Session Summary

Input from 100 Resilient Cities revealed the role of resilience ‘layers’ such as policy and enabling environment, procurement and budgeting as key elements that drive decision-making towards resilience outcomes. There is also a need to embed resilience into repayment structures as well as clearly articulate co-benefits to draw investors. Experience sharing was recommended, as was risk-informed budgeting to improve the resilience of municipal budgets to external shocks and stresses. Participants were encouraged to find innovative ways to improve existing infrastructure rather than prioritizing new construction. Financing was addressed, notably the need for diverse funding sources for resilience investments, including from the public and private sectors, foundations and multilateral development banks; the need to screen municipal investments for resilience outcomes was raised.

A concluding panel discussion reviewed Lebanon’s approach to Syrian refugees, which included the development of resilience-informed policies and capital investments enhanced by technical and financial support from the international community. The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank, was also highlighted for its private sector knowledge and financing to help address cities’ resilience challenges.

"Urban resilience is the ability of cities to adapt to a variety of pressures, shocks, and risks, ranging from natural disasters to social, economic, political, and cultural changes."

 

- Mr. Jamal Itani, Mayor of Beirut, Lebanon