Slow cities face rapid change
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Experts have assessed cities’ resilience to serious and growing threats.
Coastal cities worldwide are lagging in their efforts to adapt to the escalating impacts of climate change, according to a comprehensive analysis of climate adaptation strategies in nearly 200 cities across the globe.
The study, which reviewed 183 research papers covering cities in high-income countries, as well as those in lower-income regions, reveals a concerning trend: most cities are primarily responding to past and present climate threats, rather than proactively planning for future risks.
Researchers noted that adaptation measures in coastal cities are often reactionary, focusing on issues like sea level rise, flooding, storm surges, and coastal erosion.
These strategies, while important, may leave cities vulnerable to future climate risks if they do not evolve to consider long-term changes such as urban growth and socio-economic shifts.
The study highlights a significant disparity in how cities in different income brackets approach climate adaptation.
In wealthier countries, governments tend to implement large-scale infrastructure projects like dikes or make comprehensive adjustments in urban planning.
These approaches often involve significant financial and technical resources, aiming to protect entire urban areas from climate impacts.
In contrast, cities in lower-middle-income countries frequently rely on household-level adaptations.
These include raising individual homes or fostering community support networks to cope with flooding, as governments in these regions may lack the resources or institutional capacity to implement broader, city-wide initiatives.
One critical finding of the research is the scarcity of data on adaptation strategies in low- and middle-income countries.
Researchers point out that many cities in Africa, Asia, and Central and South America, which are likely to experience severe climate impacts, are underrepresented in the global scientific discourse.
This gap in research could lead to an incomplete understanding of how these vulnerable cities are adapting, or failing to adapt, to climate change.
Furthermore, the study found that larger cities are more likely to employ technological solutions, such as flood barriers or stormwater management systems.
While these technologies are essential for short- and medium-term protection, they could “lock-in” cities’ dependence on expensive and potentially unsustainable infrastructure. This could limit their ability to adapt to increasing climate pressures in the long term.
The authors of the study stress the urgent need for more transformative approaches to urban adaptation.
They argue that incremental changes may not be sufficient to keep pace with the accelerating impacts of climate change, particularly in rapidly transforming environments like coastal cities.
The findings call for a shift from reactive to proactive planning, with a greater emphasis on future scenarios and the integration of diverse adaptation strategies, including ecosystem-based approaches.
As coastal cities continue to expand and face increasing climate threats, there is a pressing need to design and implement adaptive infrastructure that is both resilient and forward-looking.
This includes not only traditional engineering solutions but also innovative, flexible approaches that can evolve with the changing climate.
The full study is accessible here.