Urban transformative potential in a changing climate

摘要

The SDGs and CitiesIPCC offer an unprecedented opportunity for urban transformation, but bold, integrated action to address the constraints imposed by economic, cultural and political dynamics is needed. We move beyond a narrow, technocentric view andidentify five key knowledge pathways to catalyse urban transformation.While the topic of urban responses to climate change has been on the research agenda for the past two decades1, it has only slowly made its way onto the global stage, and is now at a critical juncture. Now proven to be important agents of change globally, cities occupy a central role in societal responses to climate change. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for climate action (13) and inclusive urban resilience (11), and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Reduction with its call to “Build Back Better”, present a radical departure from business as usual. By recognizing the root drivers of climate risk in unequal and unsustainable development, these initiatives and processes offer an opportunity for action to address deep-rooted development challenges.