Urban Transitions and Transformations: Science, Synthesis and Policy – 2nd International Conference

Cities are a critical component in transformations towards global sustainability, as well as for the agenda of ‘Future Earth’, and that of the international policy community. Over the last ten years, research in the field of urbanization and global environmental change as part of the UGEC project has expanded knowledge and understanding of the interactions and feedbacks between urbanization processes and global environmental change at local to global scales.

The aim of the 2nd International UGEC Conference is two-fold:

1.) To synthesize knowledge of the bidirectional interactions between urbanization and global environmental changes, and reflect on the key lessons learned.
2.) To identify transformative pathways for a future urban world that is increasingly complex and uncertain.

The study and understanding of current urban transitions and transformations requires multidimensional approaches that explore human behaviour including lifestyle changes, political and economic agendas, and the adequacy of governance structures to deliver urban sustainability – particularly in a time of uncertainty where biophysical tipping points and thresholds have the potential to curb human progress and well-being. In order to facilitate this analysis, the conference has been divided into four integrative themes that are intended to bring together perspectives from across the social and natural sciences and humanities, to better understand urban environmental issues in a more integrated, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary way.