This study addresses a theoretical and practical lack of literature regarding the distribution of social, environmental, and anticipated climate change-oriented vulnerabilities in cities that live under deep ethnic conflict.

The study focuses on Haifa, a mixed and bi-ethnic conflict city. Haifa has multifaceted environmental and anticipated climate change threats and has experienced a wide fire, flood, and extreme environmental events. The study’s central hypothesis marks a step break from the state-of-the-art and poses that the distribution of multifaceted vulnerabilities and adaptation measures to cope with threats are unevenly distributed among different groups and neighborhoods in the city. In such circumstances, the adaptation of the entire city is lacking.

The overarching aim of the research is to develop a broad understanding of urban resilience in mixed cities and develop recommendations to promote urban resilience along geographical, social, and ethnic lines in such cities. The study will apply the Urban Vulnerability Matrix, a novel methodology, and GIS-Geographic Information System to map and analyze the distribution of vulnerabilities and adaptation measures spatially and socially. 

The study theoretically contributes to our understanding of urban resilience in mixed cities. It also will develop policy measures to promote urban resilience and justice in mixed cities.