About Resilient Communities & Cities
ICLEI's Resilient Communities & Cities (RC&C) initiative adopts the LA21 process in preparing and working on Local Resilience Agendas. Since the members' endorsement of the program in 2002 in Johannesburg as a Type-2 Partnership program, ICLEI has made headways in forging partnerships, network-building and advocacy, research, and assessment of disaster reduction management tools for local governments. These headways will form part of customizing a methodology for local governments and deploying a five-milestone local performance program framework to increase resilience.
Beyond Relief. Following ICLEI's response to the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster in 2005 that afflicted member cities (Matale, Sri Lanka and Phuket, Thailand), ICLEI's advisory group and members endorsed the relevance of this initiative in achieving multiple targets set for the MDGs. Prevention and adaptation criteria must be integrated in the methodology.
Survey results filled out by local government respondents across 15 countries pointed to their completion of a Local Agenda 21 (LA21) plan; yet only a few of these plans deal with disaster risk management. Scoping workshops in Phuket and Matale further confirmed the need for local governments to improve coordinative and leadership functions on disaster management since they deal directly with communities. CIDA supported these initial phases of the needs assessment.
Tools for Local Decision-Makers. With the support of the German Development Agency (GTZ), ICLEI's research into local disaster risk management (DRM) pointed to the many instruments that exist. However, a few actually address the needs of local government decision-makers or staff. Local government representatives further pointed out that a local government-friendly tool will be very helpful in incorporating risk reduction in local policies and processes. This, however, would require engaging local decision-makers in tools application, planning and systems development.
Partnerships for Global Resilience. ICLEI launched a partnership program in 2002 with the Hairou Commission, the International Centre for Sustainable Cities, the UN-Habitat, and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The RC&C Partnership Program is registered with the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs’ Division for Sustainable Development.
Recently, ICLEI sealed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Earthquakes and Megacities Initiative (EMI) to carry out joint capacity building and advocacy for disaster risk management in big cities. ICLEI's International Training Centre will lead this initiative with EMI together with ICLEI's regional offices.
Beyond Relief. Following ICLEI's response to the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster in 2005 that afflicted member cities (Matale, Sri Lanka and Phuket, Thailand), ICLEI's advisory group and members endorsed the relevance of this initiative in achieving multiple targets set for the MDGs. Prevention and adaptation criteria must be integrated in the methodology.
Survey results filled out by local government respondents across 15 countries pointed to their completion of a Local Agenda 21 (LA21) plan; yet only a few of these plans deal with disaster risk management. Scoping workshops in Phuket and Matale further confirmed the need for local governments to improve coordinative and leadership functions on disaster management since they deal directly with communities. CIDA supported these initial phases of the needs assessment.
Tools for Local Decision-Makers. With the support of the German Development Agency (GTZ), ICLEI's research into local disaster risk management (DRM) pointed to the many instruments that exist. However, a few actually address the needs of local government decision-makers or staff. Local government representatives further pointed out that a local government-friendly tool will be very helpful in incorporating risk reduction in local policies and processes. This, however, would require engaging local decision-makers in tools application, planning and systems development.
Partnerships for Global Resilience. ICLEI launched a partnership program in 2002 with the Hairou Commission, the International Centre for Sustainable Cities, the UN-Habitat, and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The RC&C Partnership Program is registered with the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs’ Division for Sustainable Development.
Recently, ICLEI sealed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Earthquakes and Megacities Initiative (EMI) to carry out joint capacity building and advocacy for disaster risk management in big cities. ICLEI's International Training Centre will lead this initiative with EMI together with ICLEI's regional offices.
