June 28-30, 2009 (with side events on June 27 and July 1)

Location: Marseille, France

Organiser: The World Bank Group; French Ministry of Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development and Town and Country Planning; Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development

At a time when climate change is a major priority for the international community, this Symposium aims at pushing forward the research agenda on climate change from a city’s perspective. Specifically, the main questions will be structured around the impacts of city and urban growth on climate change; measuring and anticipating the consequences of climate change on urban quality of life, city assets, and local and national economies; and assessing alternatives to increase the resilience of cities and related costs and incentives required for successful implementation.

The 5th Urban Research Symposium is structured around five broad research clusters which represent the most relevant issues faced by cities and peri-urban areas on climate change.
  • Cluster 1: Science and Indicators of Climate Change and Related Impacts: Understanding and measuring how cities impact, and are impacted by, climate change.
  • Cluster 2: Infrastructure, Built Environment, and Energy Efficiency: Planning efficiently and effectively to increase the resilience of cities.
  • Cluster 3: Role of Institutions, Governance, and Urban Planning: Improving management, coordination, and planning of cities to meet climate change challenges.
  • Cluster 4: Incentive policies, economics and finance: Understanding how and why cities respond to climate change.
  • Cluster 5: Social aspects of climate change: Understanding and reducing vulnerability of urban populations to climate change.

Early bird registration (200 Euros) is available for participants until May 30, after which registration will be 400 Euros.

Student registration is 100 Euros (150 Euros after May 30).


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