Cities and Climate Change: Responding to an Urgent Agenda

[i]Fifth Urban Research Symposium[/i] Marseille, France June 28-30, 2009 Call for papers The topic for the 5th Urban Research Symposium is Cities and Climate Change: Responding to the Urgent Agenda. At a time when climate change is a major priority for the international community, this Symposium aims at pushing forward the research agenda on climate change from a city’s perspective. Specifically, the main questions will be structured around the impacts of city and urban growth on climate change; measuring and anticipating the consequences of climate change on urban quality of life, city assets, and local and national economies; and assessing alternatives to increase the resilience of cities and related costs and incentives required for successful implementation. The Symposium is structured around five broad research clusters which represent the most relevant issues faced by cities and peri-urban areas on climate change. Cluster 1: Science and Indicators of Climate Change and Related Impacts: Understanding and measuring how cities impact, and are impacted by, climate change. Cluster 2: Infrastructure, Built Environment, and Energy Efficiency: Planning efficiently and effectively to increase the resilience of cities. Cluster 3: Role of Institutions, Governance, and Urban Planning: Improving management, coordination, and planning of cities to meet climate change challenges. Cluster 4: Incentive policies, economics and finance: Understanding how and why cities respond to climate change. Cluster 5: Social aspects of climate change: Understanding and reducing vulnerability of urban populations to climate change. Procedures for Participation Interested researchers should submit a one-page abstract of their proposed paper in either English or French, along with the submittal form, [b]by September 30, 2008[/b]. The abstract should indicate the Cluster (see above) in which the paper is submitted. It should outline the objective of the paper, methodology, integration with and/or connection to other clusters, data sources (if applicable), and state what the author(s) asserts to be the contribution of the paper to the body of literature on the subject. The submission should also be accompanied by a CV of each author/co-author. Submittal forms, abstracts, and CVs should be sent by email to: urbansymposium@worldbank.org. Comments and suggestions are also welcome at this email address. We recommend that you read the Concept Note prior to submitting a proposal (available at www.urs2009.net). Selections will be made in October 2008. The authors of accepted papers or recommended posters will be notified by October 20 (where proposals list multiple authors, the first author listed on the submittal form will be notified). A full draft of each paper is due by March 30, 2009. The final version is due May 1, 2009 to enable translation and distribution to discussants. Researchers from emerging economies whose papers are selected for presentation will be given priority in the allocation of funding for travel to Marseille (where proposals list multiple authors, the first author listed on the submittal form will be allocated funding, unless otherwise specified by the authors). Researchers who are selected for poster presentations only are welcome to attend the Symposium but will not receive funding for travel to Marseille. Simultaneous interpretations will be available in French and English, and in other languages if possible. A subset of the papers accepted for presentation will be published following the Symposium, and all papers accepted will be posted on the World Bank’s website. Other publication outlets are encouraged, with attribution. Upon acceptance of submitted proposals, researchers will receive instructions on the format suggested for the papers. For further information visit http://www.urs2009.net