Opportunities of urban digital solutions to strengthen urban climate resilience
Urban areas come with a particularly high potential for the uptake of digital solutions, as many preconditions for their implementation are in place. Favourable conditions for their implementation include comparably stable power supply and telecommunication infrastructures, the proximity of institutions in charge and skilled labour. The presence of universities, research institutions, and tech-oriented businesses facilitates the creation and exchange of the necessary knowledge to promote digital innovation. This concentration of favourable conditions makes urban areas ideal testing grounds for innovative digital solutions that promote urban resilience.
That is particularly relevant in the context of low- and middle-income countries (Mishra et al. 2017) where infrastructure coverage can differ fundamentally between for example urban and rural areas. Digital solutions in such contexts can also present opportunities to bridge gaps in infrastructure, service delivery and governance (Mendes 2022, Salehi et al. 2023). One strategy is to prioritize investments in foundational infrastructure, such as resilient power systems and broadband networks, to create an enabling environment for digital innovation. Moreover, implementing inter operational systems facilitates the exchange of data and coordination across different technologies and institutions, demanding less investments to yield better results. Partnerships with international organizations, private sector and civil society can also help to bridge infrastructure gaps by pooling resources and technical expertise, thereby contributing to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (UN 2024).
Moreover, digital solutions can enhance transparency, efficiency in the delivery of services and participation in planning activities. Digitalization is progressively being incorporated into urban planning. While there is not always a direct link to climate action or disaster risk reduction, digitalization has the potential for aligning action by using shared data and tools for assessment and decision-making. Thereby, digital solutions open opportunities to implement more integrated and holistic approaches to solve problems (Arup & Resilient Cities Network 2023). They facilitate the connection of data coming from different fields, like transportation, energy and water management, to formulate a more systemic view. For example, smart technologies can reduce traffic congestion while also lowering pollution (Elassy et al. 2024). By looking at the bigger picture, digital tools can address multiple issues at once and create solutions that bring more benefits.
Geospatial technologies such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) play a crucial role in enhancing the climate resilience of urban areas by supporting Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) initiatives, particularly in climate risk assessments and monitoring. Applications include land use/land cover mapping and groundwater potential assessments to promote climate-smart irrigation, as well as modelling food security impacts (Akpoti et al. 2023; Garajeh et al. 2023). GIS and RS are pivotal as well in disaster risk management, aiding in hazard zone identification and risk mitigation strategies. For instance, they are employed to model shoreline evolution to manage coastal risks effectively (Cenci et al. 2017). The versatility of geospatial technologies allows for the incorporation of any thematic layer that contains positional data about the Earth's surface, thereby enabling comprehensive analyses of various climate risks. Overall, the collaborative use of GIS and RS enhances our understanding and management of environmental risks associated with climate change.
Digital solutions can unlock opportunities for systemic changes, when they are designed considering the social, economic and political conditions in which they are implemented. When tailored to local needs, these technologies can solve problems faster and more efficiently than traditional methods (Global Resilience Partnership 2024). For example, early warning systems that incorporate real-time data collection can save hundreds of lives by providing timely alerts (UNDRR & WMO 2024). When combined with awareness campaigns, capacity-building programmes and community-led risk assessments, these systems become even more effective. Implementing such solutions in areas lacking basic resilience measures can help these regions leapfrog initial stages of development, allowing them to adopt advanced practices and tools.
This overview provides a compilation of digital solutions that can be applied in urban contexts for climate change adaptation (CCA), aiming at enhancing urban climate resilience, as well as for disaster risk reduction, throughout different stages of disaster risk management (DRM).
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