Integrated knowledge in climate change adaptation and risk mitigation to support planning for reconstruction

The chapter discusses the need for improved coordination of knowledge between experts in disaster research, climate change adaptation and urban planners in order to integrate information, data and solutions that can make cities of the future safer, more adapt to the consequences of climate change whilst able to satisfy a large variety of social and economic needs. Cities have become very complex systems, where infrastructures, artefacts of different kinds, and functions interact at multiple levels and scales. Such complexity derives also from the specialization cities often develop, which produces a rather diverse mix of hazard, exposure, and vulnerability conditions. Cities have always experienced disasters in the past and in general proved to be rather resilient. However, the factors that made past cities resilient may not be sufficient or the same to assure learning and full recovery today. The importance of blending different types of knowledge provided by a large variety of experts to embed key lessons learnt in post-disaster recovery is shown, focusing also on the key role played by enhanced data management systems.