In an era rocked by environmental, economic, and political upheaval, our communities must be resilient to survive and thrive. But what does resilience mean, exactly? And how can we address the problems facing America today — poverty, job loss, crumbling infrastructure, pollution — while preparing for an uncertain tomorrow?
To help answer these questions, Island Press launched the Urban Resilience Project in 2013, with support from The Kresge Foundation and The JPB Foundation. The Project works with a diverse group of thinkers and activists to produce a wide-ranging series of articles on resilience. A compilation of this work is now available in the e-book Resilience Matters 2016: Sustainable, Equitable Solutions, available for free online.
The articles collected in the e-book address the economic, ecological and social dimensions of resilience. They report on a variety of threats, from the vulnerability of transit systems to the economic crises facing Rust Belt cities. Importantly, they showcase solutions that are sustainable and equitable. From public housing residents creating jobs in disaster recovery, to red-state cities that are (quietly) adapting to a changing climate, these stories illuminate the path forward in tumultuous times.
Organizations that contributed to the volume include the Public Health Institute, Emerald Cities Collaborative, Movement Strategy Center, Energy Innovation, West Harlem Environmental Action, NAACP, New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, Natural Hazard Mitigation Association, Bronx River Alliance, California Environmental Justice Alliance and many others. The articles collected here were originally published in a diverse group of outlets—including The Guardian, Grist, The Nation, The Root and Governing.
The Urban Resilience Project continues to imagine and inspire the resilient cities of the future. If you’d like to write your own resilience story, or have a news tip to share, we’d love to hear from you. Together, we can forge a greener, fairer future.
