Making Cities Resilient Report 2012

CONCLUSIONS OF THE REPORT
Many of these tools are well known, yet implementation of integrated approaches remains limited. The
potential value of resilient development, in both public and private sector, is unlikely to be realised without
the full engagement of development planners and their instruments. Where national policies lag behind,
local commitment to improved planning and targeted engagement with the private sector and other
development partners can provide powerful stimulus.
Moreover, disaster risk reduction can be integrated into a city’s day-to-day operations. The Mayor’s Task
Force on Urban Poverty and Climate Change Adaptation hosted by the World Bank, for instance, built a
strong case for cities to focus on basic municipal operations, such as solid waste collection and clearing of
drainage systems as a direct measure for reducing flood risk in cities such as Dar es Salaam and Jakarta.
Leverage the Campaign and other global and regional initiatives
The local governments analysed for this report all aspire to create safer places to live and work. Realising
this aspiration requires strong political will and accountability in governance. It also requires urban planning
and implementation mechanisms that reflect the needs of people, including the most vulnerable. Cities
must be able to count on financial support and be able to sustain disaster risk policies, beyond frequently
revolving political administrations.
Looking towards 2015, the Campaign will continue to raise awareness of the principles for making cities
more resilient. In addition to targeting a greater number of cities and councils, the Campaign will promote
city-to city learning and capacity building, and will document demonstrable advances in reducing disaster
risk. The core objectives over the next two years are to strengthen local leadership and ownership of the
resilient cities agenda and to encourage standardised approaches to resilience that reflect cities’ shared
values and innovations.
A number of associated, ongoing global initiatives provide influential mechanisms for making cities
resilient. ICLEI’s annual Resilient Cities Conference in Bonn, the UN Framework Convention on Climate
Change, UN-Habitat’s World Urban Campaign and Urban Resilience Indexing Programme, UCLG’s agenda
to promote decentralization and their 2030 Manifesto are just a few of the mechanisms where cities can
advance this agenda and where the Making Cities Resilient Campaign will remain engaged.
Finally, active participation and leadership of city and local government levels is vital for articulating the
post-2015 global development agenda and the post-2015 Hyogo Framework for Action. Engagement in
global processes can be instrumental in linking national and local partners in the common pursuit of
resilience. These processes will remain a top priority for the Campaign partners and UNISDR.
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