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SHAPING THE FUTURE HOW CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS CAN POWER HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

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the poor, the risks are even greater, as many are<br />

forced to settle in areas with the least protection<br />

from flooding and other dangers. With limited<br />

savings or coverage by social safety nets, they<br />

may be unable to recover from a disaster, which<br />

can perpetuate the cycle of poverty and limit<br />

human development across generations.<br />

In 2011, 70 percent of Asia-Pacific cities<br />

with more than 750,000 people were considered<br />

at high risk of natural disaster. This translates<br />

into 562 million vulnerable people—a number<br />

that will undoubtedly grow. Across the region,<br />

73 cities are deemed particularly vulnerable,<br />

being at high risk of at least two different natural<br />

hazards. 40 These include Tokyo (cyclones and<br />

floods), Shanghai (cyclones and floods) and<br />

Kolkata (droughts and flood). Manila is one of<br />

the most vulnerable cities; already home to 12<br />

million people, it is in danger of being hit by<br />

cyclones, earthquakes and floods.<br />

FIGURE 5.17:<br />

Cities tend to generate more solid waste than<br />

rural areas<br />

BOX 5.3:<br />

Effective planning can reduce urban<br />

vulnerabilities<br />

Coastal cities and urban areas in Asia-Pacific,<br />

especially those with dense populations in<br />

slums, are highly vulnerable to natural disasters,<br />

with the risks expected to increase dramatically<br />

through climate change. In the last few years,<br />

urban flooding has affected millions of people<br />

in Bangkok (2011), Chennai (2015), Dhaka<br />

(2015), Jakarta (2013), Karachi (2009) and<br />

Manila (2012). In Dhaka, 30 percent of people<br />

live in slums near water edges that make them<br />

more vulnerable to coastal flooding. In Jakarta,<br />

40 percent of the land is below sea level, leaving<br />

the city highly vulnerable to flash floods during<br />

rainy seasons. A number of Asia-Pacific cities<br />

are susceptible to earthquakes, particularly<br />

where city structures do not comply with adequate<br />

building codes, as was observed in the<br />

fatal 2015 earthquake in Kathmandu.<br />

Better city planning, early warning systems and<br />

effective urban governance can help reduce the<br />

risks and impacts of natural disasters. Understanding<br />

and communicating risk, reducing risk<br />

and managing risk are three key elements that<br />

countries in the region need to look into as part<br />

of sustainable urban development planning. In<br />

particular, greater attention need to go towards<br />

building resilience and ensuring city development<br />

adapts to climate shocks.<br />

Many urban areas<br />

are highly vulnerable<br />

to natural disasters<br />

Source: Waste Atlas 2015.<br />

DISASTERS IN ASIA-PACIFIC: 2005-2014<br />

1,300+<br />

Events<br />

331,000+<br />

People killed<br />

1.4 billion+<br />

People affected<br />

$429 billion<br />

Total damage<br />

Source: UNDP 2015b, The Guardian 2010.<br />

167

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