APPENDIX ■ 281Vulnerability and Resilience of Urban Communities under Coastal
Hazard Conditions in Southeast Asia
Vilas Nitivattananon, Tran Thanh Tu, Amornrat Rattanapan, and
Jack Asavanant
Most coastal cities are facing complex interrelated problems associated with
greater intensity and frequency of climate extremes. Oft en times, these chal-
lenges require adaptation strategies that bring together comprehensive vulner-
ability assessments and implementation actions. Th e main objective of this
paper is to apply the concept of vulnerability and resilience to coastal commu-
nities facing climate hazards in Southeast Asia. Southern Vietnam and Th ailand
are chosen as representative regions for the purpose of this study. Th e results
show that fl ood risk has several consequences at diff erent urbanization levels
under increased climate variability. Th e main factors infl uencing the vulner-
ability of coastal communities are related to economics, institutional capacity,
and the accessibility of knowledge for local community-based organizations.
Climate Change Adaptation Planning in Toronto: Progress and
Challenges
Jennifer Penney, Thea Dickinson, and Eva Ligeti
Th e city of Toronto is one of the fi rst Canadian cities to establish a citywide
process to respond to its vulnerability to climate change. In 2008, Toronto
developed Ahead of the Storm, a climate change adaptation strategy. Th is case
study describes past, current, and potential future impacts of climate change on
Toronto, along with the steps taken to develop the adaptation strategy. Th ese
steps include the creation of an Adaptation Steering Group and the develop-
ment of an initial framework document. Th e strategy was underpinned by
existing programs that provide protection from current weather extremes and
included short-term actions as well as a longer-term process for developing
a comprehensive strategy. Th e city is in the early stages of implementing the
strategy. Th is paper also refl ects on some of the barriers to the integration and
mainstreaming of adaptation into the city’s plans and programs.
Planning Climate Resilient Cities: Early Lessons from Early Adapters
JoAnn Carmin, Debra Roberts, and Isabelle Anguelovski
Climate change is expected to place increasing stress on the built and natural
environments of cities as well as to create new challenges for the provision of
urban services and management systems. Minimizing the impacts of climate
change requires that cities develop and implement adaptation plans. Despite