Urban resilience in the climate crisis: Lessons and insights on a just transition from across Asia

Laurence Newman

Cities are at the heart of the climate crisis. Responsible for over 70% of global carbon emissions, urban areas are not only major contributors to climate change but also most vulnerable to its impacts. Natural disasters – from floods to typhoons – are causing increasing human, economic, and environmental damage, disproportionately affecting marginalised communities who are least equipped to rebuild their lives and recoup their losses.

As climate change and urbanisation intensify, the challenge becomes more urgent: By 2050, two-thirds (68%) of the global population will live in cities, with 90% of new urban residents located in developing countries. In this context, the need for climate-resilient cities becomes critical.

The urgent need for urban resilience

To address this issue, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) and Climate Action Network Southeast Asia organised the Just Transition Forum Asia (JTFA). The forum brought together academics, think tanks, and non-profits from across the region to share innovative initiatives, learn from best practice, and discuss how to create climate-resilient, inclusive, and sustainable cities.

The timing of the forum could not have been more apt. That same week, tropical storms ravaged parts of Asia—Hainan in China, the Philippines, and northern Vietnam—leaving behind destruction and displacement. These events highlighted the urgent need for cities to develop strategies for resilience in the face of natural disasters. While economic losses are often reported, the human and environmental impacts—particularly non-economic loss and damage—remain harder to quantify and address.

Understanding urban loss and damage

One of the key challenges in addressing urban resilience is the lack of standardised methods for measuring non-economic loss and damage. In the Philippines, for instance, the national Climate Change Act acknowledges ecological loss and damage. However, its measurement is left to local authorities, resulting in inconsistencies. As Mae Valdez-Irong from ICLEI pointed out during the JTFA, this inconsistency means that critical impacts—like health-related consequences such as increased dengue fever after floods—are often unaccounted for.

Meanwhile, the invisibility of informal workers in urban economies further complicates resilience planning. These workers, lacking labour rights and social protection, are not factored into official loss and damage statistics, leaving them out of key climate resilience policies.

The gendered impact of climate crises

Gender inequality deepens the challenges of urban resilience. In Indonesia, Titi Sorentoro, Executive Director of Aksi! for Gender, Social, and Ecological Justice, highlighted how a poor understanding of climate science and a lack of gender mainstreaming in local governance exacerbates the vulnerability of women in the face of climate disasters. Women, who often bear the brunt of caregiving responsibilities, are often excluded from decision-making processes and are not considered in urban mitigation strategies.

For example, although Indonesian law mandates that 30% of urban land be dedicated to green spaces to combat climate change, the implementation of this policy in Jakarta led to the displacement of poor women. Without gender-disaggregated data and the inclusion of women in planning, these policies inadvertently harm the very communities they are meant to protect.

This issue is not limited to Indonesia. As climate and gender economist Maja Bosnic noted, women made up 75% of those displaced after the 2018 Sulawesi earthquake and 80% of those displaced after the 2015 Gorkha earthquake in Nepal. These figures highlight the unequal impact of climate disasters on women, who often lack access to resources like land, credit, and education that would help them recover and adapt.

Sustainable and inclusive solutions for urban resilience

To build sustainable and climate-resilient cities, urban resilience strategies must be inclusive, gender-sensitive, and supported by effective policies. As Mae Valdez-Irong proposed, strengthening the capacities of local authorities to measure non-economic loss and damage is a critical step. Documenting the impact on marginalised communities, including informal workers and women, would also ensure that their needs are integrated into urban planning, policies, and budgets.

Maja Bosnic also emphasised the need to mainstream gender indicators in urban resilience policies and fund female-led grassroots organisations. This can empower women to challenge the gender norms that restrict their influence in local decision-making and increase their bargaining power in climate resilience efforts.

Nature-based solutions and urban planning

Poor land-use planning remains a significant issue in many rapidly urbanising areas. Sarah Remmei, an urban climate specialist, highlighted how overdevelopment in flood-prone cities like Dibrugarh in India worsens the impact of natural disasters such as monsoons. Unsustainable urban growth, combined with a lack of planning, leads to more frequent and severe flooding.

Nature-based solutions offer a promising alternative. Remmei showed how urban forests, retention ponds, and wetland restoration have helped reduce flooding in cities like Dibrugarh. Likewise, in Dong Ha, Vietnam, the re-design of urban drainage systems using green corridors and rainwater retention ponds has improved flood resilience.

Cities must be part of the solution

Asia is home to some of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world, and its densely populated cities are on the frontline of this crisis. Despite their role as major contributors to carbon emissions, cities must also be key players in climate solutions. However, local leaders need national and international support to build resilience. The loss and damage fund agreed at COP 28 is a step forward, but the USD 700 million pledged so far is nowhere near enough to meet the estimated USD 2.4 trillion annual investment developing countries will need by 2030.

As discussed at JTFA, cities must have access to both public and private capital—through grants, development banks, and climate finance—to fund their resilience efforts. Without this support, the most vulnerable urban populations will continue to bear the brunt of the climate crisis.

Moving forward: Sparking debate and driving action

JTFA marked the beginning of a critical conversation about urban resilience. The insights shared by panelists from across Asia underscore the need for inclusive, gender-sensitive, and sustainable approaches to urban planning. As the climate crisis worsens, it is essential for local, national, and international actors to engage in solutions that prioritise the needs of those most at risk. The discussion must now turn into action—cities and communities must be empowered to build a more resilient future.

The views in this article are not necessarily those of FES.