From 10 to 14 March 2025, the International Convention Centre in Osaka, Japan, hosted the First Lead Author Meeting of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Climate Change and Cities.
This meeting marked the official start of the drafting process for a report that will shape our understanding of climate change in urban contexts. Nearly 100 experts from over 50 countries, spanning various disciplines, gathered there to collaborate on the special report. As one of the selected Lead Authors, I contributed to this vital work alongside researchers and practitioners from urban communities worldwide.
Our task in Osaka was to lay the groundwork for the report by discussing the scientific literature to be assessed and ensuring the chapters work in harmony. Chapter 4, in which I am a Lead Author, will play a key role in exploring ways to facilitate and accelerate change, offering actionable insights for cities globally.
| Chapter 4 focuses on how to facilitate and accelerate change, including enabling conditions and barriers. The chapter is designed to complement chapter 3, which focuses on what changes and measures can be considered. This chapter includes strategies and considerations aimed at fostering transformative change. It builds on the importance of innovation across diverse urban sectors, encompassing governance, urban planning, decision-making, technology, and finance, while integrating social and cultural dimensions, as well as transformative political and social arrangements. Further areas of focus include the role of urban institutions, particularly institutional capacities and multi-level governance, and the assessment of critical barriers and enablers. |
This meeting is just the beginning. Over the next two years, we will build on the outline agreed upon by the IPCC during its 61st Session in Sofia, Bulgaria, in July 2024, to deliver a comprehensive assessment of climate change risks, impacts, and solutions for cities. The IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Cities is the only Special Report of the seventh assessment cycle, with a completion date set for March 2027.
