ABSTRACT
Resilience in the face of climate change and other ecological threats implies the ability to survive and bounce back after a crisis. At the scale of the city, it is about the ability to cope with challenge and adapt without sacrificing the population’s health. Basic life support depends on the purity of the air, the availability and quality of water, the careful management of climatic extremes and flood risk, the quality of soils for food growing, adequate shelter and – in many poorer countries – local access to fuel. Beyond the basics, people’s health and well-being benefit, as we have seen, from access to natural environments, active recreational opportunities, and a convivial pedestrian environment that encourages daily physical activity and promotes social contact. The quality of the environment, both natural and constructed, is also a key factor in attracting and keeping footloose entrepreneurs, and thereby work opportunities.
