Trend Watch May 2021

12 Principles for an Effective Urban Response to Covid-19:

UN-Habitat, the United Nations agency for human settlements and sustainable urban development, has developed 12 key principles to help local and national governments to prevent the spread of the virus and build preparedness for the future.

The principles relate to accessibility, flexibility, design, management and maintenance, connectivity, and equitable distribution, and cover short, medium and long-term interventions.

Read about them on ArchDaily.

One in four cities cannot afford climate crisis protection measures:

One in four cities around the world lack the money to protect themselves against climate breakdown, even though more than 90% are facing serious risks, according to research by the Carbon Disclosure Project.

A survey of 800 cities found that 43%, representing a combined population of 400 million people, did not have a plan to adapt to the climate crisis – 25% said this was due to budgetary restraints.

Risks of flooding, overheating, water shortages, and damage to infrastructure from extreme weather are growing more frequent as the climate changes.

Read the study, and discussion in The Guardian.

Photo: Adoramassey, Wikimedia Commons.