The CitiesIPCC conference met for its third and final day on Wednesday. Discussions were devoted to the fourth conference theme: Enabling transformative climate action in cities (advancing science and advancing cities). Given the upcoming IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 °C, several panels were dedicated to exploring emissions pathways, and the challenges and role of cities to contribute to meeting this target, including an exploration of territorial versus consumption-based emissions.

Throughout the day, participants identified research gaps that could unlock the potential for cities to reduce their emissions and enhance resilience, while addressing inequalities and other social issues. The need for research on inclusion and social transformation, particularly for the most vulnerable, was mentioned by many. Several research gaps on informality were noted, such as:

• Understanding the dynamics between formal and informal economies;
• Developing analytical tools to analyze challenges in informal settlements; and,
• Fostering communities of knowledge, including indigenous and local knowledge systems.

The motivation of researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to co-design the future research agenda, which, in one session a convenor described as a “daunting task,” led to the identification of a wide range of research needs. A few of the clusters of research needs were:

• Aggregating local achievements: comparable or standardized data gathering methods; ways to model and assess potential emission reductions; tools to measure policy performance; methods to reduce the reporting burden on cities; and ways to avoid double counting;
• Governance: how to create path dependencies that “lock in” policies and behaviors to reduce emissions and improve resilience; integrating policies at local, national, and regional scales
• Building capacity: providing cities access to long-term climate impact and risk information; and technical training for cities
• Finance: methodologies to determine social benefits in cost-benefit analyses; ways to stimulate demand for small adaptation projects; tools to reduce barriers to local governments accessing finance; and ways to make capital costs serve the needs of secondary cities.

In this research agenda, many participants and panelists underscored the need for a robust science-policy-practice interface to continue the work of this conference in the future.

Closing the conference, Mayor Don Iveson, Edmonton, Canada, outlined the legacies of this conference, from a research agenda, and partnerships with youth, to his personal commitment to mobilize cities to support science-based climate policy.

The CitiesIPCC conference convened for the second day on Tuesday. During the day, participants discussed themes of the science and practice of cities related to urban emissions, impacts, and vulnerabilities, and of solutions for the transition to low-carbon and climate-resilient cities. Across the themes, many panels and participants underscored the need to undertake multi-disciplinary research and bring together different types of practitioners such as engineers, planners, and communications experts.

Theme two: urban emissions, impacts, and vulnerabilities: Vulnerabilities raised ranged from the unique circumstances of coastal communities, to specific infrastructure-related vulnerabilities such as airports, waste management, and storm water management.

Many panels discussed how climate change can be integrated into the varied decisions that cities make. Some of the ideas included creating coordination mechanisms to work across silos, and partnerships with local or global research institutes. Many panels discussed how climate change can be integrated into the varied decisions that cities make. Some of the ideas included creating coordination mechanisms to work across silos, and partnerships with local or global research institutes. Others noted research and policy can inform one another and that communities have a key role in these efforts.

Theme three: solutions for the transition to low carbon and climate resilient cities: Several participants noted the promise of green infrastructure and other nature-based solutions to build resilience. In other panels, some observed uncertainties in the costing data and need to design metrics for green infrastructure. While some focused on such nature-based solutions, many others explored the role of new technologies, such as smart cities, autonomous cars, and the internet of things, noting opportunities, but also the need for policy to provide direction and manage possible drawbacks. Other key conversations included the limits of urban action, and the need to link actions and monitoring systems beyond urban boundaries as part of managing complex systems and enabling funding for change.

Closing the day, members of the Scientific Steering Committee presented the findings from the conference papers to foreshadow discussions occurring tomorrow on theme four: Enabling transformative climate action in cities (advancing science and advancing cities).