Climate Disaster Resilience: Chicago tops list; 2 Indian cities among worst

Most resilient cities

According to the report, resilience among the world’s largest cities is driven by two independent factors: low baseline physical exposure (determined by geographical and climate zone) and high adaptation investment (through governance, wealth and policy). The cities topping the ranking benefit from both.

Chicago emerged as the most resilient city. Located in a temperate latitude with freshwater resources and low hurricane risk, the city has sustained adaptation efforts. These include long-term investments in robust infrastructure like the Deep Tunnel Project, designed to reduce flooding and water pollution.

Addis Ababa, Melbourne and Barcelona ranked second, third and fourth, respectively. Ankara, Buenos Aires, and Paris ranked fifth, sixth and seventh, followed by Istanbul, Bogota, and Nairobi.

Least resilient cities

Cities facing the highest climate risks were predominantly in South Asia, which accounted for six such cities. All of them face major heat exposure. Given the scale of their physical risks, the adaptation rates remain relatively low.

Ahmedabad was ranked as the least resilient city. Hyderabad (Pakistan), Multan (Pakistan) and Dhaka were ranked second, third, and fourth, respectively. Lahore, Kolkata and  Faisalabad (Pakistan) were ranked fifth, sixth and seventh on the list. Karachi and Chittagong (Bangladesh) were eighth and ninth, while Taipei rounded out the list.

Heavy rainfall makes South Asian cities vulnerable. Ahmedabad was identified as facing the highest risk in the region. Recent deadly floods and mudslides in Nepal and Tibet and the subsequent devastation show the impact extreme weather events can have.

Most and least resilient cities in the world based on climate disaster preparedness:

Source: nytimes.com