Understanding the impact of Climate Change on Cities: Policies, Urban Design, Economics, Environment & Population Health
The effects of climate change, urban infrastructure, transportation, and energy on the health of populations can no longer be ignored. “Despite the adoption of the Paris Agreement on climate change and the establishment of the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, significant gaps remain between the scientific and political communities when it comes to an understanding how climate change risks cascade through environmental, social, and economic systems.”
The Smart and Healthy Cities Studio shows the complex interconnection between climate change and the macro, mezzo, and micro–contextual relationships between factors that have often not been considered. The studio offers solutions for how cities can be better prepared for future global crises and how to transform cities under climate threats into more resilient towns to support a fair city to live, work, and do business.
Vision
The Smart and Healthy Cities Studio has the vision to show the solutions for tomorrow’s most pressing problems; urbanization, public health, environment, and climate change. The studio is conceived as an aggregator and facilitator of trans-disciplinary research and education across multiple disciplines. The systems thinking approach will allow for a holistic method of analysis of the effects of climate change on urban environments and population health. The research will consider the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The goal is to increase cities’ resiliency to strengthen population health, mitigate climate change, and support a fair city to live, work, and do business in.
Mission
- To understand the entire city as a system and solve tomorrow’s most pressing problems: urbanization, public health, energy, and transportation.
- To make a direct impact at the community and city scale by researching the intersection of environmental conditions, housing, workplace, transit, public infrastructure, and health.
- To partner with other universities to provide students access and support through co-invention.
- To educate the public about the complex interrelationship of climate change.
- To provide solutions for climate resilient cities.WW
- To unlock the connection between climate change, urbanization, and health.
About the Research
The Focus
The focus of our research was on the prevailing climate challenges in Rome’s metropolitan areas, serving as a foundation for future sustainable urban development.
Research Scope
Our research examined the fundamental problems of the climate crisis at many levels of analysis - Micro, Mezzo, and Macro - to ensure a comprehensive knowledge of each issue and their diverse impacts on the urban environment.
The Wheel Graphic
The AI-powered wheel diagram focuses on key concerns regarding “Cities Under Climate Threat.” It highlights seven main
Areas
urban revitalization, ecology and networks, health, safety, and equity, building material life cycle, building efficiency and tech, transportation, and renewable energy. The graphic illustrates the interrelationships and intersections among these factors, showcasing climate change’s impacts on urbanization in a unified visual representation, aligning with the World Economic Forum’s strategic intelligence map.
Areas of Focus
Urban Renewal
Urban renewal in the context of climate-threatened cities involves a holistic approach to transform and revitalize urban areas. This includes retrofitting infrastructure for sustainability, fortifying against extreme weather events, promoting equitable development, and engaging communities to mitigate the impacts of climate change and enhance overall resilience.
Ecology & Networks
Integrating ecology and networks in urban planning involves implementing interconnected natural systems, incorporating ecological principles like biodiversity and sustainable water management. This approach enhances cities’ resilience to climate change by improving air and water quality, controlling temperatures, and reducing the urban heat island effect, ultimately creating a more sustainable and livable environment.
Health, Safety & Social Equity
In climate-vulnerable cities, addressing health, safety, and social equity is crucial as climate change worsens urban health and safety challenges. Disadvantaged groups, particularly in low income neighborhoods, face disproportionate impacts, highlighting the need for equity programs to ensure fair resource distribution and inclusive disaster preparedness and healthcare access.
Building Material Life Cycle
A focus on sustainable building practices, such as recycling materials and energy-efficient manufacture, tackles environmental effect throughout a structure’s life cycle in climate vulnerable cities. While recycling or re-purposing materials at the end of a building’s life saves waste and supports a circular economy, these actions also contribute to overall environmental sustainability and climate resilience. Buildings that are durable and energyefficient are better able to withstand extreme weather.
Building Technology & Efficiency
Addressing building efficiency and technology is crucial for lowering greenhouse gas emissions and halting climate change in cities that are vulnerable to it. Cutting-edge technologies are essential for maximizing energy use, enhancing sustainability, and reducing urban pollution. Examples of these technologies are smart building systems and renewable energy integration.
Transportation
In areas where climate change is a concern, transportation is crucial to reducing its effects due to factors like air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Cities are improving overall urban sustainability and creating effective, climate-resilient transportation networks thanks to smart technologies and urban design. These programs include encouraging low-emission options, expanding public transportation, and adopting sustainable solutions.
Renewable Energy
Renewable energy adoption in cities is a pivotal strategy to combat climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Cities are leveraging solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and biomass sources, encouraging initiatives like rooftop solar panels and wind turbines, and promoting energy-efficient buildings to enhance energy sustainability and resilience against climate change.