During the annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative on Tuesday, former U.S. President Bill Clinton announced a global partnership to promote resilience in at least 100 cities around the world.

“Building resilience strengthens cities' ability to prepare for and bounce back more quickly from the inevitable shocks and stresses they will undoubtedly face, whether due to extreme weather resulting from climate change, seismic events or terrorism,” said the Rockefeller Foundation, which is leading The Commitment to Action, in a statement.

The foundation has pledged $100 million to the effort, with partnership from Swiss Re Ltd., the American Institute of Architects, the Architecture for Humanity charitable organization, and computer software and services firm Palantir Technologies Inc.

The project aims to assist at least 100 cities in hiring a chief resilience officer and developing a resilience strategy and will provide access to tools, technical support and resources for implementing that strategy along with innovative approaches to financing infrastructure development. The 100 Resilient Cities program will also create a network through which the CROs can share best practices.

The Rockefeller Foundation has been encouraging cities to apply to participate in the program since June, said Alex Kaplan, vice president of global partnerships at Swiss Re in Washington, and has received more than 500 applicants.

The first group of cities to participate in the program will be announced in December following their selection by a “blue ribbon panel,” Mr. Kaplan said, with additional cities to be named later. “The commitment is going to span about four years,” he said.

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“This is an interesting answer to some of the major risks that we have been talking about for so long,” Mr. Kaplan said. “From a resilience perspective, it's not going to be just natural disasters. It's going to be all risks that a city might face.”

Among other things, Swiss Re will help participating cities define the role of a chief resilience officer and will provide them with access to the company's proprietary CatNet natural hazard software system to help them understand their exposures.

“It's a very ambitious plan,” Mr. Kaplan said. “One hundred cities in roughly four years, so we don't have much time to waste.”