The Rockefeller Foundation, joined by Swiss Re, Palantir, World Bank,
American Institute of Architects, and Architecture for Humanity, advance a new
vision for urban resilience globally
Today, during the opening
plenary of the 2013 Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting, President Bill Clinton announced a global Commitment to Action to
the 100 Resilient Cities Centennial Challenge. The Commitment to Action, led by
The Rockefeller Foundation and shared by Swiss Re, the American Institute of
Architects (AIA), Architecture for Humanity, and Palantir, will support at
least 100 cities to hire a Chief Resilience Officer (CRO), create a resilience
strategy, and provide access to tools, technical support, and resources for
implementation including access to innovative finance for infrastructure
development. 100 Resilient Cities will also create a network for CROs to share
information and best practice.
The Commitment to Action will
be realized through a new organization, 100 Resilient Cities – Pioneered by The
Rockefeller Foundation (100 Resilient Cities), which will coordinate both the
network of cities as well as an innovative platform of services offered to
network members. The first commitments these services have been made by Swiss
Re, the AIA, Architecture for Humanity, and Palantir.
"Building resilience
cannot be done by a single actor or sector, no matter how innovative or
passionate they may be," explained Rockefeller Foundation President Dr. Judith Rodin. "Rather, building resilience requires
a shared vision and investment among a range of partners including cities
themselves. The Rockefeller Foundation has been on the front lines of urban
resilience for nearly a decade, and we are thrilled to have this initial set of
partners joining us to transform this vision into progress in our rapidly
urbanizing world."
A focus on building
resilience strengthens cities' ability to prepare for and bounce back more
quickly from the inevitable shocks and stresses they will undoubtedly face,
whether due to extreme weather resulting from climate change, seismic events or
terrorism. Accounting for today's realities of more people living in cities –
by 2050 that will include an estimated 75% of the world's population – The
Rockefeller Foundation sees building urban resilience as an imperative of the
21st Century, because when disaster strikes cities are affected on a
larger scale due to population density, often with tragic results particularly
among the poor and vulnerable. But through planning, foresight, and better
investment, cities can mitigate these impacts.
"It is our deep
conviction that we should be preparing for disasters before they happen, rather
than responding after the fact. This not only saves lives, reduces human
suffering and protects property: it also helps to speed up recovery and lessen
the impact on public and private budgets, which is the essence of resilience.
Frankly this is an exciting moment to be supporting the 100 Resilient Cities
Centennial Challenge. Our contribution to the commitment will consist of
practical risk management insight and tools, including CatNet, a
state-of-the-art risk assessment tool, which will be offered to the cities free
of charge. We also look forward to bringing our expertise to bear in helping to
define the role of the Chief Resilience Officer, and supporting the development
of the CRO network," said Martyn Parker,
Chairman Global Partnerships, Swiss Re.
100 Resilient Cities will
select the first round of cities to join the network following the Challenge
process, upon the recommendations of a panel of esteemed judges. Cities around
the world were invited to participate; to date, more than 500 cities
registered. Selected cities will be announced on December
3, 2013 at The Rockefeller Foundation's annual Innovation Forum.
"We are honored to bring
Palantir's technologies to this partnership," said Alex
Karp, co-founder and CEO of Palantir Technologies. "With the
leadership of Judith Rodin, we will save and
improve many lives around the world."
"The American Institute
of Architects and Architecture for Humanity are committed to creating a series
of Regional Resilient Design Studios," said AIA Chief Executive Officer Robert Ivy, FAIA. "By building upon our experience
helping recover in the wake of major disasters, these studios will train and
engage architects in their communities before disasters strike. We are excited
to share this resource with the network of cities created through 100 Resilient
Cities," Ivy added.
Eric
Cesal, Director of Architecture for Humanity's Reconstruction and
Resiliency Studio said, "Through the Studios, we will provide
capacity-building workshops to guide cities in their agenda setting, which
offer powerful planning tools to cities along with access to resilience
planning experts. This is a win for everyone, particularly the cities, and is
work that Architecture for Humanity has been doing for over 10 years. We look
forward to sharing our lessons learned and to working with The Rockefeller
Foundation and AIA to further our understanding of resilience and together
offer assistance to communities to plan their strategies."
