# 6326
Around the globe cities are increasingly where jobs are to be found, and where goods and services are most likely to be available. And so not surprisingly, today, half the world’s population – some 3.5 billion people – now live in urban areas.
With the clustering of millions of people into relatively small areas, we’ve created a scores of `target-rich environments’ for natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and severe storms.
The equation is pretty simple. More people in a small space = more potential casualties.
And the more densely populated a region is, the more economic impact a disaster will have as well.
Last year, in UNDP: Supercities At Seismic Risk, we looked at the concerns that half of the world’s supercities (urban areas with 2 million – 15 million inhabitants) are at risk of significant seismic activity.
Last December, in WHO e-Atlas Of Natural Disaster Risks To Europe, we looked at some of the disaster threats facing Europe, and in January of this year I blogged that a UN Agency Warns On Global Seismic Risks.
In 2010, more than 200,000 inhabitants in and around Port-au-Prince, Haiti died during their 7.0 magnitude earthquake. Much of that death toll can be attributed to the poor construction standards in that region that led to tens of thousands of building collapses.
While we can’t stop earthquakes from striking, or hurricanes from making landfall, we can design our cities to be more resilient for when they do. Not only can this reduce the death toll and human suffering, it can reduce the economic impact as well.
Which brings us to a new publication from the United Nations International Strategy For Disaster Reduction (ISDR).
How to make cities more resilient: a handbook for local government leaders
A contribution to the global campaign 2010-2015 Making Cities Resilient – 'My City is Getting Ready!':
This handbook provides mayors, governors, councillors and other local government leaders with a generic framework for risk reduction and points to good practices and tools that are already being applied in different cities for that purpose. It discusses why building disaster resilience is beneficial; what kind of strategies and actions are required; and how to go about the task. It offers practical guidance to understand and take action on the "Ten Essentials for Making Cities Resilient" as set out in the global campaign "Making Cities Resilient: My City is Getting Ready!".
A web-based information platform, where cities and local governments can share their own tools, plans, regulations and practices, complements the Handbook and will be available through the Campaign website.
While billed as a handbook primarily for city officials, citizens and residents of these urban areas have a deep seated interest in seeing that the proper steps are taken to mitigate potential disaster losses.
I’m a firm believer that true resilience is built from the bottom up, not the top down. And so it behooves everyone – no matter where they live, or what position in their community they may hold – to look at their surroundings and do a basic threat assessment.
And then take whatever prudent steps they can to to reduce those risks, and to encourage those around them to do the same.
No matter where you live in the world, the resources of the FEMA, and READY.GOV websites can be used to help make you and your community better prepared to deal with disasters.
While designed specifically for the threats facing southern California, the The L. A. County Emergency Survival Guide provides an excellent starting place for any family doing `all threats’ emergency planning.
Most importantly, everyone needs an appropriate disaster plan, just as everyone should have a good first aid kit, a `bug-out bag’, and sufficient emergency supplies to last a bare minimum of 72 hours.
For more on disaster preparedness, I would invite you revisit these blogs:
In An Emergency, Who Has Your Back?
