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The occurrence of earthquakes and the resulting losses and damages have always presented a significant threat to urban areas, residents, and assets. Consequently, urban planners and city managers have been compelled to devise logical and scientific solutions to enhance the safety of cities. However, safeguarding cities against earthquakes cannot be accomplished solely by constructing strong buildings. It is crucial to also address urban vulnerability by optimizing the use of urban land. This study aims to identify the most suitable urban areas for the development of Sanandaj, with the objective of reducing its vulnerability. The K -Nearest Neighbors (KNN) method has been employed as a model, which has shown relatively high accuracy in evaluating the optimal land use in Sanandaj, with a specific focus on earthquake risk. The results of the model indicate that approximately 32% of the city's area is in an optimal condition. District 2, comprising 406 hectares (equivalent to 42.78%), and district 4, comprising 658 hectares (equivalent to 50.85%), offer favorable circumstances for the city's development, thereby reducing urban vulnerability and optimizing land use. However, the overall condition of the city is not conducive to optimality. Neighborhoods situated in districts 1 and 2 are particularly unsuitable due to high population and residential density, inadequate permeability, and poor adaptation of land use. The evaluation of the model yielded an area under the curve value of 0.951, indicating the satisfactory performance of the model in examining the subject matter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research presents an interdisciplinary study on the impact of planning policies on the seismic vulnerability of historic areas, encompassing architecture, urban planning, and engineering aspects. It examines the spatial and temporal dynamics of urbanization and population growth, which alter cities' seismic exposure and vulnerability over time. Urban and engineering research methods are used to assess the seismic vulnerability variability in Yungay Quarter, a historic district west of downtown Santiago, Chile, with buildings constructed between 1839 and 2022. The study begins with a thorough review of Chilean urban planning policies and building regulations, combined with a detailed survey of the construction features in the historical neighborhood to classify building types. Next, the macro-seismic method is applied to a representative sample of 484 buildings to calculate vulnerability indices for unreinforced masonry and reinforced concrete structures, which are then used to estimate damage distributions. Seismic fragility curves for each building class are derived based on peak ground acceleration. These fragility curves are incorporated into risk assessments for potential ruptures along the San Ramon, Santiago splay and a deep intra-slab splay fault. The resulting risk scenarios can guide future urban planning policies and processes affecting this historical urban center. The innovations introduced by this work include a summary of how changes and updates to planning policies have influenced construction practices in the Yungay Quarter from 1839 to 2022 and the translation of these urban changes into variations in building fragility functions, enabling a comprehensive assessment of the potential impacts on these buildings from various potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Goma, the capital of the North Kivu Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is a transborder and conflict-affected city that is also chronically vulnerable to volcanic eruptions. Using the extended version of the Pressure and Release model, this study examines Goma's progressive vulnerability over the course of three volcanic disasters--the eruptions of Mount Nyiragongo in 1977, 2002, and 2021. We find that the rich natural resources and weak governance are the root causes of Goma's chronic vulnerability to volcanic eruptions. In the first phase (1977-2002), an influx of ethnic groups seeking land as well as conflicts between them and natives over the land and natural resources can be regarded as dynamic pressure, generating unsafe conditions. In the second phase (2002-2021), the conflict added a global dimension, with the influx of global businesses and humanitarian organizations increasing the population pressure. It caused a gentrifi- cation process, in which the urban poor were pushed out to the marginal area of the city, which resulted in significant damage from the 2021 eruption. We find that globalization produces two opposing forces in the increased vulnerability; it accelerated economic prosperity in the region, on the one hand, but also caused a rapid population increase and increased progression, on the other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today's cities need more than ever methodological devices that ensure a specific urbanism, in keeping with the complexity of relationships that occur in the urban space. Networks or systems of a diverse nature must be activated to achieve a certain success of the city, even more so in its fragile central fabric. This study is focused on the historic neighborhoods of the city of Jaén (Spain), which have a high vulnerability index. The aim is to establish a strategy to revitalize their urban and social capital and improve their articulation with the rest of the urban and territorial structure. A methodological proposal for the analysis of vulnerability factors and an urban and cartographic analysis of the public space is addressed through an interweaving of a triple network: environmental, social, and urban. For this purpose, the configuration of this overlapping network of analysis and the formulation of criteria is presented, which considers the urban multiplicity and promotes new dynamics for the integrated urban regeneration of the area and for the activation of public and collective urban spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The frequent occurrence of extreme high-temperature events