Climate change impact on urban design

Global warming was first discussed in the 1930s, and is attributed to human activity by most researchers. In brief, climate change is caused by the emission of pollutants known as greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

The magnitude of the climate change depends on the identity and quantity of the gases that are emitted. One outcome of the so called Paris Agreement, adopted under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 2015, is the need to limit the increase in the global temperature.

One factor determining emissions is land use and land cover. Therefore, the planning, structure and form of our cities have an impact on gaseous emissions. The form of settlements and the mobility choices they facilitate influence transport emissions and therefore affect climate change.

Climate change will also affect the seasons as well as the micro-climate. Depending on the climate zone, vegetation and precipitation will gradually change. Extreme weather, such as heat waves, thunderstorms, or flooding, will occur more frequently.