Standardised indicators for “resilient cities”: the folly of devising a technical solution to a political problem

Abstract

Purpose Driven by the New Urban Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, decision makers have been striving to reorientate policy debates towards the aspiration of achieving urban resilience and monitoring the effectiveness of adaptive measures through the implementation of standardised indicators. Consequently, there has been a rise of indicator systems measuring resilience. This paper aims to argue that the ambition of making cities resilient does not always make them less vulnerable, more habitable, equitable and just. Design/methodology/approach Using an inductive policy analysis of ISO standard 37123:2019 “Sustainable cities and communities — Indicators for resilient cities”, the authors examine the extent to which the root causes of risks are being addressed by the urban resilience agenda. Findings The authors show that the current standardisation of resilience fails to adequately address the political dimension of disaster risk reduction, reducing resilience to a management tool and missing the opportunity to address the socio-political sources of risks. Originality/value Such critical analysis of the Standard is important as it moves away from a hazard-centric approach and, instead, permits to shed light on the socio-political processes of risk creation and to adopt a more nuanced and sensitive understanding of urban characteristics and governance mechanisms.

Effects of Climate Change on Environmental Health in the Jakarta Metropolitan Area

“…The study also investigates different tools and frameworks for assessing urban form resilience, highlighting the challenges of generalizing these studies and applying them in the context of the Global South [24]. Additionally, the analysis of ISO standard 37123:2019 reveals the limitations of current standardization efforts in addressing the socio-political sources of risks and calls for a more nuanced understanding of urban characteristics and governance mechanisms [25]. Finally, a study on the Chengdu-Deyang-Mianyang Economic Belt demonstrates the importance of evaluating urban resilience indicators and identifying influencing factors for regional sustainable development [26].…”

The Resilience of the Built Environment to Flooding: The Case of Alappuzha District in the South Indian State of Kerala

“…Floods have consistently been the most frequent and destructive natural hazards in history [6][7][8], destroying property and human lives. Among the prevalent natural disasters and threats, various standard lists emphasise flooding as an indicator of resilient cities, owing to their widespread occurrence across multiple countries [9,10]. The occurrence of floods has increased significantly over the last two decades, posing significant obstacles for governments to mitigate physical damage to buildings and produce effective disaster preparedness, including urban regeneration strategies [11,12].…”