Climate Change, Disaster Risk, and the Urban Poor (World Bank)

A new World Bank report, Climate Change, Disaster Risk, and the Urban Poor: Cities Building Resilience for a Changing World, examines the linkages between climate change, disaster risk, and the urban poor. 

It highlights four key messages:

- The urban poor are on the front line. The poor are particularly vulnerable to climate change and natural hazards due to where they live within cities and the lack of reliable basic services.

- City governments are the drivers for addressing risks through ensuring basic services. Local governments play a vital role in financing and managing basic infrastructure and service delivery for all urban residents. Basic services are the first line of defense against the impacts of climate change and natural hazards.

- City officials build resilience by mainstreaming risk reduction into urban management. Climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction can be best addressed and sustained over time through integration with existing urban planning and management practices. Good practice examples exist and can be replicated in cities around the world.

- Significant financial support is needed. Local governments need to leverage existing and new resources to meet the shortfalls in service delivery and basic infrastructure adaptation.

The study, which was supported by the Cities Alliance, was launched at the C40 summit of mayors in São Paulo, Brazil in June 2011.