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We are Houston. All of us, around the world, can see that what is happening in cities across Texas could happen in our cities, it could easily happen to us. We stand by the leadership, shown by the Chairman of the Resilient Cities Network Board, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, who in times of hardship delivers hope, clarity, and deep understanding of the importance of building urban resilience. We support, the people of Texas who have suffered because of inadequate regulation and underinvestment in critical infrastructure. Let their lived experience be a wake-up call for every city around the world. Disruption is the new normal for the 21st century, we need to commit building urban resilience so we are better able to absorb the impacts of sudden shocks like winter storms, as well as more slowly evolving but equally devastating stresses like poverty and climate change. Our cities must become more resilient.
Going it alone is no longer viable in our globally connected world. It is no longer an option to operate in silos. As weather patterns shift and the impacts of climate change intensify, overtaxing critical infrastructure and eco-systems, renewable energy sources remain a necessary part of the solution. Cities and partners must work together to prepare our cities for the three great resilience challenges of the 21 st century – urbanization, globalization and climate change. Individuals, communities, institutions, businesses, and systems should be equipped with the capacity to survive, adapt, and grow no matter where or when the chronic stresses and acute shocks hit. This is the essence of building urban resilience. This is the only way forward for the survival of our cities, and the world we all share.
Signed: Staff and Leadership of the Resilient Cities Network
Lauren Sorkin, Executive Director
Board of Directors and City Leadership
Ahmed Aboutaleb, Mayor, City of Rotterdam
Monica Barone, CEO, City of Sydney
Daniel Stander, Senior Advisor to the UN
Naina Batra, CEO and Chair Asia Venture Philanthropy Network
Martha Herrera Gonzalez, Global Social Impact Director, CEMEX & ARISE Co-chair
Sameh Wahba, Global Director of The World Bank’s Urban, Disaster Risk Management, Resilience, and Land Global Practice Management, Resilience, and Land Global Practice
Lord Mayor, Councillor Clover Moore, City of Sydney
Global Steering Committee Members
Mike Gillooly, Chief Resilience Officer, Christchurch (APAC)
David Groisman, Director of Resilience, Buenos Aires (LAC)
Japheth Habinshuti N., Chief Resilience Officer, Kigali (AFR)
Mahesh Harhare, Chief Resilience Officer, Pune (APAC)
David Jacome, Chief Resilience Officer, Quito (LAC)
Arnoud Molenaar, Chief Resilience Officer, Rotterdam (EME)
Eleni Myrivili, Senior Advisor for Resilience and Sustainability, Athens (EME)
Brian Strong, Chief Resilience Officer, San Francisco (NAM)