in the summer under global climate change poses a serious threat to Chinese society. An urban vulnerability evaluation system for counties in the Chengdu-Chongqing Area was constructed to calculate the urban vulnerability and distribution characteristics of each district. In this study, a vulnerability-contribution model was used to analyze the types of urban vulnerability in the Chengdu-Chongqing Area. Additionally, combined with the optimal parameter geographic detector (OPGD) model, the main influencing factors and interactions of urban vulnerability were explored. The results show that: ① The urban vulnerability of the Chengdu-Chongqing Area is high in the east and low in the west, with vulnerability degree mostly below the medium degree. ② Exposure contributes more than 50% to severe and general urban vulnerability in the region, while adaptability contributes the highest proportion to mild urban vulnerability, reaching 47.53%. ③ From the factor perspective, the impact ratio of high-temperature days on urban vulnerability is 39.1%, and the interaction between various meteorological factors and social factors produces an enhancement effect, with the highest interaction q-value reaching 0.7863. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban vulnerability defines a situation of socio‐spatial fragility that precedes exclusion and generates a growing social fragmentation in European cities. The psychosocial and multidimensional nature of urban vulnerability determines the interaction among complex socioeconomic, sociodemographic, residential, and subjective variables. The main objective of the article is to explore the comprehensive treatment of this concept within the European framework. A systematic review of the literature allowed for the analysis of over 190 published articles drawn from the Web of Science and Scopus databases from 2002 to 2024. The systematic review is grouped into three main areas: (a) theoretical support for the concept and official variables used for measuring these, (b) classification of the articles reviewed into thematic categories, and (c) identification of changes in the conceptualization and measurement of urban vulnerability. Finally, based on the reflection and review undertaken, this article proposes a conceptual basis and a battery of indicators of urban vulnerability, all of which refer to common areas of vulnerability within the European context. In particular, this proposal includes a new approach for conceptualizing and measuring urban vulnerability based on the results of this subjective review. The findings of this comparative effort form the basis for developing a systematic approach to measuring this concept key to the area of territorial sciences within the European context.

Urban areas are currently facing the increasingly pressing issue of urban heat worldwide, which is being worsened by climate change and rising urbanization. As a result, there is a growing need for new approaches to enhance urban resilience and adapt to these challenges. The escalating occurrence and severity of urban heat events provide notable hazards, particularly to susceptible groups, necessitating proactive efforts to alleviate detrimental consequences. Therefore, this research addresses the inquiry, “What strategic approaches can be effectively employed to mitigate vulnerability and strengthen urban resilience in response to urban heat?” Thus, this study ascertains and examines approaches to enhance urban resilience, mitigate susceptibility, and implement adaptation strategies to combat urban heat. Utilizing the content analysis method, a comprehensive assortment of documents encompassing academic publications, policy documents, and reports was subjected to a systematic analysis employing the MAXQDA software. Databases searched included Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar, and a total of 72 studies were included in the final analysis. The research reveals a wide range of novel ideas and practical measures that can be implemented to improve urban resilience and mitigate vulnerability to urban heat. Urban greening strategies, heatwave early warning sys-tems, and community involvement projects have exhibited differing effectiveness, application, and adaptation levels in many urban landscapes and socio-economic circumstances. Additionally, this research emphasizes the value of using multidimensional, context-specific strategies to address the unique challenges and needs of diverse urban regions and marginalized communities. Furthermore, structural changes, legislative reforms, and community-based solutions may be necessary to manage complex issues posed by urban heat. Therefore, effectively implementing adaptation strategies is vital to effectively combating challenges caused by urban heat in urban areas.

Cities in Malawi have long been outside the focus of disaster risk reduction. As a result, urban risks remain poorly understood, and urban governments and disaster risk reduction (DRR) practitioners working in cities struggle to adequately support vulnerable urban populations. This is evidenced by recent disasters such as Cyclone Freddy, which devastated the city of Blantyre in 2023, and increasingly common small-scale events in urban areas. This article analyses the Malawian city as a distinct riskscape, shaped by national-level policies of neglect that create an institutional void that DRR practitioners working at the city level struggle to fill. This process is complicated by a multitude of challenges at different levels of governance, especially leaving small-scale events prevalent in urban areas largely unaddressed. This process of risk accumulation is increasingly affecting urban residents. Methodologically, we demonstrate this through a comprehensive policy analysis and by drawing on expert and civil society interviews and questionnaires conducted in Lilongwe City. Contribution: By outlining the interlocking challenges at multiple levels and grounding them in empirical data, we highlight the specificities of urban DRR efforts in Malawi and provide opportunities to improve them.

