This session explores definitions, description and applications of tools and methodologies in urban climate informatics, focusing on Digital Twins, and how open data, models and multisensor observations, simulations, and AI/ML technologies can support evidence-based decision-making for climate adaptation and mitigation in cities.

The session aims to present approaches, methods, and application examples that use planning processes for climate adaptation measures with the help of planning-oriented, urban climatic investigation methods, AI-supported recognition and recording of local climatic phenomena and conditions to identify fields of action and to develop easily manageable building blocks that determine site-adapted recommendations for action and prepare them in such a way that they can be concretely implemented and, in particular, taken into account in municipal urban land-use planning. Such approaches and ideas enable an innovative, applied, planning-oriented urban climatology that can use its climate adaptability for future-oriented, climate-adapted designs and recommendations for action.

One tool for identifying these impacts is the calculation of climate twins. With the help of these climate equivalents, the climate research perspective creates an explanatory path that provides spatial planning with directional certainty and thus a perspective for the future. In addition, the spatial planning approach offers the opportunity to introduce further steps towards optimised urban adaptation to climate change into the scientific and practical planning discourse. This builds a bridge to applied, planning-oriented urban climatology, which is of immense relevance in this area of tension. Furthermore, an AI based process will be developed that is able to carry out a climate inventory of settlements using satellite data. From this, the AI will generate an appropriate scenario that visually distinguishes different areas from each other. This AI-generated and spatially visualisable representation will enable the rapid identification of local climate risk areas.

Holistic approaches are required to protect urban populations from the impact of heat and air pollution. Focusing on heat- and air-pollution-related early warning systems and action plans and their implementation at the urban scale, this session welcomes contributions related, but not limited, to: integrated methodological frameworks to (i) quantify the heat and air pollution health effects, and (ii) define city-specific warning thresholds accounting for intra-urban variations; (iii) fine-scale vulnerability assessments considering socio-economic effect modifiers; (iv) the implementation and validation of warning systems and associated action plans; (v) communication and dissemination practices. Contributions taking into account the complex interactions between heat and air pollution and their synergistic impact on human health are particularly encouraged, as well as those adopting a broader perspective in early warning and action planning within the frameworks of "One Health" and "Planetary Health".

Effective warning systems have been proven to save lives and are among the most cost-effective methods of climate adaptation and early actions for reducing disaster deaths and economic losses. In 2002, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres launched the “Early Warnings for All” initiative, urging international communities to prioritize the development and implementation of robust warning systems as a fundamental component of climate resilience strategies. Responding to this call, the World Meteorological Organization’s World Weather Research Program (WWRP) has initiated the Urban Prediction Project in 2024 to enhance urban-scale prediction and warning systems. By improving the accuracy and timeliness of weather forecasts and warnings, the project seeks to reduce urban exposure to weather-related hazards, representing a crucial step towards creating sustainable cities.

This session will explore advancements and challenges in urban multi-hazard prediction and warning systems and provide a forum to share insights on the latest research, technologies, and best practices, emphasizing the importance of international collaboration and innovative approaches. We seek contributions that: 1) advance the urban multi-hazard (heat, air quality, flooding, public health, energy supply) prediction capabilities and warning systems up to seasonal timescale, 2) enhance urban observation network and data assimilation technologies; 3) address challenges in implementing and applying advanced warning systems; 4) effectively engage stakeholders, governments, policymakers, and communities to improve city resilience, and 5) share best practice to apply warning systems to develop meaningful adaptation strategies in diverse urban systems. Join us to discuss how to transform urban resilience through cutting-edge prediction and warning technologies.

The urban environment plays a unique and critical role in the Earth system. Air pollutants can interact with urban meteorology and emissions in a complex way, which has not been fully understood. Urban areas are also the most populated regions where air pollution can exert significant adverse impacts on human health, with potential environmental justice issues. Moreover, different urban regions may have their own characteristics for air pollution and interaction with climate. This session calls for modelling and observational studies to improve the understanding and quantification of (1) urban emissions and interaction with different urban environments, (2) atmospheric chemistry processes affected by urban meteorology and feedback to urban climate/weather, (3) urban air pollution interaction with rural emissions and long-range transport, (4) cross-scale urban chemistry-meteorology interactions, (5) impacts of urban air pollution and extremes on public health and environmental justice, (6) effective solutions (including the Nature Based Solutions (NBS)) to mitigate adverse impacts from urban air pollution and extremes (e.g., urban heatwaves and floods).

