in urban areas, managing the risk of extreme flood events, and analyzing the resilience of innovative infrastructure solutions.

Fire Risk in Informal Settlements: A South African Case Study

2006 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 98-105
Author(s):  
James Morrissey ◽  
Anna Taylor
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Informal Settlement ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Fire Risk ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Reduction Strategies ◽  
Risk Reduction Strategies ◽  
Urban Risk

With the increased concentration of populations in urban areas and the consequent occupation of marginal land, largely by the poor, the need for effective means of understanding and managing urban risk is immense. This paper explores the existence and variability of fire risk in the informal settlement of “Imizamo Yethu”, an informal settlement situated in Cape Town, South Africa. The case study mainly analyses the factors influencing the conditions of risk. It highlights the need for a shift away from the hegemonic dialogue around so-called natural disasters and goes further to challenge the view of risk as an interaction between external, natural hazards and internally generated vulnerability. The paper explores how different factors affecting fire risk operate at different scales and the resulting importance of recognising and understanding intra-community and even intra-household variability of risk. In so doing, it becomes evident that for risk reduction strategies to be effective, focus cannot simply be placed on structural interventions, but must encompass elements of social development which are sensitive to current livelihood strategies.

scholarly journals Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture as a Tool for Food Security and Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation: The Case of Mestre

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 5999
Author(s):  
Giulia Lucertini ◽  
Gianmarco Di Giustino
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Urban Agriculture ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Urban Resilience ◽  
Mitigation And Adaptation ◽  
Impact Reduction ◽  
Change Mitigation

Urban and peri-urban areas are subject to major societal challenges, like food security, climate change, biodiversity, resource efficiency, land management, social cohesion, and economic growth. In that context, Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture (UPA), thanks to its multifunctionality, could have a high value in providing social, economic, and environmental co-benefits. UPA is an emerging field of research and production that aims to improve food security and climate change impact reduction, improving urban resilience and sustainability. In this paper, a replicable GIS-based approach was used to localize and quantify available areas for agriculture, including both flat rooftop and ground-level areas in the mainland of the city of Venice (Italy). Then, possible horticultural yield production was estimated considering common UPA yield value and average Italian consumption. Climate change mitigation, like CO2 reduction and sequestration, and climate change adaptation, like Urban Flooding and Urban Heat Island reduction, due to the new UPA areas’ development were estimated. Despite the urban density, the identified areas have the potential to produce enough vegetables for the residents and improve climate change mitigation and adaptation, if transformed into agricultural areas. Finally, the paper concludes with a reflection on the co-benefits of UPA multifunctionality, and with some policy suggestions.

scholarly journals Air Inequality: Global Divergence in Urban Fine Particulate Matter Trends

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Apte ◽  
Sarah Seraj ◽  
Sarah Chambliss ◽  
Melanie Hammer ◽  
Veronica Southerland ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Population ◽  
Fine Particulate Matter ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
World Health ◽  
Global Environmental ◽  
Key Policy ◽  
Health Organization

<p>Fine particle air pollution (PM<sub>2.5</sub>) is the largest global environmental risk factor for ill-health and is implicated in >7% of all human deaths. Improved air quality is a key policy goal for cities, yet in-situ PM<sub>2.5</sub> measurements are missing for >50% of the world’s urban population. Here, we apply satellite remote sensing to develop a 21-year time series of ground-level PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations for the 4231 urban areas with populations >100,000 (2.9 billion people) from 1998 -2018. Globally, we find the most polluted cities are generally small (<1 million population) and lack PM<sub>2.5 </sub>monitors. Since 1998, we observe a growing divide in urban air quality between cities in lower and higher-income regions, with the PM<sub>2.5</sub> disparity increasing by >50% (from 25 to 39 µg m<sup>-3</sup>) between the highest- and lowest income quartiles of world cities. Within Asia, a sharp divergence is underway, with sustained PM<sub>2.5</sub> increases in South Asian cities (+48%) contrasted against dramatic improvements in Chinese cities (-40% since 2011). While 85% of the world’s urban population experiences PM<sub>2.5</sub> higher than World Health Organization guidelines, urban PM<sub>2.5</sub><sup> </sup>concentrations are tightly linked to regional conditions, suggesting that city-level efforts alone may be insufficient to address this major health threat.<b></b></p>

scholarly journals Air Inequality: Global Divergence in Urban Fine Particulate Matter Trends

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Apte ◽  
Sarah Seraj ◽  
Sarah Chambliss ◽  
Melanie Hammer ◽  
Veronica Southerland ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Population ◽  
Fine Particulate Matter ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
World Health ◽  
Global Environmental ◽  
Key Policy ◽  
Health Organization

