The city of Esch-sur-Alzette has made a promising start as a leader in urban resilience, becoming the first city in Luxembourg to develop a resilience plan. Its objective is to enhance the city’s capacity to address a diverse range of challenges, including natural disasters such as floods and heatwaves, as well as technological disruptions such as cyberattacks and power outages.
The plan which was presented in January 2023 defines resilience as the ability of a system to withstand external shocks and maintain its essential functions, also applicable to a city. Therefore, the core objective of the Esch-sur-Alzette resilience plan is to guarantee the safety and well-being of its citizens during and after a crisis. By minimising potential damage and enabling a swift recovery after disruptive events, the plan fosters a more secure future for the city’s residents. In this objective, it defines measures to be taken and defines standards for the everyday work of the city of Esch.
A dedicated working group, composed of representatives from five technical departments – IT Department, Industrial Services, Environmental Services, Municipal Works and Urban Development – initiated the creation of the resilience plan. Representatives from this working group now form the Operational Resilience Committee (“Comité de résilience operationnelle”), which is responsible for its coordination. This collaborative approach ensured a comprehensive perspective and the inclusion of expertise from various sectors.
The plan itself draws inspiration from good practices observed and exchanged about with other European actors proactive in the field of resilience. Cities like Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Vejle in Denmark, renowned for their approaches to crisis management, served as valuable models for Esch-sur-Alzette.
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