A major challenge of our times is that climate change, as a 'global wicked problem', necessitates immediate action. This and other problems, such as energy transition, often trigger related environmental, social and economic turbulence, and moral, political and professional conflicts of interest that create winners and losers. Nevertheless, the global response led by the United Nations is reaching consensus to prioritize climate change mitigation and adaptation with the aim to de-carbonize city-regions towards net zero by 2050.
Track 2 Healthy Planet comprises the many interdependent aspects of our planet relevant to solving issues in city-regions at scales ranging from local to planetary impacts. Considering the evolving global uncertainties and growing existential fears, this track encourages rethinking what is a sustainable and resilient planet, embracing both qualitative and quantitative measures of long-term sustainability and resilience that also take into account urban eco-footprints and social, regional, international and intergenerational equity for natural and mineral resources.
This track will focus on the planning and action strategies needed at all scales to address climate-sensitive features of urban life. We invite planning professionals, place-leaders and activists to join us to explore report or debate, at both theoretical and practising levels:
- Changes Affecting and Threatening the Biosphere: including nature, animal and human habitats, food and water security.
- Nature-Based Solutions: conserving bio-diversity and integrating natural and urban metabolic systems.
- Natural Disasters: addressing increasing impacts in a changing climate.
- Environmental Migration-Redistribution: addressing migration caused by climate change induced sea level rise.
- Energy Transition: driving a paradigm shift in rethinking the creation and use of long term viable sustainable built environments, including transport and mobility.
- Examples-Case Studies: implementing city region resilience planning to ensure communities are as prepared and adaptable as possible in the face of increasingly frequent challenges.
