ADAPTIVE CITIES IN A FRAGMENTED WORLD: STRATEGIES FOR ENERGY AND ECONOMIC RESILIENCE

Urbanization has placed cities as the core of global transformation, as economic activity, energy use, and climate risk become concentrated. Cities produce more than 80% of global GDP and nearly 90% of private-sector jobs, and over 70% of greenhouse gas emissions and face rising exposure to extreme weather events. Rapid urban expansion in Southeast Asia undermines issues of fossil fuel dependence, infrastructure inadequacy and climate vulnerability, further highlighting the importance of resilience. This study applies qualitative content analysis to analyse policy frames, case studies and adaptation responses with a focus on two exemplar cities, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. The results indicate that Ho Chi Minh City can be resilient by involving economics scale, private sector participation, and clean energy projects, and Hanoi highlights governance, planning, and institutional development. Comparative analysis highlights complementary pathways of adaptation across ASEAN, ranging of integrated urban planning, decarbonized mobility, smart infrastructure, and public-private-people partnerships. At the regional level, ASEAN supports resilience through cooperative platforms, yet further cross-border innovation and investment in clean technology remain critical. The study concludes that adaptive cities provide a foundation for both energy security and sustainable economic resilience in an increasingly fragmented world.