A practitioner’s guide to measurement challenges and opportunities

Over half of the world’s population currently resides in cities, a number that is expected to rise to 70% by 2050. Moving in the opposite direction, trends worldwide indicate that social capital is on the decline and societies around the world are experiencing all-time highs of polarization and loneliness. If the future is urban, how can we ensure a scenario where residents of cities (and elsewhere) not only survive, but thrive? Building community and social cohesion are critical factors in this effort, with invaluable benefits for cities as they prepare for the known and unknown challenges of the decades ahead. A strong social fabric is the foundation needed for communities and individuals to weather whatever may come, and emerge for the better: ranging from one-time “shocks” such as an emergency caused by a natural disaster or an economic crisis with long after-effects, to chronic “stresses” such as poverty, migration, or crumbling infrastructure. The ever-growing threat of climate change alone has, in addition to inflicting billions of dollars of damage to livelihoods and property, exposed fundamental flaws in our society – often along racial, socioeconomic, and geographic lines.

source :

https://resilientcitiesnetwork.org/downloadable_resources/UR/Social-Cohesion-Handbook.pdf