Towards strengthening cooperation for urban resilience in ASEAN

The ASEAN region faces multiple climate and natural disaster risks and vulnerabilities, as well as rapid levels of urbanisation. The science is clear in showing that Southeast Asia is already squarely inside observed, i.e. detected, climate change and that climate-related risks will further increase in the future. While urban resilience has gained substantial traction in the sustainability and international development discourses, and has become more visible in strategic ASEAN publications, increasing climate-related risks combined with high urbanisation rates highlight the need for strengthened cooperation in building urban resilience.

This study focuses on contributing to more effectively combining climate change adaptation (CCA), disaster risk management (DRM) and sustainable urban development through increasing cooperation, integration, and action in ASEAN. It assesses natural hazards and related risks that the member states face according to a selected literature review. The study further reviews the existing urban resilience policies, strategies, reports, and initiatives that were developed in ASEAN at the regional level to date and provides an overview of national level policy responses. Major challenges (implementation challenges and thematic gaps) as well as opportunities related to urban resilience responses in ASEAN are identified. On this basis, the study provides recommendations for further action to contribute to strengthening responses on urban resilience in ASEAN, structured in three thematic clusters: 1) Supporting integration across sectors and governance levels; 2) Promoting and mainstreaming responses to selected key risks; and 3) Capacity building and implementation.