This session will bring together researchers working on urban climate at different scales and researchers interested in climate-related health issues from urban environments to improve the understanding of how urban climates can lead to additional or specific burdens for public health in cities. We encourage submissions from varying scales, including micro-scale studies focusing on the building and neighborhood levels, as well as larger meso- and macro-scales studies with a focus on regional to (supra-)national levels. Our session is aimed to go beyond biometeorological research fields that are more related to thermal comfort. The objective is to try to bridge between public health researchers and urban climatologists in order to build more sustainable and healthier cities by covering topics as varied as, but not restricted to:
- urban heat-related mortality and morbidity;
- increased risks of communicable diseases;
- changes in wellbeing and higher health risk for people with mental health conditions;
- changes in habitat suitability for mould development; etc.
We are looking for research that addresses the questions of maladaptation and poor climate mitigation design by welcoming abstract submissions that study the health (co-)benefits of climate change adaptation and mitigation in cities as well as urban climate services, which address the needs of stakeholders from urban planning and public health.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has announced the Special Report on Climate Change and Cities, set for release in early 2027, as the sole special report of the seventh assessment cycle. In response to this timely focus on the nexus of cities and climate change, this session seeks to facilitate the exchange, update, and synthesis of insights derived from innovative research and approaches in this field.

We encourage submissions on four key areas central to the discussion:

• Two-Way Feedback Between Cities and Regions, and their Climates: Cities play a significant role in shaping their local and regional climates, leading to a dynamic two-way interaction that influences climate extremes and high-impact weather events.
• Compounding and Cascading Climate Hazards: Urban areas face a multitude of weather-related hazards (such as cold and heat waves, storm-related surface, riverine and coastal flooding, and extreme wind events) across various scales. The frequency, intensity and impact of these events are amplified by climate change and compounded/cascade in complex urban systems.
• Transparency of Model Outputs in Future Climate Scenarios: Communicating the uncertainties in global future climate projections, and their propagation to the regional and local scale analyses in cities, is essential for informed decision-making and effective adaptation strategies.
• Improving Actionability of Science for Cities: Enhancing the usability of scientific findings for urban decision-making may require collaborative efforts, such as co-production or engagement initiatives, to tailor scientific advancements to the specific needs of cities. This includes addressing issues such as representing extremes, uncertainty characterization, and coordination among practitioners and scientists.

This session seeks submission within, but not limited to, these areas that explore the contribution of urban climate research to understanding the relationship between cities and climate change. Observational and/or modelling studies focusing on under-represented cities and regions are welcome.

The session focuses on the topics of 'too much water' and 'too little water' in urban areas and its potential for sustainable transitions in urban areas. The objective of the session is to bring together knowledge, experiences, good practices, tools and methods that can be used for identifying the transformative potential related to urban water and for exploring co-benefits of mitigation and adaptation in water related urban risk management across science, policy and practice. We welcome research contributions as well as case studies of how this has been or is being implemented in practice.

Potential topics include:

• Developing future stories and pathways of transformative water aware cities (qualitative and quantitative visions and scenarios)
• Integrated approaches to urban flood risk-adaptation for exploring understandings of leverage and transformative change
• Approaches for engaging stakeholders in the co-production of transformative adaptation
• Synergies between adaptation and mitigation in urban flood risk management
• Sectoral adaptation measures to water induced threads that are assessed in the complex urban system

Perspectives from various researchers and practitioners, from natural and social scientists, engineers, planners and innovators, working on the urban environment from different backgrounds and areas of expertise, are encouraged.

