Model Cities for Resilience: Climate-led Initiatives

Paris Agreement of December 2015 was the last official initiative led by the
United Nations (UN) as the driver of climate change mitigation. Climate
change was hence linked with an increase in the occurrence of natural
hazards. A variety of initiatives were consequently adopted under different
themes such as sustainable cities, climate-friendly development, and low-
carbon cities. However, most of the initiatives targeted by global cities with
urban areas being the focus in terms of taking action against global warming
issues. This is due to the structural and environmental features of cities
characterized by being populated, as such, they not only generate a large
number of carbon emissions but also happens to be the biggest consumer of
natural resources. In turn, they create a microclimate, which contributes to
climate change. Masdar City, for example, was designed as the first fully
sustainable urban area, which replaced fuel-based energy with electric-based
energy. China, as another example, introduced the Sponge Cities action, a
method of urban water management to mitigate against flooding.
Consequently, architects and urban planners are urged to conform to the
proposals that would mitigate global warming. This paper, as a result,
examines some of the models that have been internationally adopted and
thereafter provide recommendations that can be implemented in large urban
areas in Turkey, primarily in Istanbul.

JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY URBAN AFFAIRS (2021),5(1), 47-58.

https://doi.org/10.25034/ijcua.2021.v5n1-4