Page 19 - Asia Speaks

6) URBAN RESILIENCE by Shahriman Bin Shahrul Zaman
55 % of the world’s population today lives in urban areas as the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) notes that in future there will be an increase in the size of the world’s urban population. Understanding the key trends in urbanization likely to unfold over the coming years, is crucial to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including efforts to forge a new framework of urban
development.
As the world continues to urbanize, sustainable development depends increasingly on the successful management of urban growth, especially in low-income and lower-middle-income countries where urbanization is projected to be the fastest. Many countries like the Philippines and Indonesia will face challenges in meeting the needs of their growing urban populations, including for housing, transportation, energy systems and
other infrastructure, as well as for employment and essential services such as education and health care.
While recognizing that the Asia- Pacific region is exceedingly diverse, ranging from small island developing states to powerful global economies, there are four significant development challenges across the region (especially when it comes to Malaysia): natural resource management; climate change; disaster risk; and rising inequalities. These four overarching challenges are endemic to every country, from the spillover impacts of forced migration into safer alternatives to the existential threat of a sea-level rise in the Pacific islands due to the melting polar icecaps.
Malaysia has taken policies such as Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030) and Hyogo Framework for Action (2005-2015) are the various ways to provide disaster risk reduction where these natural disasters could spark. From
extreme weather events to refugee crises, from disease pandemics to cyber-attacks — business-as-usual models of reactive planning and siloed decision-making will not engender the fundamental strength and flexibility essential for us to thrive in the 21st century. Integrated policies are needed to improve the lives of both urban and rural dwellers while strengthening the linkages between urban and rural areas, building on their existing economic, social and environmental ties.
Resilience thinking demands that cities look holistically at their capacities and their risks. Doing so can help communities unlock a compelling value proposition that not only addresses root causes of pressing development challenges (including climate change, resource insecurity, and socio-political fragmentation), it creates better, more attractive, prosperous, and equitable urban places.
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