With ongoing exacerbation of heat and precipitation extremes due to climate change, urban adaptation is of increasing importance. A diversity of urban adaptation strategies or infrastructures have been proposed and, in many cases, implemented to a limited degree, each with a particular set of benefits and drawbacks that are geographically dependent. However, it remains unclear which strategies or combinations thereof may optimize practical outcomes in any given street or neighbourhood. This session invites contributions that assess urban adaptation infrastructures, including but not limited to various types of green, grey and blue infrastructure and novel/cool materials. These infrastructures should be evaluated based on multiple practical outcomes of relevance to local urban climates and associated environmental outcomes, including, for example, thermal exposure (indoor or outdoor), building energy use, air quality, stormwater management, and feasibility. Contributions should assess at least two outcomes, and/or compare at least two types of adaptation infrastructures, with an aim to support prioritization of adaptation infrastructure in a particular street, neighbourhood, city, region, or beyond. Attention to synoptic climate, neighbourhood type, season, and so on, is encouraged. Both measurement and modelling contributions are welcomed.

This session invites researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to present their findings on the efficacy of various NBS in reducing urban heat. We seek contributions that address the following key areas:

• Quantitative Assessment of NBS: Studies that provide empirical data on the cooling effects of different NBS, employing tools such as remote sensing, in-situ measurements, and modeling techniques.
• Heat Justice and Equity: Research that investigates the socio-economic dimensions of heat mitigation, ensuring that the implementation of NBS does not exacerbate existing inequalities but rather contributes to social equity.
• Innovative Design and Planning: Exploration of novel design approaches and urban planning strategies that integrate NBS for optimal heat mitigation, considering local contexts and community needs.

The session aims to foster a comprehensive understanding of how NBS can effectively create cooler, more equitable urban environments. By bridging scientific research with practical applications and policy considerations, we aim to advance the discourse on urban heat mitigation and contribute to developing resilient and inclusive cities.

Scientifically speaking, “urban shade” is an ill-defined concept. While it is commonly thought of as the interception of direct solar radiation by some solid element above the urban terrain, we still lack widely accepted methods for quantifying and evaluating the quality of its presence in urban settings. To what extent does shade quality decline when shading elements allow some penetration of sunlight? How much solar blocking is required to create well-shaded conditions? Is there a qualitative difference between the shade of trees and non-vegetative canopies? How much shade do we need in an urban setting, and what area should it cover? When calculating the availability of shade, what is the most important time period to consider and design for? In recent years, as concerns over urban heat have been growing, much attention has been shifting from the general concept of urban heat island mitigation to the specific issue of pedestrian heat stress reduction. Shade has thus emerged as the most effective method to significantly reduce thermal stress under hot daytime weather conditions, not only because of the significant contribution of solar radiation to heat stress but also because the provision of shade, unlike other climatic factors, totally relies on design decisions. Nevertheless, this belated interest has only exposed the many blind spots and uncharted territories that call for our attention if we want to support a more efficient and effective integration of shade into cities.

The session will, therefore, be open to contributions that relate to methods and tools for quantifying and evaluating shade and shading elements in urban areas, focusing on their potential translation into urban design practices and policies. Case studies in which such methods and tools are implemented, and in which their effectiveness is evaluated, are also welcome. Sub-topics of interest include, but are not limited to: * the quantification and evaluation of shading effects from urban trees and other vegetation, including the physiological properties and functioning of plant canopies; * the design and optimization of non-vegetative shading devices and built elements; * the impact of shade on pedestrian biophysical stress, perceived thermal sensation and climate-related behavior; * the reduction of surface and/or air temperature at micro-, meso- and city scale; and * the development of design and planning guidelines for urban shade provision.

The Urban Heat Island (UHI) is likely the most well-known concept from our field and the one that created most public awareness beyond our community. The simplicity and intuitive character of the analogy of the island were thereby essential for its success but likewise encompasses considerable conceptual limitations and misinterpretations. For instance, an island implies a defined background – the sea level –, while the rural background temperature can be quite variable around a city. Likewise, the island suggests a static character of its topography, but the UHI has a strong diurnal, inter-diurnal, and seasonal variation. Moreover, the varying spatial and temporal characteristics of the different UHI types create confusion and complicate the application of the concept. Finally, the UHI is a relative parameter, which is characteristic of the partial urban effect but only remotely informative regarding the absolute heat exposure.

Therefore, it has been argued before, that we should focus on urban overheating, intra-urban heat variation, and more human-centric approaches and biometeorological variables. On the other hand, to gain impact in policy, metrics need to be simple, understandable and fit-for purpose (i.e. for assessing urban overheating risks and the effectiveness of mitigation measures), and the respective data needs to be available. If we do not manage to deliver these metrics, other players will fill the gap, who might be less concerned about scientific rigor.

