Shocks and stresses are growing in frequency, impact and scale, with the ability to ripple across systems and geographies. But cities are largely unprepared to respond, withstand, and rebound when disaster strikes. The greatest burden of these increasing shocks, such as the impacts of climate change or public health threats, often falls on poor and vulnerable people who have limited resources to cope with disaster and who take longer to recover from it, disrupting livelihoods and increasing inequality.
To help cities better prepare for and respond to these 21st century challenges, The Rockefeller Foundation has made a $100 million commitment to building urban resilience in cities around the world. Through the 100 Resilient Cities Centennial Challenge, in the coming years 100 cities will be selected across the globe to receive technical support and resources for developing and implementing plans for urban resilience, and receive assistance in leveraging billions of additional dollars in financing and services.
These cities will come together through the coordination of a newly created organization, 100 Resilient Cities – Pioneered by The Rockefeller Foundation – which will also provide a platform of innovative services to cities.