Resilience Levels of Natural–Social Security in Urbanization: A Case Study of Kunming, China

Abstract In the context of the current global climate change, rapid urbanization, and sustained population growth, frequent natural and social disasters pose an increasingly serious threat to human life and property. The imperative to elevate the level of urban safety resilience has become a focal point in global urban disaster prevention and mitigation efforts. This study aims to examine the disaster resilience level in the central urban area of Kunming, Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau, southwest China. Our focus lies on three representative dimensions: urban ecology, transportation, and flooding, which denote the natural, social, and combined natural–social safety resilience capacities of the study area. We identified indicator factors influencing urban safety resilience, categorizing them into resistance, adaptability, and resilience components. A disaster resilience evaluation system was constructed and quantitatively expressed in a geographic information system. By comparing the levels of urban ecological, transportation, and flood safety resilience in Kunming’s central urban area, we unveil safety risks and associated problems related to urbanization in the process, along with their interconnections. Our findings indicate that urban flood resilience is generally higher in mature urban areas and new districts than in urban-rural and suburban areas. Additionally, improvements in urban ecological and transportation resilience contribute to enhanced urban flood resilience. Social factors significantly impact the level of urban safety resilience. This study offers valuable insights for constructing safe and resilient cities in mountainous regions, supporting decision-making in urban disaster planning research.