There is very little research on how urban form measures that may impact emissions might also impact urban vulnerability. Previous research in urban vulnerability, drawn primarily from precedents in high-income nations, has focused on reactive technological solutions applied to an individual city’s present conditions. A higher research priority is to understand how the development process of cities, especially the urban form, shape not only urban emission trajectories, but also urban vulnerability. This research identifies at what stage of urbanization different mitigation and adaptation strategies are more effective, and when these strategies create synergies with changing local priorities – such as decreasing air pollution or achieving targeted development goals.