WHAT IS CITIES FOR A RESILIENT RECOVERY?

Cities for a Resilient Recovery (C2R) is a coalition of cities and resilience practitioners committed to taking leadership, to embedding resilience in recovery, and to supporting each other through the recovery planning process by sharing knowledge, providing subject matter expertise, and facilitating both individual and collective action.

Leveraging the Network’s core strengths (CRO community, holistic urban resilience thinking, broad partnerships, data-driven approaches), the Global Resilient Cities Network and its community of Chief Resilience Officers have launched an open, participatory, and collaborative platform where cities (within and outside of the Network) can exchange knowledge and learning, take stock of the current situation, and identify key actions and initiatives to address the impacts of the crisis and further future-proof their systems in the face of global challenges.

HOW WILL CITIES FOR A RESILIENT RECOVERY WORK?

The Cities for a Resilient Recovery platform is based on three pillars:

More specifically:

1 - Real time knowledge exchange between practitioners in cities. In collaboration with The World Bank and the University of Manchester organize:

• A global community of practice of cities committed to embedding resilience in their recovery planning.

• The Coronavirus Speaker Series: Sharing Knowledge to Respond with Resilience, a weekly knowledge sharing online session for the broader urban community.

• Dedicated weekly briefings (newsletter and online sessions) for urban practitioners working on recovery planning that bring together international lessons and examples on recovery from Covid-19.

• Monthly practice and technical notes on specific themes that support project development.

2 - Data-driven and system thinking approaches that support cities to understand and prioritize the necessary actions and policies to build their future. Together with the community of Chief Resilience Officers co-design and identify a Toolkit for Resilient Recovery, with suitable methodologies and tools to plan a resilient recovery that can support the different stages within the crisis recovery process.

3 - Rally resources and expertise from international organizations, private and non-profit sectors and align them based on city demand for specific priority themes that improve the lives of the most vulnerable urban communities and urban systems that have been impacted by Covid-19. Based on evidence collected to date, initial priority themes will include:

• Community development and economic resilience: GRCN is initiating a Resilient Community Impact Fund to be put towards funding prioritized resilience projects focusing on equity building.

• Waste management and circular economy: strengthening urban sanitation systems and protecting workers in the face of Covid-19, while planning for recovery to advance the circular economy.

• Urban finance and local economies: support cities in strengthening their local SME ecosystems that have been impacted through Covid-19.

• Climate resilience: strengthen cities’ efforts to simultaneously protect vulnerable communities from climate and health threats, including urban heat and cascading crises (e.g. hurricane/typhoon and pandemic preparedness).

WHY CITIES FOR A RESILIENT RECOVERY?

While cities are responding to and managing the current pandemic, many have already started preparing and thinking about what comes after, emphasizing the need to “build back better together” and create a pathway towards a green and resilient recovery; the call for a more resilient recoveryis loud and clear.

But how can cities integrate a strong resilience-based approach in their recovery planning that helps make our society and economy more robust and resilient in the face of the current pandemic, the recession, and the global climate emergency in the years ahead?

For the last six years, cities of the Global Resilient Cities Network have been working to integrate resilience thinking into their day-to-day city operations through the appointments of Chief Resilience Officers and the development of resilience plans. A capacity and knowledge they are now utilizing and building upon, as Chief Resilience Officers are taking an active role in their cities’ efforts to fight Covid-19 and are particularly involved in the recovery phase.

Cities are fighting the pandemic against the backdrop of multiple existing shocks and stresses and emerging vulnerabilities while striving to put equity, economy, and climate action at the center of their approaches. To address the lack of data, funding, and municipal capacity, cities across the Global Resilient Cities Network have articulated demand for strengthening collective knowledge sharing, support in their recovery planning through place-based and people-centered methods, and access to international partnersto provide support in priority themes.

JOINING THE COALITION

The coalition of Cities for a Resilient Recovery is an initiative driven by the member cities and Chief Resilience Officers of the Global Resilient Cities Network and open to all local authorities across the globe. This pandemic has reinforced the importance of solidarity, collaboration and mutual support. It is time to come together and join forces to overcome this huge challenge ahead of us. We are leveraging our extensive network of cities and partners to widen the discussion and welcome new ideas to co-create a resilient future.

Cities that want to join the coalition of Cities for a Resilient Recovery commit to the following:

• Active support of the coalition through strong commitment from the Chief Resilience Officers (in case of non-GRCN members, commitment needs to come from the city’s senior leadership) in resilient recovery planning.

• Share knowledge and learning with other cities in the coalition.

• Advocate for resilient recovery.