The Vulnerable City: Coping with Disasters

Abstract

When we look at the question of vulnerable cities and how they cope with disasters, we need to look at three closely linked issues: (1) the rapid urbanization throughout the world, and in particular in developing countries, (2) the impact of these fast-growing cities on the environment, and (3) how major environmental changes, in particular global warming, affects our cities. It is important to know then what we can do, or try to do, to ameliorate at least some of the causes of disasters. It is also critical for those who look after our cities to be aware of the potential disasters, and to be well prepared to cope with those types of disasters that are more likely to occur in their cities.