MCR 2030 Resilience Hubs in Action at the 2024 APMCDRR

October 17, 2024

MCR 2030 Resilience Hubs in Action at the 2024 APMCDRR

On October 17, 2024, Makati City successfully organized a session titled “MCR 2030 Resilience Hubs in Action: Accelerating Cities’ Initiatives towards SFDRR” at the Philippine International Convention Center during the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR). The event served as a critical platform for advancing the Making Cities Resilient (MCR) 2030 initiative, emphasizing practical solutions to enhance urban resilience in the face of growing disaster risks in the Asia-Pacific region.

Focus on Urban Resilience Amidst Growing Challenges

The session aimed to highlight the importance of urban resilience in light of rapid urbanization, climate change, and geopolitical challenges in the Asia-Pacific region. With cities increasingly vulnerable to disasters, the MCR 2030 initiative has been a key initiative in helping cities implement strategies to better prepare for and recover from disasters. The session offered participants the opportunity to explore best practices and innovations from Resilience Hubs across the region. It also facilitated networking and knowledge exchange among cities, supporting efforts to achieve the collective goals set out in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR).

The session was moderated by Dr. Kristoffer Berse, Dean of the University of the Philippines National College of Public Administration and Governance (UP NCPAG) and was participated by representatives of all Resilience Hub cities in the Asia-Pacific region: Incheon City (Republic of Korea), Makati City (Philippines), Ulsan City (Republic of Korea), Zhuji City (China), and Sendai City (Japan).

Incheon City: Pioneering Urban Resilience

As the first Resilience Hub in the region, Incheon City shared its comprehensive Urban Resilience model, which prioritizes citizen health and safety. Seong Yun Cho, the Director of the Incheon Safe City Research Center, discussed the three core strategies of the city: advanced preparation and early response, collaborative decision-making, and effective policy implementation. These strategies are integral to Incheon’s efforts to enhance urban resilience and improve disaster risk management.

Makati City: Leading through Collaboration and Continuous Learning

Makati City, represented by Mayor Abby Binay, highlighted its role as a pilot city for the MCR 2030 initiative. Through this participation, the city has gained access to global best practices and tools on DRR, including the Disaster Resilience Scorecard. Mayor Abby emphasized how the scorecard has been localized and integrated into the city’s resilience planning. She also stressed the importance of a multi-sectoral, multi-stakeholder approach to resilience, noting that Makati’s commitment to building resilience is an ongoing journey of continuous learning, collaboration, and innovation.

Ulsan City: Journey to Becoming a Resilient City

Yeongbae Yoon of the Ulsan Research Institute presented Ulsan City's transformation from a small fishing village to a resilient, sustainable urban hub. He discussed the city’s leadership strategies, collaboration efforts, robust response systems, resilient infrastructure, and active community participation, which have been integral to Ulsan’s resilience and development.

Zhuji City: Long-term Planning as Key to Resilience

Johnny Wang, Zhuji City’s Special Advisor on Resilience, shared insights into their development of a Resilience Finance Framework, designed to address both current and future risks. He highlighted the importance of stakeholder engagement, data management, and the implementation of best practices to ensure the city’s resilience goals are met in the long run. Wang also underscored the need for a shared understanding of resilience among all stakeholders as a primary step to effectively mitigate and manage risks.

Sendai City: Building on Lessons from the 2011 Earthquake

Sendai City, known for its recovery from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, discussed its ongoing commitment to disaster resilience and environmental sustainability. Tsuyoshi Yunomura, the Deputy Director General of the Sendia City Planning Policy Bureau, discussed the city’s focus on community capacity building, knowledge sharing, and city-to-city learning initiatives to ensure it remains resilient in the face of disasters.

The session concluded with a Q&A, where speakers discussed the ongoing challenges of building urban resilience. Lessons learned were discussed, noting in particular the cities’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The speakers emphasized the need for continuous community engagement, openness to learning from other cities, and the ongoing ambition to make cities resilient. The knowledge exchange during the session underscored the importance of collaboration, innovation, and shared knowledge in advancing urban resilience across the Asia-Pacific region.

As cities continue to confront growing risks, the session at the 2024 APMCDRR highlighted the critical role of initiatives like the MCR 2030 in driving global progress toward safer, more resilient cities across the globe.

For more information about the MCR2030 initiative: https://bit.ly/MCR2030Campaign

For cities in the Philippines, Makati as MCR2030 Resilience Hub Provides Assistance in Local Resilience Building: https://bit.ly/MakatiMCR2030