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| Resilient Cities Network | |
|---|---|
| Name | Resilient Cities Network |
| Formation | 2015 |
| Headquarters | New York City |
| Region served | Global |
| Leader title | CEO |
| Leader name | Jeb Brugmann |
Resilient Cities Network is an international non-profit organization that connects mayor-led urban governments and municipal practitioners to enhance urban resilience and disaster preparedness. Originating from initiatives launched after major disasters, the network aggregates best practices from cities such as New York City, Istanbul, Manila, Jakarta, and Lagos to inform policymaking, planning, and implementation. The organization collaborates with global institutions including the United Nations, World Bank, and Rockefeller Foundation to scale resilience efforts across diverse metropolitan contexts.
The network traces roots to post-disaster collaborations influenced by the aftermath of events like Hurricane Sandy, the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, and the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, and it formally emerged amid conversations involving stakeholders from 100 Resilient Cities, the Rockefeller Foundation, and city leaders from New York City, London, Copenhagen, Mexico City, and Buenos Aires. Early champions included municipal figures who had engaged with forums such as the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group and the ICLEI—Local Governments for Sustainability conferences, as well as academics connected to Massachusetts Institute of Technology and University College London. Founding processes involved partnerships with financial institutions like the World Bank Group and multilateral agencies such as the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.
The stated mission aligns with commitments articulated in multilateral agreements like the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Paris Agreement, and the Sustainable Development Goals to strengthen urban resilience. Objectives include supporting mayoral leadership from cities such as Paris, Dhaka, Barcelona, Nairobi, and São Paulo in risk assessment, resilience planning, and climate adaptation, while promoting knowledge exchange akin to platforms run by UN-Habitat and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy. Strategic aims mirror programmatic approaches used by institutions like the Asian Development Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, and European Investment Bank.
Governance draws on board models common to non-profits and networks, featuring leadership from civic leaders, urban practitioners, and partners drawn from organizations like the Rockefeller Foundation, United Nations Development Programme, and private sector firms comparable to Arup and McKinsey & Company. Executive roles are held by figures with municipal or international agency backgrounds, similar to executives from Mayor's Offices of New York City and London. Advisory committees include experts affiliated with universities such as Harvard University, Columbia University, and London School of Economics, and technical working groups coordinate with entities like International Association of Emergency Managers.
Programs emphasize city-to-city exchange, technical assistance, and resilience strategy development, modeled on precedents set by networks like C40 Cities, ICLEI, and the Global Resilient Cities Network. Initiatives have included resilience hubs, climate adaptation pilots, and participatory planning projects implemented in partnership with NGOs such as Red Cross, Oxfam, and World Wildlife Fund. Capacity-building efforts draw on training approaches used by United Nations Institute for Training and Research and incorporate tools similar to those from the Urban Resilience Program at the World Bank. Programmatic themes cover coastal protection in cities like New Orleans and Mumbai, heat mitigation in Phoenix and Delhi, and flood management in Bangkok and Rotterdam.
The network comprises cities across continents including capitals and megacities such as Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, Moscow, Cairo, and metropolitan regions like Greater London, Los Angeles, São Paulo, and Mexico City. Membership criteria and participation echo models used by the C40 and Global Covenant of Mayors networks, engaging mayors, chief resilience officers, and municipal departments from smaller municipalities including Bristol and Freiburg im Breisgau as well as regional hubs in Accra and Kigali. Collaboration often involves coordination with national agencies such as the Ministry of Environment (Japan), National Disaster Management Authority (India), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Funding sources combine philanthropic grants, multilateral financing, and partnerships with private sector actors. Key funders and partners mirror relationships seen between the Rockefeller Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and corporate partners comparable to Microsoft and Siemens. Project financing has been structured with instruments used by the Green Climate Fund and blended finance models promoted by the International Finance Corporation. Strategic alliances include collaborations with academic centers such as the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and professional consortia like the Urban Land Institute.
Impact assessments employ monitoring frameworks influenced by the Sendai Framework, SDG 11, and evaluation practices used by the World Bank and OECD. Case studies document measurable outcomes in cities like Manila for flood management, Istanbul for seismic preparedness, Lagos for informal settlement resilience, and San Francisco for wildfire readiness, often referenced alongside program evaluations from United Nations agencies and independent research from institutions such as Brookings Institution and International Institute for Environment and Development. Peer-reviewed analyses by scholars at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and University College London have examined governance reforms, financing mechanisms, and community engagement approaches promoted by the network.
Category:International organizations Category:Urban planning organizations