In this session, we want to discuss these conflicting priorities and ways ahead. We seek contributions beyond UHI indicators, which fulfil the above criteria and ideally build on the success of the UHI to deliver policy-relevant information.

As climate change continues to alter weather patterns and exacerbate environmental conditions, marginalized groups such as informal settlements, slum dwellers, indigenous populations, informal sector workers, migrant communities, and others living on the periphery of urban and rural systems—often already burdened by systemic inequalities—are disproportionately affected. This session seeks submission from researchers and practitioners from multiple disciplines to assess the impacts of localized temperature-related climatic effects, including urban heat islands, temperature extremes, heatwaves, heat stress, thermal discomfort, as well as flooding, drought, and other climatic stressors, on these vulnerable communities.

We aim to bring together empirical studies and case analyses that illustrate the unique challenges faced by marginalized populations, including low-income residents, indigenous communities, informal settlers, and minority groups. Topics of interest include methodologies and approaches for studying urban climates in these complex environments, the quantification of local climate phenomena and their dynamics, the role of unique urban fabrics and socio-demographic factors, and the diverse impacts on physical health, sleep patterns, mental health, economic livelihoods, and the climate adaptation strategies employed by these groups. This session encourages interdisciplinary dialogue, improve research methods, and find practical solutions to reduce the negative effects of local climate conditions on vulnerable populations. It also seeks to bring together current knowledge and help create more inclusive and fair approaches to climate adaptation and resilience planning.

This session will examine the challenges facing cultural heritage, particularly in urban areas, in a changing climate as well as the value of cultural heritage for the resilience of urban areas from an interdisciplinary perspective. The goal is to identify the most effective research practices and present the most valuable lessons learned, based on knowledge, data, methods, tools, experience and skills. These include, among others, earth observation data, climate information, risk analysis and management, resilience assessment and good practices in heritage management.

Starting from a series of impulse talks from recently concluded as well as ongoing research projects and from practitioners in the field of heritage management, a round table discussion will give participants the opportunity to share their experiences and knowledge on the benefits and challenges of interdisciplinary approaches to increase the resilience of cultural heritage and leverage its potential for resilient urban areas.
5-6 short impulse talks of about 10 minutes will present findings of different projects and initiatives and are intended to stimulate discussion. The talks will be followed by a roundtable discussion, providing an opportunity for questions, brainstorming and ideas for future research.

In addition, this session will provide networking opportunities by actively facilitating interaction between different actors from research, policy, and practice. It will help participants to get to know each other and create an environment for open discussion, collaboration and engagement.

Participants will have the opportunity to present their projects in poster format. In addition, online tools or products may be displayed. Online participation will be available.

The session will discuss intricate relationships between climate change and bio-cultural heritage in cold climate cities. Bio-cultural heritage is a novel holistic concept emphasizing the entanglement of natural and cultural elements in urbanized environments. The session invites reports and research presentations addressing the issues related to urbanization of the earth's cold climate regions (Arctic, Greenland, Tibet, Siberia, Mongolia, Northern China, Alaska, Canada). Urban climate, snow-ice-permafrost management, traditional indigenous knowledge, climate change impact and adaptation are all topics of interest. Urban climate modeling and data-driven analysis perspectives will be promoted to higher technology levels. This multi-disciplinary scientific synergy will contribute to the progress of urban climatology.

This session invites abstracts from urban experimental and modeling researchers; urban managers and other urban stakeholders working with climate issues specific for cold climate cities; urban modelers working towards the WMO initiative on the Integrate Urban hydro-meteorological, air quality, and climate services; urban ecologists; experts in cultural heritage; experts in urban remote sensing; and other urban experts.

Low-latitude cities representing the Wet Tropics face a unique challenge of high heat and humidity which alone or in combination impact thermal comfort, human adaptability, health, or environmental solutions. These challenges will likely increase under predicted future climate change scenarios and affect an increasingly larger population living in the fast-growing cities of this region. This session considers submissions on topics in the Wet Tropics based on observation, modelling or data-driven approaches, related to:

• How do risks associated with excessive heat and/or humidity affect the physical environment and human experiences during present-day conditions?
• How will these risks change under future conditions?
• How do we determine thermal thresholds?
• How can cities mitigate and adapt to excess heat and/or humidity (e.g. through urban greening) and what are the (co)benefits of doing so?