Urban areas and the fastest-growing cities in Africa are experiencing devastating impact of climate change. The changing climate requires a human response to reduce urban vulnerability in Africa. The purpose of this scoping review was to map evidence of climate vulnerability, existing adaptation, and associated barriers to inform policies and future research in Africa. Search done in four main databases (PubMed, Central, JSTOR, and Science Direct) produced 13,191 records, and an additional 25 records were retrieved from Google, Google Scholar and Dimensions. Finally, 34 studies were included in this scoping review based on the inclusion criteria. Findings indicate that climate change is harming urban populations and communities, especially poor urban populations in informal settlements through food insecurity, water stress, destruction of livelihoods and key infrastructure, physical and mental health issues, poor sanitation, stigmatisation, crime, disruption in school and healthcare delivery, migration and unemployment. Also, existing urban adaptation responses to climate risk are not at the level needed to build resilience to urban vulnerability. In addition, there is evidence of maladaptation which might worsen the climate burden on the poor urban population. In conclusion, climate change poses severe challenges for Africa's urban poor, heightening vulnerability through food insecurity, water stress, and infrastructure destruction. Current adaptation efforts are insufficient and may worsen adaptation efforts. Urgent actions are needed, including enhanced climate knowledge, early warning systems, robust policies, and targeted interventions addressing poverty and infrastructure deficits. Integrating climate research into urban planning is vital to build resilience and protect marginalized urban populations in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classifying objects based on the simultaneous impact of various parameters has always been challenging due to heterogeneity, impact conflict, and sometimes parameter uncertainty. The purpose of this study is to provide a method for classifying such data. In the proposed method, fuzzy hypergraphs were used to define the granular structures in order to apply the simultaneous effect of heterogeneous and weighted parameters in the classification. This method has been implemented and validated on Fisher's intuitive research in relation to the classification of iris flowers. Evaluation and comparison of the proposed method with Fisher's experimental results showed higher efficiency and accuracy in flower classification. The proposed method has been used to assess the seismic risk of 50,000 buildings based on 10 heterogeneous parameters. Seismic risk classification showed that more than 88% of buildings were classified, and 12% of buildings that could not be classified due to excessive scatter of parameter values were classified using a very small confidence radius. The results indicate the ability of the proposed method to classify objects with the least similarity and number of effective parameters in classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has significantly increased the risks associated with urban flooding. However, most research on flood risk assessment focuses on large-scale climate changes and impacts, leaving a research gap in the high spatial resolution of flood risk assessment in inter-urban areas. This gap makes it difficult to guide regional planning for the government. Therefore, this study aims to explore the risks of floods in ultra-high-density cities under climate change at the planning scale, using Hong Kong as a case study. We comprehensively assessed the flood risk index (FRI) in the built environment in 211 tertiary planning units (TPUs) from the three dimensions of vulnerability, exposure, and hazard from 2006 to 2021. We also employed a prediction model to forecast the spatial–temporal patterns of FRI in the next 5, 10, and 15 years and evaluated the uneven distribution of flood risks. The results show that the FRI of TPUs increased yearly, which poses higher threats to agglomerative areas of transportation and functional facilities. Additionally, future FRI will further impact coastal TPUs in western Hong Kong, resulting in more negative impacts on high-building areas. Therefore, urban planning should prioritize integrating flood management and risk mitigation measures.

Since the beginning of human being creation and beginning to live in this world, man has faced the threat of terrorism and has always tried to balance security threats and human needs. In this context, passive defense is one of the most effective and lasting means of defending against threats from a long history of human. One of the solutions has proposed to reduce injuries in the threat situations is the use of open spaces . Therefore, the purpose of the research is to evaluate urban open spaces and its role in reducing vulnerability during crisis with the passive defense approach in Tabriz . The present research is descriptive-analytical and with applied approach. Sampling were selected from 100 residents of Tabriz decuple regions from questioning surveys. The data were analyzed using ARC GIS software and multi-criteria decision making methods, MCDM and fuzzy analysis. The results showed that among the weight of sub-criteria, outdoor space has the highest weight with 0.621 value and the lowest weight was assigned to the sub-criterion of relative self-sufficiency 0.023 and according to the final map of fuzzy overly map, the area of open space in reducing the vulnerability of 10 regions was 4253469 m2 with the lowest area 5.55 percent and highest area 19.39% Equal to 14849144 m2 and has the most favorable open spaces in decreasing vulnerability, and in the among of 10 regions of Tabriz, region of 5,6,7, and 9 have an important role in decreasing of vulnerability and region of 1,2,4, 8,9 and 10 have the less effect in decreasing vulnerability.

