There is an evolution of thinking in the urban development and disaster risk management communities about how cities should deal with shocks such as natural disasters and conflict, as well as stresses, such as water scarcity and health-related issues. The status-quo of urban reconstruction primarily focuses only on ex-post rebuilding of the city fabric along with an emphasis on building back better to reduce future risks.  This presentation will contribute to knowledge by characterizing the transition in thinking from rebuilding to resilience and its implications for defining urban resilience. Urban resilience stresses the importance of ex-ante risk management and resilience building which may also extend beyond the built environment or municipal administrative boundaries.  The presentation will compare the two approaches, define the characteristics of urban resilience, make the case for why a focus on resilient cities is urgently needed, and summarize the increasing international focus on urban resilience.  Itwill conclude on a note of urgency as investment decisions taken now will have huge implications for development trajectories in the future and will prove critical in preventing cities from being locked into unsustainable development pathways, or being exposed to increasingly intense and frequent urban shocks and stresses.