In today's world, where climate change raises issues of environmental justice (Resnik, 2022), urban green spaces are believed to be one of the effective solutions to these challenges. However, the top-down planning of urban green spaces often results in injustices that exacerbate the vulnerability of certain populations in cities. Therefore, the question of how to plan urban green spaces in vulnerable neighborhoods remains a significant gap in the literature. This study aims to examine the impact of the availability of urban green spaces in vulnerable neighborhoods on environmental justice. This analysis will evaluate London (UK) from the perspective of the three dimensions of environmental justice (distributional, recognition, and procedural) at the city scale. To achieve this, climate data (Urban Heat Island, air pollution, noise pollution, flooding and lack of green space) and socioeconomic data will be mapped using GIS (Geographic Information System), and a mixed-method research will be used, incorporating grey literature. The findings reveal that the distribution of green spaces in vulnerable neighborhoods is inequitable. It is evident that the amount of green space alone is insufficient to define vulnerability; factors such as accessibility and attractiveness of green spaces should also be considered in planning. Another significant finding is that low socioeconomic status and participation rates are crucial in the vulnerability of neighborhoods. As a result, evaluating green space planning processes by considering the three elements of environmental justice (distributional, recognition, and procedural) can contribute to empowering vulnerable communities. By evaluating the impact of urban green spaces on environmental injustice, this case study provides valuable insights for policymakers aiming to plan more resilient cities. The research seeks to answer how more equitable urban green space planning can be achieved by examining the causality of injustices in vulnerable neighborhoods through a case study.

How to cite: Yildirim, S.: Equitable Urban Green Space Planning in Vulnerable Neighborhoods, 12th International Conference on Urban Climate, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 7–11 Jul 2025, ICUC12-34, https://doi.org/10.5194/icuc12-34, 2025.

The study provides evidence of how restrictive and poor incentives through building bye-laws limits urban regeneration in brownfield neighborhoods resulting in degraded condition of 17-km strech of Nag River in Nagpur and limiting Nag River Restoration. Starting with the literature review, the study highlights the lack of a comprehensive approach for river restoration, specifically for the stretch of urban rivers in brownfield contexts in Indian cities. The study was conducted on neighborhoods located along the stretch of 17-km stretch, which entirely flows through city’s brownfield context. The study uses both primary and secondary data for an empirical assessment of the Nag River, divided into three sections. The first investigates the historical river-city relationship of the Nag River with Nagpur’s Old City, highlighting key issues leading to degraded condition of the river. The second section documents existing conditions along the 17-km stretch, mapping land use, urban infrastructure (water and sanitation), public-private ownership, building conditions, and development potential highlighting key issues with riparian context. The third section empirically demonstrates (selecting the case examples from documented neighborhoods) how building codes limit urban regeneration in Old City neighborhoods, indicating a lack of incentives (in terms of FSI) for urban redevelopment. The fourth section maps stakeholder roles and responsibilities, highlighting the technical and financial aspects leading to the failure of the Nag River Restoration Project over the past two decades. The study’s evidence compared with national and global practices, which highlights how building codes through urban regeneration can facilitate river restoration and concludes with a conceptual outline to the use of spatial planning tools to ensure technical and financial feasibility of river restoration projects.

How to cite: Joshi, C. and Goswami, P. Dr. S.: Does Providing Incentives for Parcel-based Regeneration Facilitates the Restoration of Polluted River Stretches Flowing through Brownfield Contexts in Indian Cities? The Case of Nag River, Nagpur, 12th International Conference on Urban Climate, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 7–11 Jul 2025, ICUC12-1033, https://doi.org/10.5194/icuc12-1033, 2025.

The continuing urbanization process is expected to exacerbate various impacts on the natural environment, such as thermal changes at the local scale in densely populated urban neighborhoods. One of the side consequences of urbanization is the need for nighttime artificial lighting primarily to provide visibility, for safety reasons, and for ornamental illumination of monuments, buildings, parks, etc. To understand the rather complex issue of the spatial distribution of artificial light at night and its links to population density, urban form, and function, the patterns of nighttime radiance (NTR) at the local level should be studied on the grounds of a globally defined and well-recognized classification of urban neighborhoods. The Local Climate Zone (LCZ) scheme was initially designed to analyze local temperature variations and urban heat island effects at the local scale. Despite that, its applications, such as climate-sensitive design, building energy consumption, carbon emissions, quality of life, air quality, urban vegetation phenology, and ecosystem patterns, grow exponentially. This contribution addresses the following research questions: (1) Are LCZ classes a suitable urban typology to provide detailed information on light pollution derived from satellite measurements? (2) What are the recent trends in urban light pollution in individual types of LCZ? (3) Do regional differences or significant trends exist in urban light pollution? (4) Can a spatiotemporal analysis of nighttime radiance across LCZ assess the effects of technological innovations and implementation of light pollution-reducing policies in urban lighting? Overall, we aim to start a cross-disciplinary discussion on the methods of assessing urban light pollution on the urban neighborhood (local) level.

