CONCLUSION: Resilient Futures for Small and Medium-Sized Cities: A Way Forward
Abstract
This concluding chapter curates the present and emerging resilience challenges in small and medium-sized cities (SMCs) across the diverse urban contexts presented in this handbook. It delineates that, although some resilience challenges are consistent across countries in both the Global North and Global South—such as those posed by hydrometeorological hazards—there are also distinct resilience challenges unique to each context. For example, Global North SMCs face challenges related to deindustrialization, economic restructuring, and population decline. In contrast, Global South SMCs encounter challenges related to environmental quality and resources, socio-economic services, population growth, and systemic institutional and governance issues. Furthermore, the chapter summarizes the resilience strategies documented in the handbook to address the various resilience challenges of Global North and Global South SMCs. The chapter ends by highlighting the implications of these challenges and strategies, suggesting pathways for future research on SMCs in both Global North and Global South contexts.
Publication Title
Routledge Handbook of Resilient Urban Planning for Small and Medium Sized Cities
Recommended Citation
Frimpong, L., Okyere, S., Diko, S., Abunyewah, M., & Mensah, S. (2025). CONCLUSION: Resilient Futures for Small and Medium-Sized Cities: A Way Forward. Routledge Handbook of Resilient Urban Planning for Small and Medium Sized Cities, 489-496. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003588801-35
