Integrating solutions to adapt cities for climate change

Brenda B Lin; Alessandro Ossola; Marina Alberti; Erik Andersson; Xuemei Bai; Cynnamon Dobbs; Thomas Elmqvist; Karl L Evans; Niki Frantzeskaki; Richard A Fuller; Kevin J Gaston; Dagmar Haase; Chi Yung Jim; Cecil Konijnendijk; Harini Nagendra; Jari Niemelä; Timon McPhearson; William R Moomaw; Susan Parnell; Diane Pataki; William J Ripple; Puay Yok Tan

doi:10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00135-2

Integrating solutions to adapt cities for climate change

Lancet Planet Health. 2021 Jul;5(7):e479-e486. doi: 10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00135-2.

Authors

Brenda B Lin¹, Alessandro Ossola², Marina Alberti³, Erik Andersson⁴, Xuemei Bai⁵, Cynnamon Dobbs⁶, Thomas Elmqvist⁷, Karl L Evans⁸, Niki Frantzeskaki⁹, Richard A Fuller¹⁰, Kevin J Gaston¹¹, Dagmar Haase¹², Chi Yung Jim¹³, Cecil Konijnendijk¹⁴, Harini Nagendra¹⁵, Jari Niemelä¹⁶, Timon McPhearson¹⁷, William R Moomaw¹⁸, Susan Parnell¹⁹, Diane Pataki²⁰, William J Ripple²¹, Puay Yok Tan²²

Affiliations

¹ CSIRO Land & Water, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, Burnley, VIC, Australia.
³ Department of Urban Design and Planning, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
⁴ Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm, Sweden; Unit for Environmental Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.
⁵ Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
⁶ Center for Modeling and Monitoring Ecosystems, School of Forest Engineering, Faculty of Science, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile.
⁷ Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm, Sweden.
⁸ Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
⁹ Centre for Urban Transitions, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
¹⁰ School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
¹¹ Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK.
¹² Department of Geography, Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Department Computational Landscape Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany.
¹³ Department of Social Sciences, Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
¹⁴ Department of Forest Resources Management, University of British Columbia, BC, Vancouver, Canada.
¹⁵ Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability, Azim Premji University, Bengaluru, India.
¹⁶ University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
¹⁷ Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm, Sweden; Urban Systems Lab, New School, New York, NY, USA; Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY, USA.
¹⁸ Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA; Woodwell Climate Research Center, Falmouth, MA, USA.
¹⁹ African Centre for Cities, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
²⁰ School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
²¹ Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA.
²² National University of Singapore, Singapore.

PMID: 34245718
DOI: 10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00135-2

Abstract

Record climate extremes are reducing urban liveability, compounding inequality, and threatening infrastructure. Adaptation measures that integrate technological, nature-based, and social solutions can provide multiple co-benefits to address complex socioecological issues in cities while increasing resilience to potential impacts. However, there remain many challenges to developing and implementing integrated solutions. In this Viewpoint, we consider the value of integrating across the three solution sets, the challenges and potential enablers for integrating solution sets, and present examples of challenges and adopted solutions in three cities with different urban contexts and climates (Freiburg, Germany; Durban, South Africa; and Singapore). We conclude with a discussion of research directions and provide a road map to identify the actions that enable successful implementation of integrated climate solutions. We highlight the need for more systematic research that targets enabling environments for integration; achieving integrated solutions in different contexts to avoid maladaptation; simultaneously improving liveability, sustainability, and equality; and replicating via transfer and scale-up of local solutions. Cities in systematically disadvantaged countries (sometimes referred to as the Global South) are central to future urban development and must be prioritised. Helping decision makers and communities understand the potential opportunities associated with integrated solutions for climate change will encourage urgent and deliberate strides towards adapting cities to the dynamic climate reality.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Review

MeSH terms

Cities
Climate Change*
Forecasting
Germany
South Africa