Cities in Malawi have long been outside the focus of disaster risk reduction. As a result, urban risks remain poorly understood, and urban governments and disaster risk reduction (DRR) practitioners working in cities struggle to adequately support vulnerable urban populations. This is evidenced by recent disasters such as Cyclone Freddy, which devastated the city of Blantyre in 2023, and increasingly common small-scale events in urban areas.This article analyses the Malawian city as a distinct riskscape, shaped by national-level policies of neglect that create an institutional void that DRR practitioners working at the city level struggle to fill. This process is complicated by a multitude of challenges at different levels of governance, especially leaving small-scale events prevalent in urban areas largely unaddressed. This process of risk accumulation is increasingly affecting urban residents. Methodologically, we demonstrate this through a comprehensive policy analysis and by drawing on expert and civil society interviews and questionnaires conducted in Lilongwe City. Contribution: By outlining the interlocking challenges at multiple levels and grounding them in empirical data, we highlight the specificities of urban DRR efforts in Malawi and provide opportunities to improve them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the most widely used methodologies to measure, analyse and assess the state of the building stock and the life conditions of people living in vulnerable neighbourhoods, in an attempt to identify limitations and opportunities within the design of more suitable instruments that will allow us to identify residential communities in a vulnerable situation, residential exclusion or at difficulty to access rehabilitation subsidies or allowances. The methodology adopted is based on the obtention of a first vulnerability index constructed from quantitative data that allows us to focus on the most vulnerable areas of the cities under study. Later, it is complemented with qualitative analysis, interviews to technical officers, entities’ representatives, and site visits and observations. The main obtained results consist of different methodological approaches and analytic and geospatial measurements of the residential vulnerability in the cities of Barcelona and Bilbao: from quantitative large-scale multicriterial analysis, geospatial analysis on specific aspects, to small-scale qualitative study cases, fieldwork and interviews to different actors. In conclusion, by applying those different methodologies in the same specific areas, we were able to determine how data disaggregation and specificity in relation to urban and building form and location provide relevant differential results that help to qualify certain patterns that can be detected but not explained by quantitative larger-scale integrative analysis. Besides, the qualitative information provided by key local agents of different networks was crucial to explain and understand the nature of geographical and time-changing patterns of residential vulnerability.

Copyright of Revista Española de Sociología is the property of Federacion Espanola de Sociologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article aims to understand the probable links between social capital and social infrastructure. The inclusion of these two dimensions into urban analysis may help to better understand the nature and characteristics of the relationships between the built environment and the level of organisation of the residents, and whether these have an impact on the vulnerability of the territories. Through use of statistical techniques (visual grouping and cluster analysis, among others), this article seeks to construct a comprehensive measure of social capital, as well as a comprehensive index of social infrastructure. These two in combination show, as the main results, that the characteristics of the built environment may promote higher levels of social interaction, also leading to higher levels of civic engagement and participation. However, the results also suggest that this relationship may be bidirectional. Finally, the mapping of the two indices applied in the city of Barcelona is presented and these results are compared with a previously constructed index of vulnerability for the same territory, allowing an overall better understanding of Barcelona's socio-urban behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces a novel approach to urban public safety analysis inspired by a streetscape analysis commonly applied in urban criminology, leveraging the concept of micro-geographical units to account for urban spatial heterogeneity. Recognizing the intrinsic uniformity within these smaller, distinct environments of a city, the methodology represents a shift from large-scale regional studies to a more localized and precise exploration of urban vulnerability. The research objectives focus on three key aspects: first, establishing a framework for identifying and dividing cities into micro-geographical units; second, determining the type and nature of data that effectively illustrate the potential vulnerability of these units; and third, developing a robust and reliable evaluation index system for urban vulnerability. We apply this innovative method to Urumqi's Tianshan District in Xinjiang, China, resulting in the formation of 30 distinct micro-geographical units. Using WorldView-2 remote sensing imagery and the object-oriented classification method, we extract and evaluate features related to vehicles, roads, buildings, and vegetation for each unit. This information feeds into the construction of a comprehensive index, used to assess public security vulnerability at a granular level. The findings from our study reveal a wide spectrum of vulnerability levels across the 30 units. Notably, units X1 (Er Dao Bridge) and X7 (Gold Coin Mountain International Plaza) showed high vulnerability due to factors such as a lack of green spaces, poor urban planning, dense building