The smartest cities are those that build resilience into their design and structure. Devex spoke to two engineers to find out how digital technology tools can help.
The global population is projected to reach 10 billion by 2060 and the majority will live in cities, according to the United Nations. Thousands of new cities will need to be built and existing ones expanded to accommodate this growing population, particularly in Africa and Asia, where the greatest population and urbanization booms are set to take place.
At the same time, the number and severity of natural disasters occurring around the world are increasing. The U.N. reported that in 2015, 346 earthquakes, floods, heatwaves and landslides killed 22,773 people, affected 98.6 million others and caused $66.5 billion in economic damage. This means there is an urgent need to ensure that new and expanded cities are resilient.
About the author
Sophie Edwards
Sophie Edwards is a Devex Contributing Reporter covering global education, water and sanitation, and innovative financing, along with other topics. She has previously worked for NGOs, and the World Bank, and spent a number of years as a journalist for a regional newspaper in the U.K. She has a master's degree from the Institute of Development Studies and a bachelor's from Cambridge University.
