Resilience is built through forecasting and planning in advance. An early warning system is related not only to technology, but also to governance, Dimitris Avramopoulos, who served as the European Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship from 2014 to 2019, said during the event titled “Early Warnings and Sustainable Cities” held within the framework of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, APA reports.
He noted that technology alone is not sufficient and that political will and human-centered governance are also important:
“Half of the world’s population lives in cities, and this figure is steadily increasing. As people increasingly gravitate toward cities, urban areas are becoming the main centers of global challenges. Serious problems such as energy issues, technological limitations, and social inequality are emerging.
Fires, floods, heatwaves, and building fires are no longer distant concepts — they are becoming the reality of urban life. Climate change should be regarded not only as an environmental issue, but also as a complex matter with social and economic impacts. Livestock and agricultural sectors, as well as the service sector, are affected by these changes, and social balance is being disrupted. Vulnerable groups — people with poor housing conditions, children, the elderly, and internally displaced persons — suffer the most from disasters. Early warning systems and climate resilience issues should be considered together. In urban policies, it is important to develop resilience, strengthen infrastructure, and preserve the balance between cities and nature. Green corridors, sustainable water systems, and reducing carbon emissions are among the main directions. Science-based policies should be pursued, and long-term international cooperation should be strengthened. No country can overcome these challenges alone.”
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