The city is a physical, social, and economic space that offers both residents and commuters with a wide variety of services, infrastructure, business opportunities, commerce, various modes of transportation, cultural and recreational centers, as well as a variety of housing options. The city is a complex and dynamic system that requires smart planning and constant management in order to provide optimal benefits to its users.  

The city faces many challenges in its everyday management and in its ability to retain stability in times of crisis. Increased density, as well as social inequality generate crucial stresses on both physical and social infrastructures; all these are exacerbated by the climate crisis and require creative solutions and innovative approaches in order to establish an urban strategy that will promise resilience in face of climate changes that are underway.

The climate crisis effects cities evident in various ways, both in incremental stresses and in "shock" – i.e. an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. These events impact people, flora and fauna, , and infrastructure, rendering the urban environment especially susceptible to these effects, such as heavy rains that cause flooding and lasting heat waves.

To prepare for such climate events, it is necessary to act early. Sustainable planning and building, urban water management, enhancing the urban forest and providing shade in streets and public spaces, and mapping vulnerable areas and populations – all these are necessary for making our cities more resilient to climate change.   

 

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