More than 300 natural disaster events were recorded worldwide in 2018, causing about 12,000 deaths and affecting about 68 million people (CRED 2019). Nowadays, 272 million international migrants are causing the depopulation of remote and underdeveloped areas as well as the overpopulation of the most developed cities and regions (IOM 2019). Moreover, income inequalities and the demand for food, energy and water in cities are going to increase dramatically (UN HABITAT 2016).

Starting from these general data and trends, it is possible to put forward the following considerations. On the one hand, climate change is amplifying the number and the magnitude of hazards, and scientific research and specific policies are attempting to prevent, mitigate and respond to environmental risks. On the other hand, the uneven economic development between large urban agglomerations and marginalised rural areas and between central and peripheral urban areas is rapidly increasing social disparities, migration flows and political conflicts. The concept of resilience is fundamental in facing the challenges posed by both environmental and socio-economic risks. To be effective, resilience requires a highly interdisciplinary attitude and a multi-scalar approach in order to deal with the complexity of socio-spatial systems. Indeed, the interplay between resilience and different forms of risk and uncertainty is crucial in order to handle such complexity and propose innovative policies.