Our home is on fire: climate emergency and the pandemic

In the next event of our “(Post)Pandemic planning in the South(s)” seminar series, Prof Cassidy Johnson will engage in a conversation with Prof Vanesa Castan-Broto –Professor of Climate Urbanism at the Urban Institute, University of Sheffield– to discuss the urban impact of the current climate crisis and the links (and potential lessons) for a post-pandemic future.

Among other things, we will talk about Vanesa’s recent work as lead author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Working Group II Sixth Assessment Report, contributing to the chapter on cities, settlements, and key Infrastructure. Some of the key findings from the report to be discussed are: In all cities and urban areas, the risk faced by people and assets from hazards associated with climate change has increased; climate impacts are felt disproportionately in socially and economically marginalised urban communities; the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed systemic underinvestment resulting in multiple, persistent health related vulnerabilities, many of which also exacerbate climate change risk. Recently, the COP26 conference –held in Scotland in November 2021– further raised the critical issue of climate justice and the shortfalls in funding adaptation for the poorest countries.

Some of the guiding questions of this seminar will be: What is the room for manoeuvre in climate change adaptation? Can adaptation planning contribute more widely to achieving the synergies with other SDGs, while aiming at a more resilient post-pandemic future? Are there promising avenues for adaptation finance and urban infrastructure? Can city governments and local knowledge co-production contribute to reducing impacts on the most economically and socially marginalized, due to both health and climate hazards?

To enrich the debate we will invite EJUR research cluster members as commentators, finalising with a Q&A from our audience.

Chair/ discussant 1: Prof Cassidy Johnson - Professor of Urbanism and Disaster Risk Reduction at The Bartlett Development Planning Unit, UCL

Discussant 2: Prof Vanesa Castan-Broto - Professor of Climate Urbanism at the Urban Institute, University of Sheffield