development, and traffic issues. Our research validates the utility and effectiveness of the micro-geographical unit concept in assessing urban vulnerability, thereby introducing a new paradigm in urban safety studies. This micro-geographical approach, combined with a multi-source data strategy involving high-resolution remote sensing and field survey data, offers a robust and comprehensive tool for urban vulnerability assessment. Moreover, the urban vulnerability evaluation index developed through this study provides a promising model for future urban safety research across different cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous urban expansion, the conversion of open land to built-up areas and increased energy consumption have diversified the microclimates of cities. These phenomena combined with climate change hazards increase the vulnerability of cities, in a spatially heterogeneous way. Therefore, cities should become more resilient to those threats, by identifying and prioritising highly vulnerable areas. The main purpose of this study is to develop a spatial-based approach to assess the vulnerability of climate-related hazards in the urban environment of Thessaloniki (Greece). In this context, spatial and temporal patterns of land surface temperature were estimated through the calculation of various spectral indices, to conduct an analytical Urban Heat Island vulnerability assessment. Furthermore, the FloodMap-Pro application was used to identify coastal areas that are vulnerable to sea level rise, while historical floods were digitised in order to identify potential urban (flash) flood zones. The most important outcome of this paper is the creation of an integrated spatial vulnerability index, which identifies the urban areas that are prone to all these hazards. The final vulnerability map illustrates how the city of Thessaloniki is exposed to several climate-related hazards and that many areas/neighbourhoods are prone to one or more risk factors.

In recent years, the water–energy–food (WEF) nexus approach has been widely used as a framework in the context of urban Sustainability. However, some elements of the approach are normative, leading to a technical view of resources and technocratic policy implementation. To avoid such tendencies, this study uses the framework of ‘nexus of humility’. We used insights from the Science and Technology Studies to better assess the interactions between water, energy, and food, and consider the social construction aspects of the nexus itself. The approach of Pathways to Sustainability is combined with this framework to analyze two government programs in the cities of São Paulo and Guarulhos, Brazil; namely, the Green and Healthy Environments Program and the Environmental Health Program, respectively. We interviewed 20 individuals linked to these policies and analyzed narratives inductively and deductively. The results showed six groups of narratives, namely: environmental and social determinants of health, health prevention and promotion, intersectorality, politics and economy, territory, learning, and participation. Moreover, we concluded that narratives related to the WEF nexus, even if not explicitly part of the government guidelines, are present within the existing axes of action. Public health was understood as an important support pillar for the development of synergies related to Sustainability in urban areas. Finally, we sought to contribute to the literature by showing how this new framework can ‘open up’ avenues for sustainability within the contexts of high urban vulnerability and social inequality.

Introduction: The advent of climate change has raised new challenges for cities and made it necessary to adopt strategic policies for mitigating its impact and allowing them to adapt more effectively to extreme events. Objectives: To establish the concept of urban vulnerability and examine the measures adopted by towns and cities for the reduction of hydro-meteorological risks and their adaptation to climate change. Methodology: A systematic review of the literature was carried out which can be found in the Science Direct e Scielo database for the period 2011-2021 and this makes it possible to trace the evolutionary path of the concept of "urban vulnerability". Uniqueness/Significance: Urban vulnerability has become a key factor in the current assessment of climate change and studies in this area must be strengthened. As well as this, there is a need to determine the links between attempts to adapt to climate change and the measures available to find solutions for disaster risk reduction (DRR). Results: An evolutionary trend for the term "urban vulnerability" was noted, and this has been applied in several articles as a key variable in establishing an equation for disaster risk reduction. In 2020 there was evidence of progress that had been made in studies related to urban vulnerability regarding adaptations to climate change, new ideas about risk assessment and methods that could be employed at the local level (for towns and cities). Social contributions on the part of the management: At present, when faced with climate change, the DRR has become an emergency service which is aimed at protecting human lives and material goods. This is because, while expanding, many of our towns and cities have incorporated areas that are vulnerable to extreme events; this has led to an understanding of how essential urban planning is to mitigate the possible risks of hydro-meteorological disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Procesos Urbanos (2500-5200) is the property of Corporacion Universitaria del Caribe (CECAR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Urban landslides are increasing globally, mainly caused by human-induced changes in hillsides. Most of these events have caused low-intensity damages to housing and infrastructure. A total of 2038 locations of landslides in the hydrological year of 2010 were used to model landslides' occurrence in the metropolitan region