Cities need a common approach to risk assessment, says C40’s Mayor Bloomberg

The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40) has announced a new Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Commitment to Action that will provide cities with the tools they need to prioritise climate adaptation measures and build more sustainable futures for their residents.

The new C40 Risk Assessment Framework will enable cities to assess local climate risks with confidence, and then prioritise, invest in and execute measures to mitigate those risks.

“In the wake of Hurricane Sandy and the recent floods in Jakarta and São Paulo, it is clear we need to empower cities to take the necessary action to protect their citizens, infrastructure and economies from the devastating impacts of natural disasters,” said Michael Bloomberg, C40 Chair and Mayor of New York City.

At the CGI Mid-Year Meeting, President Bill Clinton, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Secretary Hillary Clinton, Chelsea Clinton, and Eduardo Paes, Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, participated in a roundtable discussion with C40 mayors and business and technology leaders, which explored opportunities for investing in climate change adaptation, building resilient urban infrastructure, and mitigating climate risk.

Drawing on C40’s successful efforts to develop a common global standard for measuring community-scale greenhouse gas emissions (GPC), the C40 Risk Assessment Framework will create a common approach to measuring risk that could be used by all cities to help them quantify the impact and manage their climate risks.

“While a growing number of cities have efforts underway to measure climate risk, there is a high degree of uncertainty and variability in their methodologies and approaches,” said Bloomberg. “The C40 Risk Assessment Framework, by creating a common approach to this challenge, will become the global standard by which all cities measure and manage climate risk.”

The development of the Risk Assessment Framework will be guided by the newly launched Climate Risk Assessment Network, which will bring together C40 Cities and outside partners, such as lending institutions, technical experts, and the insurance industry. The first convening of the Climate Risk Assessment Network will take place in Rotterdam on 5 to 6 June, 2013 to lay the groundwork and next steps for growing the framework.