Global report on human settlements 2007, disaster at a glance: coping with risk, disaster preparedness and response strategies
Cities around the world are magnets for natural and human-made disasters, and at the forefront of efforts to reduce disaster risk. Past urban civilizations have collapsed because of overstretching the ecological basis of their economies, leading to political conflict and terminal decline. The ongoing global environmental change is likely to further exacerbate existing risks, while the interconnectivity of urban centeres in today’s “global village” facilitates the spread of economic impacts through transport and finance networks. The UN-HABITAT report Enhancing Urban Safety and Security: Global Report on Human Settlements 2007 examines the dynamic relationship between urbanization and disaster risk, and highlights some of the world’s most successful disaster preparedness and response strategies.