GIS for Urban Resilience: The Case of Naryn, Kyrgyzstan
Abstract
Amid growing climate, environmental, and governance challenges, strengthening urban resilience has emerged as a global priority. Scholars worldwide recognise the potential of digital tools such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to enhance local governments' adaptive planning, risk management, and service delivery. However, technological sophistication alone does not guarantee a positive impact—particularly in low-capacity, resource-constrained municipal settings such as aid-dependent Central Asian (CA) countries. The paper contributes to the ongoing debate by shifting analytical focus from GIS as a technical solution to its institutional embedding within local governance processes. It addresses a theoretical gap in the literature regarding the role of institutional absorption and readiness in shaping the sustainability of digital tools. Drawing on the Naryn town case, the study examines how digital governance interventions unfold when tailored to local capacity constraints. Methodologically, the research integrates stakeholder consultations, semi-structured interviews with civil servants, technical system reviews, and field observations of GIS usage and training. Findings reveal that institutional fit, targeted training, and iterative stakeholder engagement were more decisive for the practical uptake of GIS than the system's technical design. The study concludes that adaptive, context-sensitive GIS implementation can serve as a practical decision-support system and a catalyst for institutional transformation, offering lessons for urban resilience in similar governance contexts.