isasters are the result of the interaction of hazards and vulnerable conditions and as such the

product of the social, political, and economic environments. When disasters affect cities or
urban areas (nonrural contexts) they are referred to as urban disasters. There is general
agreement that urban disasters and risk are linked to broader development processes, and
disaster risk reduction should be mainstreamed into the general development process. Risk is
becoming highly urbanized, with increasing populations and assets exposed to hazards,
combined with difficulties in addressing vulnerability and risk drivers, especially in low and
middle income countries. The quality and capacity of city governments is highly relevant to the
distribution of local risk levels, those associated with everyday life as well as less frequent, more
extreme events. Tackling urban disasters and creating more resilient cities capable of managing
disaster risk and climate change requires good governance.