Institute of Development Studies

Urban Governance for Adaptation: Assessing Climate Change Resilience

'Assessing adaptation governance in Asian cities'

This research investigates the linkages between good urban governance, climate adaptation and resilience, and poverty and sustainable development concerns. It develops and tests an analytical framework for urban adaptation governance ten Asian cities.

The results form the basis of a climate resilient urban governance assessment framework, including elements of (1) decentralisation and autonomy, (2) accountability and transparency, (3) responsiveness and flexibility, (4) participation and inclusion and (5) experience and support. This framework can help to assist in the planning, design and implementation of urban climate change resilience-building programmes in the future.

IDS Working Paper Number 315 presents the findings of research in ten South and Southeast Asian cities and the framework for assessing climate resilient urban governance.

For the city assessment reports, please see the following links to pdf files (sizes 116 - 300kb):
Assessment of Bangkok, Assessment of Chennai, Assessment of Chittagong, Assessment of Cochin, Assessment of Dalian, Assessment of DaNang, Assessment of Hangzhou, Assessment of Ho Chi Minh City, Assessment of Ningbo, Assessment of Surat

• IDS key contact: Tom Mitchell
• Project dates: May 2007 - September 2007
• Project status: Closed
• Funder: Rockefeller Foundation

Researchers

• Tom Mitchell
• Thomas Tanner
• Emily Polack

Partner Organisations

• Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS)
• Thai National Institute for Development Administration (NIDA)
• University of Madras, School of Social Sciences
• Gujarat Institute of Development Research (GIDR)
• Cochin University of Science and Technology, School of Environmental Sciences
• VietInsight
• University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City, Department of Urban Studies
• Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS)

Selected Outputs

• Tanner, T., Mitchell, T., Polack, E. and Guenther, B. (2009) 'Urban Governance for Adaptation: Assessing Climate Change Resilience in Ten Asian Cities', IDS Working Paper 315, Brighton: IDS
• Tanner, T., Mitchell, T., Polack, E. and Guenther, B. (2009) 'Urban Governance for Adaptation: Assessing Climate Change Resilience in Ten Asian Cities', IDS Research Summary 315, Brighton: IDS
• Polack, E. and Choi, E. (2007) 'Building Climate Change Resilient Cities', IDS In Focus Policy Briefing 2.6, Brighton: IDS