of São Paulo—Brazil—using a social–ecological–technological system's approach, which enables the analysis of urban landslides as the outcome of dynamic socioeconomic and infrastructural conditions alongside climatic and geophysical conditions. A multi-step model approach was used to select the best set of variables related to landslides' occurrence and assess their importance. The value of AUC of the model was 0.9087, denoting the high level of discrimination achieved. Antecedent rainfall played the most important role, followed by terrain slope. Informal settlements, associated with poor constructive practices and a lack of municipal inspection on civil works and buildings, as well as the number of households, which stands for built density and greater alteration in hillsides, yielded a slightly lower contribution. Other variables showed a marginal contribution. These results reinforce the role of local ordinances aimed at restricting occupation in steeper slopes and public policies to promote adequate housing and constructive practices. Future climate projections to MRSP point to the increase in intense rainfall days, making disasters caused by landslides a major source of risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the most widely used methodologies to measure, analyse and assess the state of the building stock and the life conditions of people living in vulnerable neighbourhoods, in an attempt to identify limitations and opportunities within the design of more suitable instruments that will allow us to identify residential communities in a vulnerable situation, residential exclusion or at difficulty to access rehabilitation subsidies or allowances. The methodology adopted is based on the obtention of a first vulnerability index constructed from quantitative data that allows us to focus on the most vulnerable areas of the cities under study. Later, it is complemented with qualitative analysis, interviews to technical officers, entities' representatives, and site visits and observations. The main obtained results consist of different methodological approaches and analytic and geospatial measurements of the residential vulnerability in the cities of Barcelona and Bilbao: from quantitative large-scale multicriterial analysis, geospatial analysis on specific aspects, to small-scale qualitative study cases, fieldwork and interviews to different actors. In conclusion, by applying those different methodologies in the same specific areas, we were able to determine how data disaggregation and specificity in relation to urban and building form and location provide relevant differential results that help to qualify certain patterns that can be detected but not explained by quantitative larger-scale integrative analysis. Besides, the qualitative information provided by key local agents of different networks was crucial to explain and understand the nature of geographical and time-changing patterns of residential vulnerability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing consensus that urban areas are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of large-scale disasters. Not only are many urban areas located in high-risk regions (e.g., coastlines), but urbanity can exacerbate the negative impacts of many disasters. For example, high population densities expose more individuals to disaster impacts, and urban service provision relies on complex, interrelated systems prone to failure. It is possible to mitigate these vulnerabilities through urban planning, including regulations to limit high-density development in risky areas, but such decisions often run counter to local development efforts. Using Tampa, Florida, as a case study, we utilize a high-resolution methodological approach for tracking commercial and residential development related to potential hurricane strikes and storm surge flooding. Specifically, we use 16 consecutive years of parcel development data for the area alongside simulated hurricane storm surges to determine historical, present, and likely-future flooding vulnerability. Our findings indicate that the Tampa region continues to develop high-risk land which is likely to face significant damage from future hurricanes. This damage includes large tracts of commercial and residential land in high-risk areas along the coast and near inland bodies of water. The value of this study is providing a conceptual and operational framework for evaluating small (incremental) planning decisions made over space and time. When evaluated with a similar set of criteria, the results of this analysis suggest that unintended patterns of vulnerability emerge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the water–energy–food (WEF) nexus approach has been widely used as a framework in the context of urban Sustainability. However, some elements of the approach are normative, leading to a technical view of resources and technocratic policy implementation. To avoid such tendencies, this study uses the framework of 'nexus of humility'. We used insights from the Science and Technology Studies to better assess the interactions between water, energy, and food, and consider the social construction aspects of the nexus itself. The approach of Pathways to Sustainability is combined with this framework to analyze two government programs in the cities of São Paulo and Guarulhos, Brazil; namely, the Green and Healthy Environments Program and the Environmental Health Program, respectively. We interviewed 20 individuals linked to these policies and analyzed narratives inductively and deductively. The results showed six groups of narratives, namely: environmental and social determinants of health, health prevention and promotion, intersectorality, politics and economy, territory, learning, and participation. Moreover, we concluded that narratives related to the WEF nexus, even if not explicitly part of the government guidelines, are present within the existing axes of action. Public health was understood as an important support pillar