How Does Climate Change Affect Cities

Rationale In the future, climate change will have more and more significant impacts on cities. Climate change will increase the frequency and severity of some natural hazards, especially extreme weather events, and introduce new incremental impacts that are less immediate. The consequences of climate change will be felt on health, livelihoods, material assets, and will affect more heavily the poorest people, the inhabitants of informal settlements and vulnerable groups such as women, children, the elderly and the disabled. SDG 1 aims, by 2030, to build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and to reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social, and environmental shocks and disasters. Based upon this tracked development goal, it is increasingly important for cities to build resilience and adapt to climate change in the face of these new risks and vulnerabilities.

Key question(s) Is the city preparing for existing and future climate impacts to limit their magnitude and severity? Has the city developed a comprehensive climate change adaptation plan? Is the city seeing vulnerability to climate impacts as a separate concern, or mainstreaming resilience into existing efforts, in particular those concerned with the urban poor

But all too often, rising inequality and exclusion occur within cities instead. In order to realize the full social and economic benefits of urbanization, cities must value all people and their needs equally, and guarantee equal rights for and participation by all. They must provide equal and affordable access to basic necessities, including adequate provision of food, water, housing, sanitation, and energy. Cities must also ensure that no group is excluded from the benefits of economic growth, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, or socioeconomic