Resilience in Practice
Real-world examples of climate-resilient infrastructure saving cities
Your Progress
Section 4 of 5Learning from the Leaders
These cities faced existential climate threats. They invested in resilience. Today they're models for the world.
Theory is valuable. But seeing resilience work in practice—protecting millions of people, saving billions in damages, maintaining services through extremes—proves the concept. These case studies show different approaches to similar challenges across diverse contexts.
Global Resilience Case Studies
Explore successful climate-resilient infrastructure projects from around the world
Tokyo Metropolitan Flood Control
🇯🇵 Tokyo, Japan
Common Success Factors Across All Cases
10-20 year planning horizons with sustained funding
Infrastructure serves multiple purposes beyond resilience
Smart monitoring and automation maximize effectiveness
Cross-Cutting Insights from Success Stories
🏛️Political Will Matters Most
All successful cases began with leadership committing to long-term resilience despite short-term costs. Copenhagen's mayor championed adaptation after 2011 floods. Singapore's government made Smart Nation a priority. Political courage precedes technical solutions.
📅Start Small, Scale Gradually
Rotterdam tested water squares in one neighborhood before citywide rollout. Copenhagen piloted cloudburst boulevards. Proof-of-concept projects build confidence, refine designs, demonstrate value. Avoid "big bang" approaches that risk political backlash if delayed.
👥Co-Design with Communities
Copenhagen's adaptation plan involved citizens in design workshops. Rotterdam's water squares reflect neighborhood preferences. Top-down infrastructure often faces resistance. Co-created solutions build buy-in and address local needs.
🎯Design for Multiple Benefits
Best projects deliver beyond flood control. Copenhagen's green infrastructure cools the city and supports biodiversity. Rotterdam's water squares create community gathering spaces. Multi-benefit design justifies investment and builds broader support.
⚠️ Context Matters: No Copy-Paste Solutions
These cases inspire but don't provide templates. Tokyo's underground solution works for dense high-value areas but is unaffordable for most cities. Copenhagen's green infrastructure requires space unavailable in informal settlements. Singapore's digital twin needs technical capacity and governance structures. Learn principles, adapt to local context.