PolicyBrief_NICHES_Khromova_HerrerosCantos2025.pdf

ADVANCING URBAN RESILIENCE - Policy Brief

The impacts of extreme weather events can be very diverse because cities are extremely complex systems characterised by the interaction of social, political, economic, natural, and infrastructural components. This complexity must be taken into account in adaptation planning efforts so that they address the challenge in a holistic manner that minimises the chances of overlooking critical factors (McPhearson et al., 2021). A Social-Ecological-Technological Systems (SETS) lens can support adaptation by leveraging multiple dimensions of the urban environment. SETS approaches have been used in novel applications to holistically assess vulnerability to extreme weather events in cities (Chang et al., 2021). However, SETS vulnerability assessments have not previously fitted in urban risk analyses. This approach is important because it helps to see how social, ecological, and technological factors all combine to influence the risks of stormwater hazards, making it easier to identify the best solutions for protecting urban communities.