Urban risk & planning

Trees provide myriad benefits. They capture stormwater runoff, replenish groundwater and slow the deterioration of streets. They clean the air and improve mental health.

New York City's infrastructure was built for weather patterns of the past, and those designs did not account for the recent extreme rainfall and flash flooding caused by Hurricane Irene, Hurricane Sandy, or, more recently, Hurricane Ida.

The hottest summer recorded in the northern hemisphere is a stark reminder of the immediacy of the climate crisis. The hardest hit by climate impacts, such as residents of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, are often those with the least capacity to adapt.

Nature-based solutions can help address environmental challenges in cities but community involvement and engagement is crucial to utilize local knowledge and create sustainable solutions.

Salt corrodes buildings. Earthquakes shake them. What happens when an earthquake hits a building already damaged by saltwater?

Researchers studied the effects of extreme heat on urban trees in Western Sydney during the record-breaking summer of 2019–20. They reported concerns and solutions for the survival of both native Australian and exotic tree species in urban forest.

India already faces dire heat risks and is likely to be the most-threatened country in the world by 2030. As life gets hotter, residents in slums will be the most at risk for health problems, heat stroke and death