UCCRN aims to institutionalize a sustained state-of-the-knowledge assessment process of climate change science, tailored for urban needs while drawing on the experience of cities as they act to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change and disaster risk.

In doing this, the program’s researchers and stakeholders will provide time-sensitive research to enhance city action on climate change, with a particular emphasis on bridging the gap between leading and lagging cities, and promoting the rapid dissemination of best practices to city stakeholders and decision-makers.

UCCRN’s first major publication was Climate Change and Cities: First Assessment Report of the Urban Climate Change Research Network (ARC3) (ISBN-10: 1107004209) published by Cambridge University Press in 2011. The ARC3 report represents a four-year effort by 100 authors from dozens of cities around the world, and is the first-ever global, interdisciplinary, cross-regional, science-based assessment to address climate risks, adaptation, mitigation, and policy mechanisms relevant to cities. The full report can be found on our website: http://www.uccrn.org/publications

To facilitate ongoing and active learning, the content of UCCRN’s second solutions-based assessment (ARC3-2) will be developed through a series of workshops, including meetings at global events of leading urban climate stakeholders.

The first in this series, the UCCRN ARC3-2 International Initiating Workshop, is scheduled to be held at Columbia University on September 17-19, 2013.

ARC3-2 will focus on new topics crucial to urban decision makers as they address both adapting to their changing climate and mitigating their impact on future climate change. These topics include urban planning and design, urban health and climate change, equity and environmental justice, multi-scale research and decisions, housing and informal settlements, urban demographics, sustainable production and consumption, attitudes and behavior, urban agriculture and foodsheds, urban ecology and biodiversity, urban finance and the private sector, coastal zones, and barriers and bridges to mitigation and adaptation.

Coordinating Lead Authors, Lead Authors, and Contributing Authors will be assigned and author teams will be formed at the ARC3-2 Initiating Workshop, with a diversity of cities represented for each topic. Based on needs assessment results, an outline of the full report and chapter templates will be developed. Topics covered in the original ARC3 report will be updated in ARC3-2 to reflect the growing body of literature and new research findings since 2010.

The ARC3-2 report will also access key knowledge and provide science updates on the sectors covered in the First UCCRN Assessment Report on Climate Change and Cities (ARC3) (Cambridge University Press, 2011). These sectors include water and wastewater, health, energy, transportation, land use, and governance.

Please send any questions or letters expressing interest in contributing to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Courtesy of http://www.uccrn.org