Urban resilience at multi levels: reciprocally from the local level to the sky

Abstract

Abstract Climate change, growing social inequalities as well as hazards of ecological and economic origin will dominate the life of all of us – wherever we live. The global community demands in this context that ‘no one shall be left behind’. The factors of influence mentioned do not stop at administrative borders though. They interact with all levels of governance and are, in fact, relevant not only for cities and communities but also for regions, nations and supranations. Taking this relation as given would mean pursuing a multi-level approach towards urban resilience (and sustainability). The paper discusses a respective approach, which some countries have chosen in cooperation with their cities and communities to better understand the requirements for a resilient urban future and thus develop and implement adequate tools as well as coordinate and continuously enhance respective processes. Tools in that respect would refer to legislation and funding programmes in the same way as processes could address the notion of cooperation and coproduction. Urban pilot projects, like the ones on post-COVID-19-Pandemic conditions, might serve as reference points for addressing multi-level actions in practice by both, a national and a local level, and thus supporting cities and communities in strengthening their resilience against multiple crises.