for the development of synergies related to Sustainability in urban areas. Finally, we sought to contribute to the literature by showing how this new framework can 'open up' avenues for sustainability within the contexts of high urban vulnerability and social inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Understanding the nature and scope of existing social capital is essential to building the resilience of people living in vulnerable urban settings. This paper explores the question of how aid organisations can better utilise social capital to build the resilience of communities in slums. It specifically examines the relationship between social capital and urban vulnerability. The study used a mixed-methods approach to understand the diverse perspectives of social capital and uncover relationships that exist between social capital, absorptive and adaptive coping strategies in Kibera and Kawangware slums in Nairobi, Kenya. The findings show that coping is not a community or a societal issue; people living in slums resort to either absorptive or adaptive coping strategies or a combination of both due to the precariousness of livelihoods in such contexts. Measures of bonding, bridging, and linking social capital in slums are significantly associated with adaptive coping strategies. Families that had more dependents, were taking care of ill members or that had no regular source of income were more likely to resort to withdrawing children from school, begging, selling assets, amongst others. Livelihood studies overlook critical aspects of social capital such as bridges and linkages, which are essential for building the transformative capacities of slum dwellers. Therefore, aid actors should focus on social capital if they are to build the capacities of people living in slums. More attention should be given to the role of local organisations and initiatives in establishing bridges and linkages so as not to undermine communities’ existing capacities and resource base.

The concepts of resistance to unforeseen disasters and rapid post-disaster recovery of historic cities are necessary due to the earthquakes that have profoundly influenced their evolution. The improvement of this property strongly depends on the effectiveness of the preventive tools. In this work, an operational framework for the resilience assessment of a historical city characterized by high cultural and historical elements is developed, which corresponds to the main contribution of this research. The research includes multicriteria analysis based on the in-depth knowledge of the city's historical development, the study of the effects of past earthquakes, structural vulnerability analysis of pombalino buildings, architectural types and socio-economic aspects. The aim is to obtain the necessary elements to guide an aware plan for improving resilience and the reduction of vulnerability through a GIS tool aimed at preventing and defining urban intervention priorities. The framework proposed is applied to Lisbon downtown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal Civil Engineering / Revista de Ingeniería Civil is the property of ECORFAN-Mexico S.C. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Natural hazards and urbanization put enormous pressure on cities and affect their sustainable development. Against the backdrop of the increasingly prominent urban disease, a comprehensive urban vulnerability assessment has a positive effect on improving the quality of urbanization. In this study, prefecture-level cities in Southwest China were taken as the study area, and their vulnerability was studied dynamically from 2010 to 2019. The four major systems were integrated, and a comprehensive vulnerability evaluation index system was constructed. Game theory and TOPSIS were combined to minimize the impact of subjective factors on the results. The results indicate that the overall vulnerability of Southwest China shows an irregular downward trend and strong spatial heterogeneity. There are 5 cities with very high vulnerability and 1 with very low vulnerability in 2010, accounting for 15.15% and 3.03% of the total number of cities, respectively. In contrast, the results for 2019 are the opposite, with 1 city with very high vulnerability and 5 cities with very low vulnerability. The better the economic situation, the lower the urban vulnerability. And there is a non-strictly negative correlation between urban vulnerability and urban size. When the difference in size between two cities is large enough, the vulnerability of the larger city is significantly lower. Leading development cities such as Chengdu and Chongqing have low vulnerability, while high vulnerability is mainly distributed in cities with poor infrastructure. On the basis of results, the research can be regarded as reference for urban management and coordinated development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Djebahia is an average city in the Algerian centre, reported to have many risks related to landslides, with very important indices of instabilities. The recurrence of damaging events in this locality has shown the fragility of its urban system. The main objective of this article is to analyse the urban vulnerability in Djebahia municipality by determining the physical condition of its urban structure. The procedures for the analysis of factors at the origin of the risk in this city are mainly derived from the spatial analysis program, represented by the geographic information system software (ARCMAP), which contains a set of tools facilitating the process analysis. The present research was based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) of Thomas Laurie Saaty (1990), which belongs to a series of multi-criteria approaches. The analysis showed three levels of urban vulnerability: high, medium, and low, while the elements most affected by landslides are equipment, collective, and individual housing. These results were translated into a map of urban vulnerability to landslide risk.