Currently, over 50% of the world’s population resides in urban areas, with the most significant growth occurring in Small and Medium-Sized Cities (SMSC), especially in developing nations. These cities are often overlooked in global studies, particularly concerning sustainable urban development and integrating urban services. As SMSC undergo rapid changes, they must become a focal point for addressing climate change and simultaneously reducing the population’s risk from extreme events. Achieving this requires a deeper understanding of their urban systems and how urban climates can support sustainable and resilient development in SMSC.

We welcome all individuals interested in SMSC to this session(s). We will highlight studies that delve into urban dynamics and their interplay with urban climate, analyze extreme events, explore risk assessments, and introduce innovative methodological approaches.

This Special Session encourages contributions in the broad topic of coastal urban environments ranging from, but not limited to: - fundamentals of physical processes of urban-ocean-atmosphere interactions; - coastal-urban boundary-layer processes; - applications to weather forecasts, climate, and/or air quality events in coastal-urban settings; - observation and modelling of extreme coastal-urban weather systems; - observational studies and field campaigns in coastal-urban environments; - understanding and applications to the energy-air quality nexus in coastal-urban environments; - novel observational techniques for coastal-urban systems; - climate vulnerability and equity in coastal cities; - resilient coastal-urban infrastructure; - climate adaptation strategies for coastal-urban environments; - applications of AI for coastal-urban processes.

We welcome contributions from a wide range of individuals, including scientists from academia, industry, and government at all levels, practitioners implementing sustainability programs in coastal cities, developers of products for coastal environments, and coastal-urban planners and architects. We specially encourage early career contributors.

Urban areas are significant contributors to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Detailed understanding of urban GHG emissions, including their temporal and spatial dynamics, is critical for finding effective emissions reduction strategies. This session will explore the cutting-edge methodologies used to quantify and analyze urban GHG emissions, offering a comprehensive view of their sources, sinks, and the environmental factors that influence them. In addition to anthropogenic emissions, the session will emphasize the importance of incorporating biogenic components into GHG assessments. This holistic approach not only reduces uncertainties in emission estimations but also highlights the role of urban vegetation and soil in carbon sequestration. The integration of biogenic factors is essential for developing accurate urban carbon budgets and informing sustainable urban planning. There are multiple different approaches, from micrometeorological measurements and isotope analysis to urban-scale modelling, that are being employed to understand urban GHG emissions. Novel city-wide monitoring networks and measurement platforms such as mobile observations and ground-based remote sensing are also emerging. This session brings together diverse methodologies used to enhance our understanding of urban GHG budgets, their emissions and sinks, and dependencies on different environmental factors at different scales. We invite contributions that utilize conceptual, experimental, observational, or modelling approaches, source apportionment in urban areas and related uncertainties, and studies on how the different observational and modelling methodologies can be used to support climate action plans in various cities.

Urban air mobility (UAM) is one of the next-generation transport systems that uses small, highly automated aircraft to carry passengers or cargo at lower altitudes in urban environments. Ensuring the safety and efficiency of these operations is critical for their successful commercialization in the near future. A deep understanding of urban meteorology is essential for the design and optimization of UAM flights, as urban atmospheric conditions significantly influence flight performance.

However, urban meteorology remains underexplored, particularly in operational forecasting and observations at fine spatial scales (hundreds of meters to kilometers) and temporal intervals (minutes to hours). Traditionally, urban meteorological phenomena have been treated as sub-grid processes in large-scale atmospheric models, limiting their application to UAM operations. Recently, there has been a growing demand for high-resolution, real-time meteorological data tailored to urban settings.

This session will explore findings from high-resolution numerical modeling, as well as real-time in-situ and remote observations. Topics will include, but are not limited to, severe weather phenomena driven by turbulence, atmospheric heating/cooling, and other complex surface-air interactions. We will highlight recent advancements in urban meteorology and discuss practical applications for UAM, sharing valuable insights gained through trials, challenges, and emerging solutions that guide us toward the right path.