Building Resilience in Asian Cities

Sinh, Bach Tan; Bhat, G. K.; Moench, Marcus; Gawler, Steve

doi:10.1007/978-94-007-4223-9_24

Cited by 3 publications

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“…A highly dense development is located in severe flood-prone areas, which implies that land-use plans and housing development policy have not considered vulnerability to flooding. Also, in the Taipei case study, unlike other case studies with the urban poor living in more environmentally vulnerable areas (The World Bank, 2001, 2013a, 2013b; Sinh et al , 2012; UNISDR, 2013a, 2013b), the urban poor in Taipei are not concentrated in the flood-prone areas. On the contrary, the high-income households also face the high risk of floods.…”

Section: Methodology and Simulation Of Flood Vulnerability Analysis In Taipeimentioning

confidence: 85%

Rebuild, retreat or resilience: urban flood vulnerability analysis and simulation in Taipei

Su¹

2017

IJDRBE

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Purpose This paper aims to propose the practice of urban resilience to flooding in a vulnerable Asian city, Taipei. It conducts Geographic Information System (GIS)-based simulations to assess Taipei’s vulnerability under a set of varying flooding scenarios and likelihoods. This research concludes by proposing remedies to fill the gaps these flood simulations reveal and, in doing so, promotes urban resilience in Taipei. This paper provides an example of urban resilience to flooding for other cities in Asia. Design/methodology/approach The paper undertakes a case study of Taipei to survey current practices and historic analyses as a tool to evaluate a chronology of policies implemented to make Taipei resilient to flooding. It also conducts flood simulation and scenario analysis through the technology of GIS by using ArcMap 10.2.2 software to gauge the vulnerabilities in Taipei. These GIS-based data sets are collected from Taiwan’s central and local governments. This paper analyzes the vulnerability of population, land value, residential properties, GDP and critical facilities, such as major subway stations, medical centers, public schools, major public buildings, electric power substations and gas/oil stations. Additionally, it analyzes the likelihood and cost and benefit of different flooding scenarios based on typhoon and rainfall data sets in 1975-2014 period. After a thorough analysis of vulnerability, likelihood of flooding and cost–benefit analyses, this research develops Taipei resilience policies to address the vulnerabilities. Findings The findings indicate that Taipei case study, a chronology of policies implemented to prevent flooding, explains that costly engineering structures, rebuilding and fortification against floods eventually created a false sense of security, which has encouraged more intensive residential and commercial developments in flood-prone areas, and led to a higher level of vulnerability. Additionally, flooding simulations indicate that 40 per cent of Taipei City is located in flood risk areas in an extreme weather scenario. This percentage is higher than other global cities such as London’s 15 per cent, Tokyo’s 10 per cent and New York City’s 25 per cent. Based on the 10 per cent of total flooding areas above 0.5 m, the vulnerable population is estimated at 200,000 people, or 7 per cent of the total population. The GDP impact will be more than $28bn. More than $67bn of land value is vulnerable. A least one million subway passengers will be affected each day. Further, there is little evidence that the urban poor are particularly vulnerable to floods. On the contrary, some neighborhoods with high-income households face a higher risk of floods. Very few medical centers, oil and gas stations and electrical power substations are located in flood-prone areas, but a large number of public schools, administrative buildings and major subway stations are susceptible. Additionally, the likelihood analysis of flooding in an extreme rainfall scenario concludes that the possibility will be five times that of the existing assumption with a flood in every 200 years. Thus, Taipei City’s infrequent once-in-two-century floods are likely to occur more frequently. Originality/value This paper provides a thorough analysis of vulnerability, likelihood of flooding and cost–benefit analyses in Taipei. It also develops Taipei resilience policies to address the vulnerabilities. In the future, rather than strengthening and rebuilding costly structures, Taipei should focus on land-use and environmental planning for resilience. Urban policies should include environmentally responsible development in the face of continued population and economic growth, and being resilient regarding natural disasters. Most important is the need for a strong political commitment and leadership to initiate and implement urban policies toward resilience.