Santos and São Vicente Estuarine Complex (SSEC) is a densely populated coastal area that houses the main port in Latin America and the most prominent Brazilian industrial complex. Irregular occupations in preservation areas result in a disorderly increase in population, with negative social and environmental impacts. We evaluated the average annual growth of 74 slums occurring in this area and variations in water quality from 2005 to 2018. We monitor the growth of the occupied areas and estimate their respective populations. The average annual population growth was over 6% per year (p.a.). Invasions of new areas and verticalisation of already occupied areas represent 85% of the growth seen. The monthly polluting loads exceeded 450 tonnes or 2,086,000 m3, compromising the waters and local and regional public health. We strongly recommend re-urbanising the area using the resource savings caused by water loss to reduce the risks of ecosystem degradation, damage to health and disease spread.

Reducing the vulnerability of urban facilities to decrease the amount of damage using new crisis management approaches, such as passive defense, that can be effective in creating a safe environment in cities is one of the most important objectives that urban planners and managers today seek to implement in cities. Accordingly, the present study aims to investigate the vulnerability of urban facilities in Ilam City concerning passive defense and with an emphasis on environmental threats. The research method is a descriptive-analytical method for explaining the status quo and finding answers to the research questions. The data collection method is library and field studies. Data analysis is done by combining the two AHP Fuzzy and GIS methods. The results show that based on the principles of passive defense, the City of Ilam is vulnerable to flood hazards. Furthermore, facilities of Ilam City, including electricity and gas distribution networks and most water and wastewater distribution networks, are located in safe areas of the city based on passive defense principles. However, an important part of the network of major drinking water pipelines is located in critical flood areas. In this study, safe points have been identified from the perspective of passive defense to take the necessary steps to change the path of these pipelines by the relevant organizations.

Nature-based solutions (NBS) address societal challenges, such as risk vulnerability and climate resilience, and provide a potential for local adaptation. Other green conceptualizations besides NBS, such as green infrastructures (GI) and ecosystem services (ES), seem to be useful for indicating the potential of nature in urban climate resilience through the provision of a multifunctional landscape, simultaneous services and benefits and stakeholder participation. The extent to which user insight into usual experiences and practices can contribute to NBS management to improve locally adapted solutions could be further explored as part of the NBS concept. Here, we aim to provide empirical evidence about the usual experiences and practices of citizens with respect to NBS. Further, we will address how this insight contributes to NBS management. This study investigated user perceptions based on a public perception survey, to gain information that can be used for (among other things) locally adapted NBS management. To collect evidence, 114 surveys were conducted with users of the Besòs riverside park, an NBS in the Barcelona metropolitan area. The results show that the NBS users are the citizens living near the area who visit the area frequently, mainly for social, cultural, recreational benefits and for health-related purposes. These findings suggest that conducting surveys at the local level is beneficial for gathering evidence on user experiences, perceptions, and practices with respect to NBS, and that this insight could contribute both to NBS monitoring as well as to increasing user awareness and knowledge about an NBS. Stakeholder participation complements the aim of officially recognizing the Besòs area as a key GI for the water cycle in the upcoming Barcelona metropolitan master plan. User insight and NBS management could thus interact to promote a more localized, decentralized, and bottom-up management strategy.

This article aims to investigate the institutional and economical resilience of Polish cities with poviat rights to COVID-19 between spring 2020 and autumn 2020. Institutional resilience was researched using surveys among crisis management units and economic resilience with K-means clustering method and stepwise regression. Cities demonstrated a large recovery potential in the areas which lay directly under their supervision. Problems arose in the areas coordinated by central government, i.e. access to respirators, or hospital beds. The size of the city and large number of medium-sized companies were the factors of city’s immunity. Tourist cities turned out to be less resilient.

This article aims to understand the probable links between social capital and social infrastructure. The inclusion of these two dimensions into urban analysis may help to better understand the nature and characteristics of the relationships between the built environment and the level of organisation of the residents, and whether these have an impact on the vulnerability of the territories. Through use of statistical techniques (visual grouping and cluster analysis, among others), this article seeks to construct a comprehensive measure of social capital, as well as a comprehensive index of social infrastructure. These two in combination show, as the main results, that the characteristics of the built environment may promote higher levels of social interaction, also leading to higher levels of civic engagement and participation. However, the results also suggest that this relationship may be bidirectional. Finally, the mapping of the two indices applied in the city of Barcelona is presented and these results are compared with a previously constructed index of vulnerability for the same territory, allowing an overall better understanding of Barcelona’s socio-urban behaviour.