Risk-Informed Land Use Planning for Livable and Resilient Cities
Urban planning, resilience, cities, risk-informed decision making, green growth, smart cities, sustainability Risk-Informed Land Use Planning for Livable and Resilient Cities covered substantial thematic material and geographic range in promoting safer and more sustainable urban development. Ana Campos, Lead Disaster Risk Management Specialist at the World Bank, moderated the session, and introduced the challenge it addresses with climate change exacerbating the impacts of natural hazards in cities. The session proceeded with four presentations: a framing discussion on theory and methods for risk-informed urban planning, and three on country cases for its implementation. First, Ross Eisenberg, Disaster Risk Management Specialist at the World Bank, presented on Risk-Informed Urban Planning for Livable and Resilient Cities. This presentation laid out the twin challenges of rapid, haphazard urbanization and increased disaster risk alongside climate change resulting in the phenomenon where risky urban expansion outpaces safe growth. Despite urbanization therefore driving risk, the presentation made a case for recognizing urbanization as a driver of capacity for infrastructure, services, economy, community, and other factors, and laid out a framework for livable and resilient cities according to four complementary goals of Green Growth, Social Inclusion, Resilient Built Environment, and Shared Prosperity. These frame the operational urban planning process that takes place in cities. Plans are implemented through three critical measures: restrict, condition, and promote. Cities would restrict urban growth in areas at high risk of impact from a risk, condition growth where risks can be reduced to acceptable levels and adhere to standards, and promote growth where risks are low. This triple toolset can be applied for any natural hazard risk that manifests in cities, and was illustrated through the example of flash flooding, while noting how measures for other risks can complement one another. Altogether, this approach provides a common language and framework for urban planners and DRM practitioners to work together from a highly practical standpoint and drive improved resilience planning and development in cities. These concepts will be developed further in forthcoming guidance published by the World Bank. Next, Dr. Teresito Bacolcol, Director at the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, highlighted the Philippines’s vulnerability to disasters and presented the catastrophic impacts of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes on the country, including a recent 7.4 magnitude earthquake. Dr. Bacolcol emphasized the Philippine government’s commitment to disaster resilience. He detailed the multi-sectoral, science-based land use planning approach being adopted, which involves local and national government units in a collaborative development system. This is supported by the GeoRisk Philippines Initiative and the PlanSmart applications, developed in partnership with various agencies and the World Bank, to facilitate automated planning for disaster rehabilitation, recovery, and risk financing strategies. PlanSmart for Sustainable Human Settlements streamlines the comprehensive land use planning process. It allows local government units to access centralized climate and hazard information, develop exposure databases, and conduct vulnerability assessments. The geospatial system enables visualization of land use and zoning, critical facilities, and other resources, with the capability to automatically generate reports. Altogether, this set of tools is revolutionizing land use planning in the Philippines by not just making it risk-informed but ensuring decision making is easy, data-driven, and relevant to stakeholder needs. Next, Ignacio Urrutia, Disaster Risk Management Specialist at the World Bank, presenting on behalf of the Urban Development Authority of Dhaka, addressed the critical issue of urban resilience in Bangladesh. He highlighted the country’s vulnerability to a range of disasters and the rapid, unplanned urbanization that exacerbates these risks. The presentation detailed extensive technical assistance and analysis undertaken to pinpoint the factors contributing to Dhaka’s resilience challenges, which led to the creation of projects by the World Bank and JICA on emergency response, analytical foundations for planning, and resilient, risk-informed land use planning. Risk maps were produced by combining hazard data with population and density maps to guide development plans. Project deliverables encompassed detailed risk-sensitive land use planning guides, the publication of analyses on the Urban Resilience Unit’s website, and a training component essential for capacity building. The maps informed key decisions on where to restrict, condition, or promote development. The presentation emphasized the necessity of leveraging political and economic opportunities to push the urban resilience agenda forward, embedding capacity building from the start of the project, and highlighting risk-informed land use planning as a tool to support development and growth, rather than just avoiding losses. Lastly, Masato Akashi, Chief Consultant at Pacific Consultants, discussed three major challenges in risk-informed land risk planning. He emphasized the need for an integrated approach to disaster risk reduction in land use planning, citing Japan’s multifaceted strategies against flood risks, which include infrastructure development and urban planning. The presentation highlighted the necessity of regulations and mainstreaming to ensure the effective implementation of informed land use planning, pointing to Japan’s recent legal revisions that enforce development restrictions in high-risk zones and facilitate the relocation of communities from such areas. It also addressed the inclusion of vulnerable populations in the planning process, underscoring the importance of participatory planning, drawing on examples from Nepal and Japan, where community involvement led to stronger social bonds and more effective post-disaster reconstruction plans. The presentation argued that risk-informed land use planning is vital for creating resilient cities and must be integrated into broader DRR strategies, and that legal frameworks, regulations, and inclusive processes are key to activating land use planning and ensuring its success. The session concluded with a lively question and answer portion with the audience. It emphasized the importance of a time-series approach to disaster risk measures, acknowledging that while land use planning is time-consuming, especially regarding existing structures, immediate actions like early warning systems can have quick impacts. Investment in long-term infrastructure is also encouraged. Furthermore, resilience may be considered a continuum, and strategies should be grounded in the reality of current capacities rather than ideal scenarios. Altogether, the session focused on integrating risk-informed land use planning with urban development to address climate change and natural hazards, emphasizing practical frameworks and tools for urban planners to collaborate with other DRM practitioners to mitigate risks and enhance city resilience.
“In our quest to build resilient and livable cities, we must view urbanization not just as a challenge but as an opportunity to enhance our capacity to cope with climate change and natural hazards. By adopting a risk-informed approach to urban planning that restricts, conditions, and promotes development judiciously, we can ensure that our cities grow safely and inclusively, safeguarding the well-being of current and future generations.”
The session’s key outcomes highlighted the importance of a holistic approach to urban planning that incorporates disaster risk management to create livable and resilient cities. This included World Bank’s development of a global guidance note for urban planners and DRM practitioners which provides a conceptual framework for creating livable and resilient cities through green growth, social inclusion, shared prosperity, and resilient infrastructure. The framework includes practical strategies for mitigating risks by restricting, conditioning, and promoting urban development in response to specific hazards. The Philippines’s experience with a multi-sectoral, spatially based land use planning approach that integrates scientific information into planning was highlighted as a tool that streamlines the planning process for local government units and national government agencies, enabling data-driven decision-making and efficient project approval. The experience of Dhaka, Bangladesh, where risk-sensitive land use planning is essential due to the city’s rapid urbanization and vulnerability to natural hazards, showcased the combination of technical work, capacity building, and institutional development to create risk maps and development directives for Dhaka. And the key challenges in risk-informed land use planning based on the experience of Japan highlight the need for an integrated disaster risk reduction approach, the activation and mainstreaming of risk-informed planning, and the inclusion of vulnerable populations in the planning process. Organized by: World Bank / City Resilience Program
