The Urban Climate Change Research Network (UCCRN) released the Summary for City Leaders of the Second UCCRN Assessment Report on Climate Change and Cities (ARC3.2) at the COP21 Climate Summit for Local Leaders in Paris City Hall on December 4, 2015.

The launch was held in a joint session with ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, entitled “Science meets Policy for Transformative Action,” to promote the Transformative Actions Program (TAP).

The Transformative Action Program (TAP), launched and managed by ICLEI, is a 10-year initiative that aims to identify the most ambitious, cross-cutting and inclusive projects with the potential to transform the lives of their citizens. It is the result of an inclusive and cooperative effort by networks of local and subnational governments to accelerate implementations of climate action.

The ARC3.2 Report presents downscaled Climate Projections for approximately 100 cities and catalogues urban disasters and risks, along with the effects on human health in cities. ARC3.2 gives concrete solutions for cities in regard to mitigation and adaptation; urban planning and design; equity and environmental justice; economics, finance, and the private sector; urban sectors such as energy, water, transportation, housing and informal settlements, and solid waste management; and governing carbon and climate in cities. Other key topics include ecosystems and biodiversity, and urban coastal zones.

Download ARC3.2 Summary for City Leaders

Hi-res version: ARC3.2 Summary for City Leaders 

Lo-res version: ARC3.2 Summary for City Leaders  

UCCRN is dedicated to providing the information that city leaders–from government, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and the community—need in order to assess current and future risks, make choices that enhance resilience to climate change and climate extremes, and take actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The ARC3.2 Summary for City Leaders provides a broad synthesis of the latest scientific research on climate change and cities. It presents the majors findings and key messages on urban climate science, disasters and risk, urban planning and design, mitigation and adaptation, equity and environmental justice, economics, finance, and the private sector, urban ecosystems, urban coastal zones, public health, housing and informal settlements, energy, water, transportation, solid waste, and governance.

UCCRN Co-Director Dr. Cynthia Rosenzweig of NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and Columbia University’s Earth Institute said, “the ARC3.2 Summary for City Leaders tells cities what they need to know to succeed as climate change leaders, and provides climate change projections for 100 cities so they know what to expect.”

The Summary also presents five pathways to urban transformations that emerge throughout the ARC3.2 report, including:

• Disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation are the cornerstones of resilient cities.
• Actions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions while increasing resilience are a win-win.
• Risk assessments and climate action plans co-generated with the full range of stakeholders and scientists are most effective.
• Needs of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable citizens should be addressed in climate change planning and action.
• Advancing city creditworthiness, developing robust city institutions, and participating in city networks enable climate action.

These pathways provide a foundational framework for the successful development and implementation of climate change policies. UCCRN advocates for cities to immediately begin to act on climate, as nearly two-thirds of world’s population will live in cities by 2050.

For more on the release of ARC3.2 Summary for City Leaders visit: http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2015/12/04/cities-face-up-to-the-climate-challenge