Moving from Risk to Resilience: Sustainable Urban Development in the Pacific Allison Woodruff Urban Development Specialist Asian Development Bank

Annual Average Economic Losses due to Natural Hazards Source: Pacific Catastrophe Risk Assessment and Financing Initiative

Elements of Risk =

Risk Exposure Exposure is influenced by physical location Urban centers tend to be located along coasts and/or in floodplains Urban centers concentrate people, infrastructure, economic activities and social services

Risk Vulnerability Vulnerability is influenced by socio-economic factors, urban governance Ability to respond and recover from shocks Poverty is linked to high vulnerability Basic service provision is the first line of defense

Poverty and Risk Vulnerability are Linked

Local Government Response to Risk IPCC WGII AR5 Chapter on Urban Areas: Urban governments are at the heart of successful urban climate adaptation because so much adaptation depends on local assessments and integrating adaptation into local investments, policies and regulatory frameworks Well governed cities with universal provision of infrastructure and services have a strong base for building climate resilience

Risk Assessment

Risk Sensitive Land Use Planning and Development Controls Zoning to guide development away from hazard ‘hotspots’ to reduce exposure Development controls e.g. building codes to reduce vulnerability

Identifying Appropriate Locations for Lifeline Infrastructure

Climate-Proofing of Major Infrastructure Investments

Opportunities to ‘Build Back Better’ Following a Disaster

Ecosystem-Based Adaptation

Constraint: Risk Information Pacific Risk Information System Pacific Climate Futures web-tool Community-based vulnerability assessment e.g. Cook Islands Informal settlement mapping Capacity of urban planners to analyze and apply risk information

Constraint: Land Management Systems Increasingly urban growth is taking place in peri-urban areas that fall under customary land ownership Similarly ‘urban villages’ being absorbed into urban areas as these grow Pohnpei, FSM piloted participatory approaches to land use planning by involving traditional landowners

Constraint: Institutional Coordination Many different stakeholders involved in urban management (national government, local government, sector agencies, utility service providers, private sector, communities disaster management and climate change offices) Nadi Basin Coordination Committee in Fiji offers one example of how urban stakeholders can effectively coordinate to address hazard risks

Conclusions Urban areas are particularly exposed and vulnerable to risk Municipalities can play a critical role in responding to risk Risk is often most effectively addressed when integrated with urban planning and management measures The Pacific faces a number of constraints in putting into place sustainable urban development measures

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