A guide to urban resilience for local governments

How can we plan more resilient cities? New research by MSSI outlines a usable definition and framework.

A bike and a tram on Swanston Street

As Melbourne emerges from one of the world's longest lockdowns under COVID-19 restrictions, what have we learnt about the resilience of cities to shocks and stresses? What lessons can we draw for future challenges, such as the task of decarbonising our cities and industries, or coping with the impacts of climate change?

These questions and more shaped discussion today at the launch of a new MSSI Issues Paper, title Urban resilience for local government: Concepts, definitions and qualities, and an accompanying Briefing Paper.

Produced in partnership with the Melbourne Centre for Cities at the University of Melbourne and the City of Melbourne's City Resilience and Sustainable Futures Team, the new publications offer a practical definition and framework of urban resilience that can be applied by governments across Australia, and around the world.

The research is part of an ongoing partnership between the University of Melbourne and the City of Melbourne via the appointment of Prof Sarah Bell as the City of Melbourne Chair in Urban Resilience and Innovation.

Prof Bell was joined in discussion by Cr Nicholas Reece, Melbourne Deputy Lord Mayor; Joel Backwell, Inner Metropolitan Melbourne Regional Director for the Victorian Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions; Andrew Wear, City Economist and Economic Development Director at the City of Melbourne; and Dr Melanie Lowe, MSSI Research Fellow and lead author of the new papers.

Read the new Issues Paper and accompanying Briefing Paper.

Issues Paper cover ..Briefing Paper cover