Parallel Session: Climate, Energy and Urbanization

This session will address the pressing challenge of climate change and its impact on cities through the lens of Earth observations. It will emphasize the importance of localized adaptation, mitigation, and resilience to ensure urban areas can thrive in unprecedented climatic conditions. The session aims to understand the key needs and data gaps from cities and their communities, considering different regional backgrounds and capacities. It will explore how Earth observation data, tools, and services can support identifying and scaling up locally-led actions, innovations, and solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation. Practical examples and successful cases where GEO and its partners are developing EO-based tools will be showcased, demonstrating their value in addressing urban climate challenges and maintaining reliable energy services. Additionally, the session will collectively explore how EO can support aligning climate-city relevant agendas within GEO’s post-2025 work programme, including the localization of the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda. The session will also introduce GEO’s Resilient Cities & Human Settlements Working Group as a platform for future collaboration.

Agenda

• Keynote - Introduction to the theme of Climate, Urbanisation and Energy and relevance of EO
• Presenting User-needs (flash-talks from city-representatives)
• Inspiration talks from EO community – What data, tools approaches do we have to guide city-decision making in relation to climate change
• Interactive Discussion: What are the gaps, areas of critical concern, urgent issues that we can collectively contribute to, through collaboration on GEO’s post-2025 work programme