Urban Risk & Planning Networks & Communities

Arab Resilient Cities Network (ARCN)

The Arab Resilient Cities Network aims at improving cooperation and coordination of stakeholders related to urban development and disaster risk reduction in the Arab region through information sharing, coordination of actions and training opportunities. The Network is facilitated by UNISDR Regional Office for Arab States.

Asia regional task force on urban risk reduction

To facilitate interactions among different stakeholders, the Asia Regional Task Force on Urban Risk Reduction, established in a meeting in Kobe, Japan in January 2008, is coordinated by the UNISDR Hyogo Office in Kobe. The Task Force is currently represented by 21 member organizations, and is open for expansion. The goal of the Task Force is to enhance decisive actions to reduce risk and increase community resilience in the urban areas in the Asia region. The Task Force promotes the collective activities of its member organizations. It will work in line with the HFA for the region.

View flyer: Asia regional task force on urban risk reduction

Chamber of City and Regional Planners of Turkey

A formal professional organization with almost 5000 members, with 10 regional branches and 28 representative units in Turkey; member of European Association of chambers of professional planners. The association participated in the 2010 International Day for Disaster Reduction by holding a press conference on DRR and promoting DRR to its members.

Confined Masonry Network

Confined Masonry Network is a network of experts from various countries who are committed to:
- Improving the design and construction quality of confined masonry in areas where it is currently used;
- Introducing confined masonry construction in regions where it can reduce seismic risks.

An alternative construction technology, using the same construction materials, is 'Confined Masonry' construction. Confined masonry is a construction system where the masonry walls are built first, and the concrete columns and beams are poured in afterwards to enclose (confine) the wall. It has typically performed well in past earthquakes worldwide, when built according to code requirements. Its satisfactory earthquake performance is due to the joint action of masonry walls and their confining elements.

Global Development Network (GDNet)

GDNet provides southern researchers with a space to profile their work and opportunities to engage with others working in development policy and practice including topics such as Disaster Risk Reduction or Climate Change Adaptation. The tools and services that it offers have been developed specifically to support researchers working in developing countries and to make their work known to an international audience.

The GDNet Knowledgebase is a comprehensive internet portal to development research produced in developing countries. Free to use, it features more than 16,500 research papers which are accompanied by clear conclusion based summaries. You can browse by topic through the GDNet Thematic Windows.

ISOCARP Recovery UPAT

Google Group for the International Society of City and Regional Planners Urban Planning Advisory Team for Disaster Recovery Planning.

LinkedIn groups on disaster risk reduction and urban planning

LinkedIn is a professional network which provide an opportunity to create discussion groups on particular topics.

The following groups are available on LinkedIn:

Resilient Cities - Cities, Adaptation to Climate Change and...
The group will facilitate networking and sharing knowledge on cities' resilience and adaptation to climate change, and especially provide input to the annual Resilient Cities global forum, organized every year in Bonn, Germany, back to back to the UN Climate Talks.

Visit the group's page online.

Making Cities Resilient: World disaster reduction campaign 2010-2011

Help shape the 2010-2011 world disaster reduction campaign: Building resilient cities. Is your city ready?

Partnership on Urban Risk Reduction (PURR)

The objective of PURR is to take the social dimensions of risk looking at cities where most of the population lives; mapping an agenda for engagement with different size of urban settings. The main concerns of the forum regarding disaster risk reduction are to work to reduce risk in cities, particularly in slums and informal settlements; finding out how risk is generated, what capacity there is and how to build this in cities, especially in rapidly expanding cities where there is scope to be proactive.

Smart Growth Network (USA)

In 1996, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency joined with several non-profit and government organizations to form the Smart Growth Network (SGN). The Network was formed in response to increasing community concerns about the need for new ways to grow that boost the economy, protect the environment, and enhance community vitality. The Network's partners include environmental groups, historic preservation organizations, professional organizations, developers, real estate interests; local and state government entities.

The SGN works to encourage development that serves the economy, community and the environment. It is a forum for:
* Raising public awareness of how growth can improve community quality of life;
* Promoting smart growth best practices;
* Developing and sharing information, innovative policies, tools and ideas;
* Cultivating strategies to address barriers to and advance opportunities for smart growth.

Urban Risk Thematic Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Latin America and the Caribbean

The Urban Risk Platform is a network of local governments from throughout Latin America and the Caribbean interested in strengthening the integration of disaster risk management within their cities’ development processes. Through the analysis of common problems, the exchange of experiences and understandings, the Urban Risk Platform brings together city officials and authorities looking to strengthen their own risk management processes through joint initiatives for cooperation among cities as well as with other strategic actors. Initially presented by the City of Bogota, Colombia during the first session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (Geneva, June of 2007), the Urban Risk Platform is now integrally tied to the Making Cities Reslient campaign and coordinated by the regional office for the Americas of UNISDR.