Cities for a Resilient Recovery: International Lessons on recovery from COVID-19 / 14 May 2020

Produced by The University of Manchester, UK (Professor Duncan Shaw, Dr Jennifer Bealt, Dr Joy Furnival and Professor Ruth Boaden) in partnership with the Global Resilient Cities Network

What is the weekly briefing on Cities for a Resilient Recovery?

Each week the University of Manchester brings together relevant international practices and examples recovery from COVID-19. The weekly briefing is curated by the Global Resilient Cities Network to bring key lessons and examples targeted for resilience officers, emergency planners and other city practitioners. The structure of the briefing follows the City Resilience Framework – specifically the four drivers that cities have identified as mattering the most when a city faces a wide range of chronic problems or a sudden catastrophe - Health and Wellbeing, Economy & Society; Infrastructure & Environment; and Leadership & Strategy.

Highlights of the week

This week we focus on changing vulnerability, and the connection to recovery. Covid-19 related health risks are front of mind today, yet mental health are already emerging as a critical consideration across frontline workers, volunteers, and people emerging from lockdown. Cyber risks have been heightened as cities and businesses rely more heavily on web-based interfaces, and natural hazard preparation and response may also need to evolve. Planning for recovery should consider how to engage communities and businesses and their perceptions of opportunities and risks, to enable cities to prioritise investment, and embed resilience.