Disaster and Climate Resilient Cities in the Global South

Various studies of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have been reporting that global warming is reaching to a point of irreversibility. Changing pattern of extreme weather events with increasing magnitude and frequency are going to be the greatest challenge of the 21st century. Cities across the world are already showing vulnerabilities to climate change and extreme weather events. Global south is the most rapidly urbanizing part of the world with more than 75% of the world’s urban population residing in this region. UNO has warned that rapid urbanization in global south could expose billions of people to the impacts of global warming, climate change and increasing incidences of climate induced hazards and disasters. Impact of climate change and associated hazards has become important to identify appropriate strategies, improved communications, and relevant management options derived from appropriate scientific tools, techniques and methodological investigations. Urban Climate adaptation and mitigation are crucial for dealing with climate-related extreme events on a worldwide scale to achieve the sustainable development goals of disaster resilient towns and cities. Cities in the Global South are more exposed to such risks because of their sprawling unplanned urban development, lack of adaptive capacity and socio-economic vulnerability.