Navigating urban risks for sustainability: A comprehensive evaluation of urban vulnerability based on a pressure–sensitivity–resilience framework

Abstract

Cities are important symbols of civilization in human society. The vulnerability to cities caused by human activities and natural disasters has become increasingly evident. How to reduce the vulnerability of cities is an important topic in the research of urban public safety and sustainable development. In this study, a comprehensive evaluation of urban vulnerability is conducted on the basis of the pressure–sensitivity–resilience framework from a complex systems perspective, integrating three subsystems—the resource–environment, economic, and social subsystems. On the basis of data from 18 cities in Sichuan Province, China, from 2006 to 2021, this study analyzes vulnerability in terms of its scores, spatial and temporal evolution, and obstacles. The results reveal that the overall vulnerability of the Sichuan Basin has shown a fluctuating downward trend over the past sixteen years, and the spatial distribution has evolved into a large “low-vulnerability” agglomeration. The obstacles affecting urban vulnerability are also changing dynamically and include factors such as the harmless treatment rate of household waste and industrial smoke dust emissions. Drawing from these insights, this study enables the identification and diagnosis of urban vulnerability and, further, provides city managers with tailored recommendations for crafting policies that aim to mitigate risks and promote sustainable development.