How to cite: Geletic, J., Krüger, E., Demuzere, M., Leuchner, M., Jurek, M., and Lehnert, M.: Spatiotemporal variability and trends of urban light pollution in global cities, 12th International Conference on Urban Climate, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 7–11 Jul 2025, ICUC12-339, https://doi.org/10.5194/icuc12-339, 2025.

Inward urban development through densification has been widely promoted as a strategy to prevent urban sprawl, enhance energy and resource efficiency, and preserve natural environments. However, densification can exacerbate local microclimatic challenges, increasing urban heat island intensity (UHII), heat vulnerability, and cooling energy demand—challenges that will become more critical in the context of future climate warming. In Switzerland, densification has been prioritised and mandated at multiple levels of urban governance, from the federal government to cantonal and municipal authorities. This study investigates whether densification and thermal resilience can coexist within urban development policies and strategies.

Using a mixed-method approach, the study combines a review of urban policies and regulations, a field survey assessing residents’ long-term thermal perceptions and concerns about densification, and an analysis of densification’s impact on UHII, outdoor thermal comfort, and heat vulnerability. The research focuses on Jonction, a dense urban district in Geneva, Switzerland. Findings reveal significant gaps in Swiss urban policy regarding the trade-offs between densification and climate resilience. In 2024, local residents reported high levels of thermal discomfort, attributing it to heat-absorbing materials, traffic pollution, and insufficient green space. The study evaluates the effectiveness of potential mitigation strategies under future climate scenarios while maintaining urban density. The results provide implementable recommendations for addressing urban overheating challenges in the context of urban compaction, offering insights for Switzerland and beyond.

How to cite: Lyu, K. and Khovalyg, D.: Balancing Densification and Thermal Resilience: Urban Policy Gaps and Mitigation Strategies in Switzerland, 12th International Conference on Urban Climate, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 7–11 Jul 2025, ICUC12-815, https://doi.org/10.5194/icuc12-815, 2025.

Climate resilience remains a crucial goal for the built environment. Our ancestors successfully inhabited some of the Earth's harshest climates, from the Arctic to deserts. If they could overcome such challenges, why should our high-tech society fail?

In a white paper, the 4TU Domain Acceleration Team (DAT) on Climate Adaptation and Mitigation, composed of members from four technical universities in the Netherlands, examines why modern societies struggle to achieve climate adaptation and mitigation targets.

While mitigation efforts, such as reducing CO₂ emissions, have clear, universally agreed-upon goals, adaptation efforts tend to be local and lack established targets and benchmarks, making progress challenging to track.

Climate mitigation and adaptation measures in the built  environment are interdependent, requiring careful coordination to avoid inefficiencies or counterproductive outcomes. For instance, the energy transition (climate mitigation) demands major infrastructure changes, while climate adaptation requires significant urban modifications and underground work. These efforts must align to ensure resilient and future-proof inhabitancy of urban areas; without integration, some measures may hinder or negate the benefits of others.

A key challenge is the lack of cross-sector collaboration. Different sectors—energy, climate, mobility—operate under distinct frameworks, policies, and timelines, complicating the implementation of  solutions. The shortage of skilled professionals in the Netherlands limits the capacity for cross-sector collaboration, as many lack expertise to navigate both climate and energy sectors, as well as spatial planning policy.

Similarly, while spatial analysis tools such as Klimaateffectatlas and Toolbox Klimaatadaptatie exist, they typically focus on individual challenges like mitigation or adaptation. There is a critical need for also integrating tools that assess the spatial implications of policy goals across sectors, and temporal scales.

The white paper addresses these challenges and explores potential cross-disciplinary synergies, aiming to drive innovative solutions for future climate resilience, where climate adaptation and mitigation always go hand in hand.

How to cite: Nickayin, S., Dongen, R. V., Warbroek, B., Liao, F., Eijkelenboom, A., and Sarabi, S.: A White Paper: From Friction to Synergy in Climate Adaptation & Mitigation in the Netherlands , 12th International Conference on Urban Climate, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 7–11 Jul 2025, ICUC12-854, https://doi.org/10.5194/icuc12-854, 2025.