The City Resilience Index: Where does Athens fit in?
During Academic year 2017–2018, while studying towards an MA in Cultural Management at Panteion University and under the lead of Professor Betty Tsakarestou, our tutor in Cultural Marketing & Communication and project initiator of the Athens Co-Creation City Branding Project, we were challenged to discuss issues regarding paths towards a sustainable and resilient city. I continued my investigation by looking at Athens’ potential and challenges as a resilient city.
Striving towards a resilient City
Like many cities around the world, Athens is adjusting to the challenges of the 21st century. “Hyper-connected economies are characterized by radically changing patterns. Urban communities and economies will have to develop tools and skills that will help them survive, adapt and thrive in the face of multiple and unpredictable disruption…Urban resilience is the capacity of individuals, institutions, businesses and systems within a city to adapt, survive and thrive no matter what kind of chronic stresses and acute shocks they experience”.
The infographic below shows the seven qualities, which should be evident in a resilient city:
The influential report “100 Resilient Cities” is dedicated to helping cities around the world become more resilient to the physical, social and economic challenges that are a growing part of the 21st century.
To become a member, expert judges review over 1,000 applications from prospective cities, looking for innovative mayors, a recent catalyst for change, a history of building partnerships, and an ability to work with a wide range of stakeholders.
ATHENS in focus
Athens released its Resilience Strategy on June 13, 2017.
Facing a challenging economic policy environment, Athens wants to increase employment, manage climate-change risks, and execute an ambitious urban regeneration plan.
Athens’ Resilience Strategy is the outcome of the insights and expertise of hundreds of stakeholders, from opinion leaders and academics to women migrants and the homeless. It concludes that the city needs to become more forward thinking and proactive, turning its challenges into resources (vacant buildings, newly arrived refugee and migrant populations, energy and waste). That way it is hoped that it will contribute to the development of economies that will generate a sustainable future for the cities. Through becoming more transparent and accountable, open to communication, creating a digital agenda and innovation strategy the city will strengthen its government and trust to the institutions, which are particularly affected over the ongoing socio-economic crisis.
The resilience strategy is consisted of 65 actions and 53 supporting actions and is framed by the following four pillars:
An Open city: By boosting data driven policy making and accountability, the City of Athens will achieve governance that is more efficient and manage to communicate and collaborate better with its users.
A Green city: Green areas investment is becoming increasingly vital for our densely built and populated city, threatened by both raised heat due to climate change and earthquakes. Apart from climate change and environmental challenges, the city needs to invest its future on green spaces to meet our human need for proximity to nature.
A Proactive city: The city needs to become more forward thinking and proactive, turning its challenges into resources (vacant buildings, newly arrived refugee and migrant populations, energy and waste).Strategic planning and effective two-way communication is hoped to create an up-scaled, trustworthy and safe environment for the citizens.
A Vibrant city: The development of the cities competitive advantages will boost the promotion of well-being, creativity, entrepreneurship along with the renewed, inclusive identity of its people.
Athens is hoped to be rising to the challenges of the 21st century but that is undoubtedly, a long -run and demanding process.
Transparency and Open Data is an important step towards the reestablishment of trust of the users to the Civic Society:
