In the face of escalating environmental challenges, Singapore has emerged as the highest-ranked global Asian city for overall resilience, securing the 4th position out of 25 major cities worldwide, according to The Resilient Cities Index 2023 launched by Tokio Marine Group and Economist Impact.
The study, sponsored by Tokio Marine Group, sheds light on the critical concern of environmental resilience in major Asian cities.
As rapid urbanisation intensifies, over two-thirds of the global population are projected to reside in cities by 2050, making the urgency of addressing evolving threats to urban centers more pressing than ever.
The research underscores the vulnerability of cities in the Asia-Pacific region to climate change due to geographical factors and exposure to natural catastrophes.
Cities like Bangkok, Dhaka, and Jakarta are identified as the most flood-vulnerable, while New Delhi and Jakarta face heightened risks from heat stress.
The index emphasises the need for holistic resilience thinking at the community and municipality levels, involving stakeholders from government, businesses, and communities.
Singapore’s success in disaster management is highlighted, along with other Asian cities such as Hong Kong, New Delhi, Shanghai, and Tokyo, scoring high for their culture of readiness.
However, weaknesses in digital infrastructure and transportation within the critical infrastructure pillar reveal areas that demand strategic focus.
Max Hirai, CEO of Tokio Marine Asia, stressed the need for Asia to take environmental changes seriously to mitigate risks facing its cities.
He emphasised the increasing frequency and devastating effects of extreme weather events, calling for comprehensive disaster prevention and mitigation activities.
Pavlos Spyropoulos, Regional Managing Director – Asia Pacific, Tokio Marine Kiln, emphasised the importance of public and private sector collaboration to address the increased vulnerability of Asian cities to natural catastrophes.
Specialist insurers like Tokio Marine are poised to provide solutions to mitigate complex risks, including supporting the development of digital infrastructure and creating new products for resilient supply chains.
