Building Resilient Cities through Community Empowerment: Principles and Strategies for Taiwan

IPCC AR5 notes that since the 1950s, changes in climate systems, ocean, sea levels, icebergs, carbon and other biochemistry have been unprecedented. If the emission rate of greenhouse gases remains constant or increases, then the effects of climate change will become severe. Accordingly, research on vulnerability, mitigation and adaptation of climate change is required. With respect to those considerations, development of the concept of resilience and the construction of resilient cities has become a critical and important task for sustainable urban and regional development. This study begins by providing a brief introduction of the significant impacts of climate change globally and, in particular, in Taiwan. The second section analyzes concepts related to resilient cities, including vulnerability, adaptation, resilience, governance and community empowerment. The third section proposes principles to govern the construction of resilient cities through community empowerment, based on a literature review and documentary analyses. The final section presents conclusions and suggestions.