Tools, networks, and challenges associated with urban climate change resilience (UCCR) were key themes aired at a panel titled “Cities and Towns” organized by ACCCRN partners at the Asia-Pacific Adaptation Forum in Incheon, South Korea. Although this panel represented the only one related to urban issues at the three-day gathering, a packed room and extensive questioning from the global audience highlighted the growing interest in shared challenges posed by urbanization and climate change trends.

Mr. Ky Quang Vinh shared how Can Tho city in Vietnam has created the institutional framework and Climate Change Coordination Office for coordinating resilience and mitigation, applying principles of no regret strategies and both top-down and bottom-up planning.

In final discussions, a number of points were aired by the audience and panelists:

• Making the case for resilience building by quantifying financial costs of hazards to urban economies, including the informal sector
• Approaches for meaningful participation and capacity building for vulnerable groups in the highly political context of cities, in order not to further marginalize vulnerable groups
• Taking advantage of existing networks for cities, such as ICLEI, to share approaches and lessons across city stakeholders