Tamlyn Shimizu

With increasingly complex shocks and stresses, cities must strengthen their capacity not only to respond and adapt to disruption, but to anticipate them. This session questions how urban areas are preparing for extreme weather events, infrastructure stress, and growing social vulnerability through more resilient planning, risk management, and coordinated emergency response. The discussion also explores how urban environments can mitigate negative effects of climate change, build resilience amid uncertainty, enhance coordinated emergency response and protect long-term urban prosperity.

Water and waste management are no longer just basic urban services, but essential pillars of environmental stewardship, urban quality of life, and public health. This session explores how cities are managing these systems through more circular, efficient, and integrated approaches that reduce waste, protect water resources, and improve service delivery. Highlighting innovative models and practical strategies that help turn resource management into a driver of resilience, livability, and urban sustainability.