The impacts of climate change on urban areas are complex and far-reaching. At the same time, this change continues to intensify, further increasing its effects. Historically, there has been a correlation between urbanization, industrialization, mobility, population growth, globalization, and rising carbon emissions. While urbanization brings numerous positive effects for societies and individuals, such as improved standards of living, it also results in negative consequences, such as an uneven concentration of resource consumption in urban areas. As a result, urban areas are now compelled not only to mitigate their climate impact but also to actively adapt to the consequences of climate change.
The Urban Climate Future Lab (UCFL) is a multidisciplinary research initiative investigating the connections between urban development, climate change, and climate action in Lower Saxony. The UCFL is closely integrated into the urban ecosystem, collaborating with academia, industry, civil society, planning authorities, and non-governmental organizations. Together, we explore interactions within the urban-climate dynamics using inter- and transdisciplinary approaches. Our work integrates insights from urban and landscape planning, engineering, natural and social sciences, as well as governance and climate research.