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Cities at Risk

Much of Asia’s rapid population and economic growth is occurring in large coastal cities that are at high risk from sea level rise and climate change.  Asia’s densely populated deltas and mega-deltas and other low-lying coastal urban areas are among those described in the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report as “key societal hotspots of coastal vulnerability” with many millions of people potentially affected.

With the increase in population in coastal areas, there is an increased potential for loss of life and property.  In recent years, there have been many incidences of severe flooding particularly when high tides were combined with storm surges and high river flows.  The risks posed by climate change to Asia’s coastal population will persist, despite any greenhouse gas stabilization.  Future sea level rise and climate change are unavoidable as a result of existing high atmospheric CO2 levels and projected growth in population and infrastructure.

Physical risks and vulnerabilities in these regions are often accompanied by a deficit of adaptive capacity (i.e., the ability to cope with the risk and vulnerabilities posed by climate change) as the cities generally lack necessary resources – financial, human, and institutional – as well as access to relevant scientific information. Despite the urgent threats posed by the combination of sea level rise and climate change, local governments and the international development community have not as yet seriously considered the implications of climate change and sea level rise on rapidly growing coastal populations and infrastructure. This argues for urgent attention to risk and vulnerability assessment, awareness raising, and integration of science into planning and policy for the potentially affected areas.

The Cities at Risk workshop was held 26-28 February 2009 in Bangkok, Thailand. The workshop brought together nearly 80 scientists, urban planners and officials, and representatives of disaster management and development agencies to review scientific findings and projections regarding climate-related risks (e.g., sea level rise, extreme climate events, intensification of storms and storm surges) for Asia’s coastal megacities. Participants examined potential vulnerabilities and current coping mechanisms in the cities and then discussed actions, in both the short and long term, that would enhance the capacity of cities to manage the risks and vulnerabilities posed by climate change.

Workshop discussion investigated possible planning and governance mechanisms that would better integrate science information, planning, development, and disaster management. Participants also considered means for improving networking and communication among urban planners/officials and the scientific community in order to enhance urban resilience and adaptive capacity.

Workshop discussions generated the following take home messages:

1. Recognize the urgent need to address the disconnect between the geographic and time scales at which the scientific and planning / policy communities are working.

2. Encourage the urban planning community to take a comprehensive view of climate risks, including variability.

3. Recognize and promote the importance of identifying an entrepreneur” in urban governments to help make climate change a priority.

4. Acknowledge knowledge gaps and invest in learning strategies.

5. Move from the traditional top-down impacts modelling approach to a critical threshold approach.

6. Communicate science, and vulnerability in particular, more effectively.

7. Urgently build capacity for individual and institutional participation in responding to climate change in Asia’s coastal megacities.

8. Understand that effective governance at the systemic level is essential in mainstreaming adaptation strategies.

At the conclusion of the February workshop, participants identified city-specific visioning / storyline activities as immediate, practical Cities at Risk follow-up activities that could be organized and implemented within the next several months. Several interested partners collaborated to facilitate “Training of Trainers” and adaptation visioning exercises in Bangkok, Thailand in June 2009, which engaged participants from the City of Bangkok and Governor’s offices in activities aimed at mainstreaming climate change considerations into city development planning and policy. Cities at Risk participants also recommended facilitation of additional capacity building workshops and a Cities at Risk II as critical follow-on activities.

The Cities at Risk workshop was organized by:

Collaborators included:

Local workshop host was:

  • The START Southeast Asia Regional Research Center at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand (www.start.or.th)

The workshop was funded by:

For more information about the workshop and/or follow-on activities, contact Clark Seipt, cseipt@start.org

Last Updated on August 24th, 2010

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