Towards resilient and sustainable cities: A conceptual framework

Cities are complex and dynamic meta-systems in which technological and social components interact with each other. A variety of hazards threaten cities; thus, planning for resilience in the face of urban disaster is important. We are just beginning to realize the scope and magnitude of the challenges inherent in making our cities resilient to threats from natural hazards and terrorism. To meet these challenges, a national resilientcities initiative aims at the vision of the resilient city as the goal that covers all types of hazard mitigation. To succeed, this initiative will require changes in national disaster policy, funding for urban systems research, support for advanced education program, and active collaboration among the city professions. One of the natural hazards to which cities should be resilient is drought that is resulted from climate change. The city of Mashhad, which has faced water crisis in recent years, is selected as a case study. By analyzing the status of water resources and their changes during the periods of growth and development of the city, its function in resilience and sustainability is measured. Also, necessary strategies for improving the water resources condition in order for the city to become resilient and sustainable are proposed. (C) 2016 Sharif University of Technology. All rights reserved.