The Urban Sustainability and Climate Change Resilience Department focuses on how urban areas worldwide can transition towards more sustainable and resilient development pathways in environmental challenges and climate change dynamics.
The ongoing shift towards urbanization has a profound effect on the spatial distribution of cities, their resource consumption, their environmental impact and their liveability. Climate change and its direct consequences, such as floods, droughts and heatwaves, have adverse repercussions on physical infrastructures, transport systems, water and energy supply and the provision of ecosystems goods and services.
Against this background, the department looks at the relationship between the natural and built environment, at the role of green infrastructure and nature-based solutions, at how innovations related to the management of water, energy and transport systems can contribute to improving environmental performance and at how land use and urban spatial form influence urban sustainability. The cluster also looks into how to implement effective and efficient climate change adaptation and mitigation actions, how to measure the effects and evaluate the performance of the actions, and how cities can achieve resilience.
The governance of socio-technological evolution and innovation and transition processes also constitutes a key area of interest of the cluster.
Specific questions addressed by the cluster include: Which factors influence the transition to sustainable and resilient urban areas? How can climate change risks and vulnerabilities be reduced through improved land management and other mitigation and adaptation interventions? To what extent do smart cities and technological innovations enhance environmental performance? What is the role of green infrastructure and nature-based solutions in the transition towards sustainable and resilient urban areas?
Meet the Urban Sustainability & Climate Change Resilience Department
Dr. Alberto Gianoli | Head of Urban Sustainability & Climate Change Resilience Department
Alberto Gianoli is an economist and management specialist with experience as a researcher and consultant in the areas of urban environment and infrastructure, project and infrastructure finance, climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Elena Marie Enseñado | Specialist in Nature-based Climate Change Adaptation Planning
Elena Marie Enseñado works as an Urban Environment, Sustainability, and Climate Change specialist. Her thematic interests include climate change and environmental planning, learning for socio-technical transitions and social-ecological resilience.
Laura Quadros Aniche | Specialist in Urban Sustainability and Climate Change
Laura Quadros Aniche works in education, advisory, and research. Her expertise focuses on nature-based solutions, ecosystem services, climate adaptation and resilience, urban living labs, participatory processes and legitimacy.
Dr Qian Ke | Senior Specialist in Urban Sustainability & Climate Change Resilience
Dr Qian Ke is a specialist in the Urban Sustainability & Climate Change Resilience Department at IHS. She is involved in teaching the Urban Environment, Sustainability & Climate Change Master track, and other research and advisory projects.
Somesh Sharma | Specialist in Environment and Sustainable Development Planning
Somesh is involved in teaching, research, advisory and designing tailor-made training programs. His main thematic areas of focus are public finance, inclusive smart cities, and nature-based solutions for sustainable development planning.
Julia Skinner | Senior Specialist in Green Cities and Urban Social Development
Julia Skinner is an architect and urban social development specialist. A major part of her work concerned slum upgrading and affordable housing, green cities and sustainability, solid waste management, and circular economy.
Photo by Nihat Sinan Erul on Unsplash