<p>Fine particle air pollution (PM<sub>2.5</sub>) is the largest global environmental risk factor for ill-health and is implicated in >7% of all human deaths. Improved air quality is a key policy goal for cities, yet in-situ PM<sub>2.5</sub> measurements are missing for >50% of the world’s urban population. Here, we apply satellite remote sensing to develop a 21-year time series of ground-level PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations for the 4231 urban areas with populations >100,000 (2.9 billion people) from 1998 -2018. Globally, we find the most polluted cities are generally small (<1 million population) and lack PM<sub>2.5 </sub>monitors. Since 1998, we observe a growing divide in urban air quality between cities in lower and higher-income regions, with the PM<sub>2.5</sub> disparity increasing by >50% (from 25 to 39 µg m<sup>-3</sup>) between the highest- and lowest income quartiles of world cities. Within Asia, a sharp divergence is underway, with sustained PM<sub>2.5</sub> increases in South Asian cities (+48%) contrasted against dramatic improvements in Chinese cities (-40% since 2011). While 85% of the world’s urban population experiences PM<sub>2.5</sub> higher than World Health Organization guidelines, urban PM<sub>2.5</sub><sup> </sup>concentrations are tightly linked to regional conditions, suggesting that city-level efforts alone may be insufficient to address this major health threat.<b></b></p>

scholarly journals Prevention and Harm Reduction Interventions for Adult Gambling at the Local Level: An Umbrella Review of Empirical Evidence

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (18) ◽  
pp. 9484
Author(s):  
Veronica Velasco ◽  
Paola Scattola ◽  
Laura Gavazzeni ◽  
Lara Marchesi ◽  
Ioana Elena Nita ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Harm Reduction ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Umbrella Review ◽  
Contextual Risk ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Prisma Statement ◽  
Reduction Strategies ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Risk Reduction Strategies

Concerns about negative consequences of gambling diffusion are increasing. Prevention and harm reduction strategies play a crucial role in reducing gambling supply and harms. This study aims to conduct an umbrella review of the effectiveness of gambling preventive and harm reduction strategies, which can be implemented at a local level and targeted at adults. It was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Sixteen reviews were analyzed, and 20 strategies were selected and classified in 4 areas with different targets and aims. Reducing the supply of gambling is an effective strategy both for the general population and for risky or problematic gamblers. Demand reduction interventions have been found to have limited effects but most of them are mainly focused on knowledge about risks and odds ratios. Risk reduction strategies aim to reduce contextual risk factors of the area where gambling is provided, change the gambling locations’ features, and modify individual behaviors while gambling. Smoking and alcohol bans or restrictions are considered one of the most effective strategies. Finally, harm reduction strategies targeted at problematic gamblers are potentially effective. Some relevant implementation conditions are identified and the results show inconsistent effects across different targets.

The Role of Revascularisation in Patients Undergoing Non-cardiac Surgery

2010 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 104
Author(s):  
Daniel S Menees ◽  
Eric R Bates ◽  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Surgery ◽  
Prediction Models ◽  
Cardiovascular Complications ◽  
Weight Of Evidence ◽  
Beta Blockade ◽  
Cardiac Morbidity ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Reduction Strategies ◽  
Artery Disease ◽  
Risk Reduction Strategies

Coronary artery disease (CAD) affects millions of US citizens. As the population ages, an increasing number of people with CAD are undergoing non-cardiac surgery and face significant peri-operative cardiac morbidity and mortality. Risk-prediction models can be used to help identify those patients at increased risk of peri-operative cardiovascular complications. Risk-reduction strategies utilising pharmacotherapy with beta blockade and statins have shown the most promise. Importantly, the benefit of prophylactic coronary revascularisation has not been demonstrated. The weight of evidence suggests reserving either percutaneous or surgical revascularisation in the pre-operative setting for those patients who would otherwise meet independent revascularisation criteria.

Considerations on Ambient Levels of Ozone Concentrations and Relationship with NOx in an Urban Environment

2017 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 824-829
Author(s):  
Cornel Ianache ◽  
Laurentiu Predescu ◽  
Mirela Predescu ◽  
Dumitru Dumitru
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Oxides ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Road Traffic ◽  
Temporal Distribution ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Distinct Pattern ◽  
Weekend Effect ◽  
Monitoring Site ◽  
Ground Level Ozone ◽  
Ozone Concentrations

The serious air pollution problem has determined public concerns, worldwide. One of the main challenges for countries all over the world is caused by the elevated levels of ground-level ozone (O3) concentrations and its anthropogenic precursors. Ploiesti city, as one of the major urban area of Romania, is facing the same situation. This research aims to investigate spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of O3 in relationship with nitrogen oxides (NOx) using statistical analysis methods. Hourly O3 and NOx measurements were collected during 2014 year in Ploiesti. The results obtained showed that the ozone spatial distribution was non-normal for each month in 2014. The diurnal cycle of ground-level ozone concentrations showed a mid-day peak, while NOx diurnal variations presented 2 daily peaks, one in the morning (7:00 a.m.) and one in the afternoon (between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m.). In addition, it was observed a distinct pattern of weekly variations for O3 and NOx. Like in many other urban areas, the results indicated the presence of the �ozone weekend effect� in Ploiesti during the 2014 year, ozone concentrations being slightly higher on weekends compared to weekdays. For the same monitoring site, the nitrogen oxides were less prevalent on Saturdays and Sundays, probably due to reducing of road traffic and other pollution-generating activities on weekends than during the week.

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