Planning, Urban Design, and Architecture for Climate Action: insights from the UCCRN Third Assessment Report on Climate Change and Cities

The Third Assessment Report on Climate Change and Cities (ARC3.3) by the Urban Climate Change Research Network (UCCRN), with contributions from over 300 global experts, provides state-of-the-art knowledge, tools, and case studies that emphasize the need for cities to serve as laboratories for scalable and inclusive climate solutions through multi-disciplinary, multi-scale, and multi-stakeholder approaches for climate-resilient urban transformation.

The presentation will discuss key messages and findings from the ARC3.3 element “Planning, Urban Design, and Architecture for Climate Action” (Raven et al., 2025), which outlines paradigm shifts necessary for climate-resilient urban transformation across sectors and scales.

Highlights include:

• Research-Practice Synergy: Examining how local challenges drive climate research and how research informs practical solutions, fostering problem-solving strategies for climate resilience.
• Urban Transformation & Innovation: Advocating for non-linear, systemic change through engagement with urban practitioners, decision-makers, and communities, prioritizing human needs and well-being.
• Climate-Resilient Urban Transformation: Analyzing the return on investment for climate policies, highlighting co-benefits in public health, economy, and job creation, while integrating climate justice and equity considerations.
• Mitigation & Adaptation Synergies: Exploring integrated approaches that align GHG reductions with heat stress and flood management, ensuring more effective climate strategies.
• Environmental Justice in Planning & Design: Embedding equity in decision-making, economic opportunities, and resilience strategies to address climate hazards affecting vulnerable communities.
• Capacity Building for Decision-Makers: Enhancing collaboration among stakeholders, fostering knowledge-sharing, and balancing top-down and bottom-up approaches.
• Metrics & Performance Tools: Presenting assessment frameworks, digital modeling tools, and climate-based design guidelines for evaluating urban climate actions.
• Urban Design Climate Workshops (UDCWs) methods and tools: Showcasing case studies from US, Europe, Latin America, and Africa, demonstrating cross-sectoral climate action in cities, with a focus on the activities carried out within the Horizon Europe project “UP2030”.