The document introduces the City Resilience Framework, a holistic and evidence-based approach for understanding city resilience. It describes seven qualities of resilient cities: reflective, robust, redundant, flexible, resourceful, inclusive, and integrated. It then outlines 12 goals for a resilient city related to minimizing vulnerabilities, diversifying livelihoods, safeguarding human life, reducing physical exposure, ensuring continuity of critical services, reliable communication/mobility, social cohesion, security, access to financial resources, effective leadership, empowered stakeholders, and integrated planning.

1. City Resilience Framework: a
holistic evidence-based framework
for understanding city resilience
Braulio Eduardo Morera | Arup International Development
5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014
supported by
© Arup 2014

2. “By April 2014, to articulate urban resilience in a measurable, evidence-based
and accessible way that can inform urban planning, practice, and
investment patterns which better enable urban communities (e.g. poor and
vulnerable, businesses, coastal) to survive and thrive multiple shocks and
stresses.”
Opportunity Statement, February 2013
2 supported by

3. 3 © Arup 2014 supported by

4. • resilience is not an antonym for vulnerability, or substitute for DRR
• urban resilience has limitations to address: power relations, the poor,
unexpected impacts
• city resilience is about performance: ability of a ‘system of systems’ to
continue function
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5. Reflective systems are accepting of the inherent and ever-increasing uncertainty and change in
today’s world.
Robust systems include well-conceived, constructed and managed physical assets.
Redundancy refers to spare capacity purposely created within systems so that they can
accommodate disruption.
Flexibility implies that systems can change, evolve and adapt in response to changing
circumstances.
Resourcefulness implies that people and institutions are able to rapidly find different ways to
achieve their goals or meet their needs during a shock or when under stress.
Inclusion emphasises the need for broad consultation and engagement of communities,
including the most vulnerable groups.
Integration and alignment between city systems promotes consistency in decision-making and
ensures that all investments are mutually supportive to a common outcome.
supported by
Reflective
Robust
Redundant
Flexible
Resourceful
Inclusive
Integrated

6. Surat
Kampala
Brazzaville
Dar es Salaam
Cape Town
Chengdu
Hong Kong
Bangkok
Ho Chi Minh
City
Semerang
New York
Detroit
New
Orleans
Cali
Quito
Lima
Rio de
Janeiro
Concepción
Doha
Seattle
Primary data
Secondary data
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7. A ‘resilient city’ is a city where there is or are…
• Minimal human vulnerability
• Diverse livelihoods and employment
• Adequate safeguards to human life and health
• Reduced physical exposure and vulnerability
• Continuity of critical services
• Reliable communications and mobility
• Collective identity and mutual support
• Social stability and security
• Availability of financial resources and
contingency funds
• Effective leadership and management
• Empowered stakeholders
• Integrated development planning
supported by

8. supported by
People
Minimal human vulnerability
Indicated by the extent to which everyone’s basic
needs are met.
Diverse livelihoods and employment
Facilitated by access to finance, ability to accrue
savings, skills training, business support and
social welfare.
Adequate safeguards to human life and health
Relying on integrated health facilities and
services, and responsive emergency services.

9. Place Reduced physical exposure and
vulnerability
Indicated by environmental stewardship;
appropriate infrastructure; effective land
use planning; and enforcement of planning
regulations. New Orleans
Continuity of critical services
Indicated by diverse provision and active
management; maintenance of ecosystems and
infrastructure; and contingency planning.
Reliable communications and mobility
Indicated by diverse and affordable multimodal
transport systems and information and
communication technology (ICT) networks;
and contingency planning.
supported by

10. supported by
Organisation
Collective identity and mutual support
Observed as active community engagement,
strong social networks and social integration.
Social stability and security
Including law enforcement, crime
prevention, justice, and emergency management.
Cali, Colombia
Availability of financial resources and
contingency funds
Observed as sound financial management,
diverse revenue streams, the ability to
attract business investment, adequate
investment, and emergency funds.

11. supported by
Knowledge
Effective leadership and management
Involving government, business and civil
society, and indicated by trusted individuals;
multi-stakeholder consultation; and evidence-based
decision-making.
Empowered stakeholders
Indicated by education for all, and access to up-to-
date information and knowledge to enable
people and organisations to take appropriate
action. Concepcion, Chile
Integrated development planning
Indicated by the presence of a city vision; an
integrated development strategy; and plans that
are regularly reviewed and updated by cross
departmental working groups.

12. supported by
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13. INDICATOR SUB-INDICATOR VARIABLE PROPOSED METRICS
supported by
Minimal human vulnerability
Sufficient, robust and
inclusive housing for all
Availability of safe and affordable decent housing (a) Percentage of households that own their own home
Percentage of household income spent on
housing
Percentage population with durable structures
Percentage of urban population living in a slum
Effective planning for emergency shelter & temporary housing
(b)
Percentage of population that could be served by city's
access to stock of emergency shelters
Clean, resourceful and
inclusive water supply for
all, both daily and during
times of shock or stress
Safe, reliable & affordable distribution of potable water to
households [% of households with…] (a)
Percentage of population that has access to safe and
reliable water
Proportion of population using an improved drinking water
source
Average household water bill as a percentage of household
income
Effective planning for alternative (back-up) water supplies
[household / district / city scale] (b)
Percentage of population with access to secondary water
supply (eg, well water, rainwater, tanked supply)
Effective planning for alternative (back-up) water supplies
[household / district / city scale] (b)
Contingency plans developed to distribute water supply in
case of major event
Safe, robust and inclusive access to
energy for all, both daily and
during times of shock or stress
Sufficient and affordable food
supplies for all, both daily and
during times of shock or stress

14. rockefellerfoundation.org/our-work/current-work/resilience
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arup.com/cri