Supported through a $100 million pledge to build urban resilience from The
Rockefeller Foundation, the 100 Resilient Cities network will, over time, grow
to include at least 100 cities from around the world. As more cities join or
express interest through future rounds of applications, and as more
entities follow the lead of Swiss Re, the AIA, Architecture for Humanity,
and Palantir, the potential to change the future of city planning globally will
become increasingly powerful and real.
"Building resilience is
a journey, not a destination. 100 Resilient Cities is on a mission to ensure
that cities everywhere are prepared to endure the shocks and stresses they will
surely face. We are thrilled to have partners in this endeavor who are equally
passionate and that stand ready to offer tangible, results-driven services to
cities," said Michael Berkowitz, Rockefeller
Foundation Managing Director for 100 Resilient Cities, adding that "we
look forward to welcoming others to join us."
About The Rockefeller
Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation
aims to achieve equitable growth by expanding opportunity for more people in
more places worldwide, and to build resilience by helping them prepare for,
withstand, and emerge stronger from acute shocks and chronic stresses.
Throughout its 100 year history, The Rockefeller Foundation has enhanced the
impact of innovative thinkers and actors working to change the world by
providing the resources, networks, convening power, and technologies to move
them from idea to impact. In today's dynamic and interconnected world, The
Rockefeller Foundation has a unique ability to address the emerging challenges
facing humankind through innovation, intervention and influence in order to
shape agendas and inform decision making. For more information, please
visit www.rockefellerfoundation.org.
About Swiss Re
The Swiss Re Group is a
leading wholesale provider of reinsurance, insurance and other insurance-based
forms of risk transfer. Dealing direct and working through brokers, its global
client base consists of insurance companies, mid-to-large-sized corporations
and public sector clients. From standard products to tailor-made coverage
across all lines of business, Swiss Re deploys its capital strength, expertise
and innovation power to enable the risk-taking upon which enterprise and
progress in society depend. Founded in Zurich,
Switzerland, in 1863, Swiss Re serves clients through a network of over
60 offices globally and is rated "AA-" by Standard & Poor's,
"A1" by Moody's and "A+" by A.M. Best. Registered shares in
the Swiss Re Group holding company, Swiss Re Ltd, are listed on the SIX Swiss
Exchange and trade under the symbol SREN. For more information about Swiss Re
Group, please visit: www.swissre.com
or follow us on Twitter @SwissRe.
About Palantir
Palantir offers the world's
leading data integration and analytics platform. The Palantir Platform
works at any scale and empowers the entire analysis stack through its ability
to access any data store in the enterprise, while enforcing robust security and
civil liberties protections. Palantir is headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif., with offices in New York, Washington, D.C.,
and London. Additional information is available at www.palantir.com
About the American
Institute of Architects
For over 150 years, members
of the American Institute of Architects have worked with each other and their
communities to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings
and cityscapes. Members adhere to a code of ethics and professional conduct to
ensure the highest standards in professional practice. Embracing their
responsibility to serve society, AIA members engage civic and government leaders
and the public in helping find needed solutions to pressing issues facing our
communities, institutions, nation and world. Visit www.aia.org.
About Architecture for
Humanity
Architecture for Humanity is
a nonprofit design services firm founded in 1999. By building a more
sustainable future through the power of professional design, Architecture for
Humanity taps a network of more than 75,000 professionals willing to lend time
and expertise to help those who would not otherwise be able to afford their
services. They bring design, construction and development services where they
are most critically needed. For more information, please visit architectureforhumanity.org
About the Clinton
Global Initiative
Established in 2005 by
President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global
Initiative (CGI), an initiative of Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton
Foundation, convenes global leaders to create and implement innovative
solutions to the world's most pressing challenges. CGI Annual Meetings have
brought together more than 150 heads of state, 20 Nobel Prize laureates, and
hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations and NGOs, major philanthropists,
and members of the media. To date CGI members have made more than 2,300
commitments, which are already improving the lives of more than 400 million
people in over 180 countries. When fully funded and implemented, these
commitments will be valued at $73.5 billion.
CGI also convenes CGI
America, a meeting focused on collaborative solutions to economic recovery in the United States, and CGI University (CGI U), which
brings together undergraduate and graduate students to address pressing
challenges in their community or around the world, and, this year, CGI Latin
America, which will bring together Latin American leaders to identify, harness,
and strengthen ways to improve the livelihoods of people in Latin America and around the world. For more
information, visit clintonglobalinitiative.org
and follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative.
