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Research Impact at Durham
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Inspiring cities to respond to climate change

7 January 2022
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We’re playing a pioneering role in helping cities respond to the challenges of climate change. Professor Harriet Bulkeley, in our Department of Geography, looks at the role nature plays in urban sustainability and how cities are experimenting with nature to address climate change. This includes innovative ways of introducing more plants and trees into towns and cities to capture carbon dioxide and improve well-being.

Climate change policies

Her work has directly influenced the governance of climate change on a global scale.

Professor Bulkeley’s research has also impacted upon the UN-Habitat’s global guidelines in climate change and other key international organisations in influencing urban climate change policies.

Thanks to her work, the way cities can respond to climate change is now an integral part of the international climate policy agenda.

Her research has identified multiple ways in which cities can govern climate change including designing effective policies and guidelines.

Global climate challenges

Professor Bulkeley’s work states that urban climate governance is a multilevel and complex process that has significant potential for achieving the changes necessary to address global climate challenges.

She has co-authored the UN-Habitat’s Guiding Principles for City Climate Action Planning.

Her research has also been used by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, International Energy Agency, the World Bank and other international organisations in urban climate change governance.

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