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Section: Methodology and Simulation Of Flood Vulnerability Analysis In Taipeimentioning

confidence: 85%

Rebuild, retreat or resilience: urban flood vulnerability analysis and simulation in Taipei

Su¹

2017

IJDRBE

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“…In both developing and developed countries, urbanization is causing change to the natural environment and threatens urban resilience. The urban poor live in more environmentally vulnerable areas in the developing countries (The World Bank 2001;2013;Sinh et al 2012). Urbanization in the developed countries has brought higher vulnerability and damage from flooding.…”

Section: Four Models Of Urban Resilience Against Floodingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Discourse, Strategy, and Practice of Urban Resilience against Flooding

Su¹

2016

BMS

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Resilience discourse is shifting the very meaning of "resilience" from "bouncing back" to "bouncing forward" in the twenty-first century. International policies have provoked cities to play a proactive role in applying land-use and environmental planning strategies for disaster resilience. Strategies of urban flood resilience include prevention, accommodation, fortification, protection, retreat, and green infrastructure. In general, four models of resilience against flooding are primarily adopted: the structure model, the non-structure model, the land-use and environmental planning model, and the retreat planning model. Results indicate that planning more space for the river, wetland planning, polder and retention areas, and permeable surface design do matter in reducing flood risks. Additionally, urban growth management, directing developments and populations away from floodplains, could reduce flood risks and damages. Finally, in retreat model, urban resilience stresses retreat and evacuation to reduce flood damages. Retreat strategies and alternatives, such as property buyouts, relocations, new towns for accommodations, and land swaps for less risky areas, could be applied in helping to achieve urban flood resilience.

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Urban Flood Resilience in New York City, London, Randstad, Tokyo, Shanghai, and Taipei

Su¹

2016

JMS

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Making cities resilient to natural disasters has become a priority for many policy makers. However, few studies of global cities analyze environmental vulnerability, disaster resilience, or urban flood resilience. This article analyzes global cities' disaster resilience to flooding: New York City, London, Randstad, Tokyo, Shanghai, and Taipei. Case studies of those global cities will assist cities world-wide to prepare for the future. Results indicate that a hurricane could leave approximately 25% of New York City with severe economic losses by 2050. In London, 15% of the land is located in flood-prone areas. The Thames Barrier began to operate to protect London from flooding in 1982. However, this also encouraged housing development closer to the river, and resulted in higher exposure and vulnerability of flooding. Randstad has approximately 40% of its land areas in flood-prone areas, but Randstad is well prepared for flood risk reduction by land-use and environmental planning. In Tokyo, extensive urbanization suffers from severe damages once flooding occurs. In Shanghai, approximately 50% of its land is in flood-prone areas. Shanghai is the most vulnerable to floods of the coastal cities. Shanghai is still not well prepared in land-use and environment planning for urban flood resilience. In Taipei, flood-prone areas account for approximately 41% of its total land area in an extreme weather scenario. Among these six global cities, Asian cities should focus more on urban flood resilience since most of flooding hotspots by 2025 will be located in Asian nations with having weak policies and actions, inadequate risk information, insufficient budgets and poor implementation capacities (UNISDR 2013). This research suggests that global cities, particularly Asian cities, should promote policies of urban flood resilience, focusing on land-use and environmental planning for resilience as well as strengthening their organizations and funding to reduce disaster risk, maintain up-to-date risk and vulnerability assessment. Urban policies should include environmentally responsible development in the face of continued population and economic growth, and being resilient regarding natural disasters. Cities can also adopt a growth management policy to direct development away from flooding hotspots. Urban regeneration policy should require developers to improve storm sewers, water retention ponds, and permeable surfaces. Planning more space for rivers, more constructed wetlands, and more ecological ponds to accommodate water is important. Cities can promote an actuarially fair flood insurance program which can reflect actual flood risks. A bottom-up community resilience plan would assist achieving urban resilience.

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Building Resilience in Asian Cities

Cited by 3 publications

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Rebuild, retreat or resilience: urban flood vulnerability analysis and simulation in Taipei

Rebuild, retreat or resilience: urban flood vulnerability analysis and simulation in Taipei

Discourse, Strategy, and Practice of Urban Resilience against Flooding

Urban Flood Resilience in New York City, London, Randstad, Tokyo, Shanghai, and Taipei

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