Although well advanced on this path of thinking, evidence suggests that Barcelona is not the only city taking this route. Sanjaya Bhatia, speaking on behalf of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) said: “When we talk about resilience, reducing disaster risk is a key component. Many mayors are now asking how they can include resilience in their work.”

Among the speakers, there was a distinct focus on urban resilience, with the recognition that our growing planet is increasingly urban.

Lars Gronvald, Head of Cities Section at the European Commission DEVCO, emphasised that cities are not only where the impacts of disasters are felt.

“Cities are where we can find many solutions,” said Mr Gronvald. “Advancing advocacy, tools and data – this is the foundation of the work that needs to be done.”

Barcelona Resilience Week, hosted by Barcelona City Council and UN-Habitat, continues with a programme of debates and site visits and merges with the Smart Cities World Expo.

Date:

14 Nov 2018

Sources:

United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR)

Themes:

Capacity Development, Advocacy & Media, Urban Risk & Planning

Regions:

Europe