The research done within the UEP group contributes to conceptual and theoretical development of adaptation and urban environmental policy. In our empirical work, we use quantitative, qualitative and integrated/mixed methods, including stakeholder participation, interviews, surveys, social network analysis, Delphi, serious gaming, various types of systematic reviews and qualitative comparative analysis. We mainly concentrate on urban topics or issues which interact with urban topics and the scale of our research varies from local case studies to global scale statistical analysis.
Cities and their populations are vulnerable to different impacts of climate change, such as sea level rise, floods and heat waves, and need to have robust strategies for adapting to climate change. They are intricately linked with the surrounding countryside and, through globalisation, with other countries and regions. For instance, food and energy consumed within the cities are mainly sourced and produced outside the city boundaries, and potential impacts of climate change on the supply of these commodities need to be identified and assessed.
Cities emit large amounts of greenhouse gases, but they also play a significant role in global efforts to mitigate climate change. Urban climate policies must address the mitigation and adaptation goals together as synergistically as possible. Beyond climate action, cities must also adopt integrated planning to consider sustainability across sectors and ensure healthy, accessible, and socially just living environments for all citizens.