London, UK, October 22, 2019//-New research from environmental non-profit CDP finds that cities like London, Quito, New York and Quezon City are already feeling the impacts of climate change, but how this manifests varies.
For instance river flooding in London, extreme winter conditions in New York, forest fires and extreme heat in Quito, compared to rainstorms and monsoons in Quezon City are signs of climate change.
CDP’s new report “Cities at risk”is based on data reported to CDP in 2018 by 620 cities globally. 530 of these cities – representing a combined population of 517 million – reported already experiencing climate hazards.
A new interactive map showing each of the cities along with their ‘CDP hazard score’, is available online. This score consists of the number of climate hazards reported multiplied by the severity of the hazards.
The top hazards identified in the report can be split into three categories: floods (71%), extreme heat (61%), and drought (36%).
Social risks reported include increased risk to already vulnerable populations (40%), increased demand for public servicesincluding health (33%), and increased incidence and prevalence of disease (25%).
In line with the most reported risk, the majority of cities are taking actions related to flood defence (26%) and crisis management, including warning and evacuation systems (20%).
This is a step towards progress, but 46% of cities do not report taking any actions – including 41% of those already experiencing hazards.
The report showcases that cities that have carried out vulnerability assessments are more than twice as likely (2.7) to report long-term hazards and are taking on average almost 6 times as many (5.7) adaptation actions than cities without vulnerability assessments, meaning that they are better prepared to build resilience.
However, CDP’s 2018 data shows that only 336 cities (46%) are carrying out vulnerability assessments to determine their ability to adapt to climate change.
The science shows that by 2050, 8 times as many city dwellers will be exposed to high temperatures and 800 million more people could be at risk from the impacts of rising seas and storm surges.
However, cities are under reporting long-term hazards, with 42% of overall risks expected to manifest in the short-term, compared to 11% in the long-term. More cities must develop a deeper understanding of these risks and how to mitigate them in order to deliver sustainable solutions.
Kyra Appleby, Global Director, Cities, States and Regions at CDP, said:“From flooding to forest fires, the impacts of climate change are already being felt across the world’s biggest cities. Climate change, left unchecked, will undo many of the economic and social gains witnessed by cities in recent decades.
It is vital that cities act to build resilience and protect their citizens from the intensifying impacts of climate change. All city authorities should undertake comprehensive vulnerability assessments. Only then will cities be able to plan for the new normal brought about by our changing climate.”
African Eye Report
