COVID-19 is shifting the focus from smart cities to resilient cities

The COVID-19 crisis has focused the minds of local governments on the need to build resilience into their recovery strategies.

While COVID-19 has knocked the world sideways, 2020 has also witnessed parallel and compounding crises, including social unrest through the Black Lives Matter protests; intense climate events with heatwaves, hurricanes and wildfires, and the unfurling economic shocks following the pandemic.

This perfect storm looks set to be a pivotal moment in changing attitudes to resilience, with a clear focus on learning lessons to strengthen communities against future shocks and stresses – whether economic, social or environmental.

“Having this constant, high level of s...