Abstract As the global climate crisis intensifies, Malaysian cities must adapt to growing climate-related risks and impacts. This study explores the challenges and opportunities for strengthening climate resilience in urban areas, using a mixed-methods approach that involved a questionnaire survey of 101 city stakeholders and 10 expert interviews. The results highlight significant gaps in knowledge and awareness, along with major institutional, financial, and organizational barriers to sustainable urban development. To address these issues, the study recommends increasing investment in climate resilience, enforcing urban policies and regulations, providing targeted education and training, developing active monitoring systems, establishing clear urban frameworks, and promoting progressive governance. These measures aim to support effective implementation of resilience strategies in urban planning. The research contributes to a better understanding of the key drivers of climate resilience in Malaysia and broadens the strategies available for climate adaptation in urban development. The findings serve as a basis for informed decision-making and encourage broader discussions on climate resilience awareness across all levels of society, helping ensure that cities are better prepared to adapt to and reduce the impacts of climate change.
Mustaffa et al. (Mon,) studied this question.