Daniel Hoornweg - Cities and Climate Change: Responding to an Urgent Agenda

Daniel Hoornweg, Mila Freire, Marcus J. Lee,
Perinaz Bhada-Tata, and Belinda Yuen, editors

2011 The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank
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ISBN: 978-0-8213-8493-0
eISBN: 978-0-8213-8667-5
DOI: 10.1596/978-0-8213-8493-0

Cover photo: Atlantide Phototravel/Corbis

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Cities and climate change : responding to an urgent agenda / edited by Daniel Hoornweg [et al.].

p. cm.(Urban development series)

Collection of papers prepared and presented at the World Banks Fifth Urban Research Symposium.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-0-8213-8493-0ISBN 978-0-8213-8667-5 (electronic)

1.Urban ecology (SociologyCongresses. 2. Greenhouse gasesCongresses. 3. Climatic changesCongresses. I. Hoornweg, Daniel A. (Daniel Arthur), 1961- II. Urban Research Symposium (5th Marseille, France 2009)
HT241.C555 2011
307.76dc22

2011007569

The 5th Urban Research Symposium on Cities and Climate ChangeResponding to an Urgent Agenda, held in Marseille in June 2009, sought to highlight how climate change and urbanization are converging to create one of the greatest challenges of our time. Responding to this challenge effectively and sustainably is a key objective for governments, authorities, institutions, and other organizations involved in urban development processes. The World Bank, the French Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transport and Housing, and the French Development Agency were therefore particularly committed to the co-organization of the symposium.

Cities consume much of the worlds energy, and thus produce much of the worlds greenhouse gas emissions. Yet cities, to varying extents, are also vulnerable to climate change impacts, with poor populations facing the greatest risk. Thus, adaptation and increased resilience constitute priorities for every city, and cities have a key role to play in mitigating climate change. Climate change mitigation and adaptation in cities has emerged as a new theme on the global agenda, creating a strong desire among governments, the private sector, and the academic community worldwide to learn from experiences and good practice examples.