Climate-Resilient Cities
Cities are the primary spaces where the impacts of climate change are most intensely experienced, while also serving as social arenas in which capacities for adaptation, transformation, and resilience can be concretely produced. Risks such as floods, droughts, wildfires, heatwaves, and infrastructure vulnerabilities affect social groups in urban settings in unequal ways, thereby deepening spatial injustices and social vulnerabilities.

The Conferences of the Parties (COP), organized under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), constitute the highest-level international platforms where global targets for combating climate change are set, national commitments are negotiated, and policy orientations are shaped. The COP processes clearly demonstrate that the climate crisis is not merely an environmental issue; rather, it is a multidimensional phenomenon directly linked to cities, inequalities, governance structures, and social vulnerabilities.

The fact that COP31 will be held in Antalya in 2026 necessitates addressing climate change discussions at the global scale as well as within local and urban contexts. In this regard, the 11th Urban Studies Congress is designed as an academic knowledge production platform that brings together academic knowledge production, policy debates, and urban experiences prior to COP31.

The congress aims to address the theme of climate-resilient cities along the axes of disaster risks, social inequalities, spatial justice, and local governance. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, it seeks to create space for both theoretical discussions and practice-oriented experiences.

In the processes of climate change mitigation and adaptation, the industrial sector assumes a critical role both as a generator of risks and as one of the principal agents driving transformation. In this context, the spatial, economic, and governance relations between cities and industry require reconsideration, making it necessary to address low-carbon production, circular economy practices, and green transition processes in an integrated manner within urban policies.

At the same time, local governments occupy a central position in the formulation and implementation of climate policies, as well as raising public awareness. Climate action plans developed at the urban scale, multi-level governance mechanisms, and collaborations among local actors play a decisive role in the construction of resilient and sustainable cities. In this regard, the effectiveness of climate policies will be discussed with reference to the institutional capacities of local governments, participatory governance processes, data-driven decision-making mechanisms, and the dynamics of central–local relations.

Purpose of the Congress

The primary objective of the 11th Urban Studies Congress is to analyze the multi-layered impacts of climate change on urban spaces and to discuss academic, administrative, and societal strategies aimed at enhancing cities’ capacities for adaptation and resilience. The Congress aims to provide scientifically grounded contributions to climate change discussions and to establish a strong academic foundation with a focus on cities.
Invited Speakers and Participation

The congress will be organized as a hybrid event, bringing together both in-person and online participation. It will feature distinguished invited speakers from Türkiye and abroad who specialize in the fields of climate change, urban studies, urban planning, environmental policy, and disaster sociology.

In addition, a high-quality academic program will be established through peer-reviewed paper presentations organized around the defined main and sub-themes, with opportunities for both on-site and virtual participation.

Conference Themes
MAIN THEMES

Climate Change, Urban Vulnerability and Social Inequalities
Disaster risks, inequalities, and spatial justice
Social impacts of climate change
Urban poverty and the distribution of environmental risks
Resilient Cities and Urban Policies
Resilient city approaches and their critiques
Disaster management, urban planning and water governance
Adaptation policies and urban strategies
Governance, Participation and Local Governments
Multi-level governance and climate policies
Local governments and climate adaptation strategies
Participatory planning and the role of local actors
Interaction between academia, policy, and local governments
Urban–Industry Relations, Energy and Mobility
Industrialization and urban environmental impacts
Energy transition, mobility systems, and sustainable infrastructure
Industrial zones, urban economies, and climate risks
Industry, Green Transition and Circular Economy
Green transition policies and industrial transformation
Low-carbon production and energy transition
Circular economy and sustainable industrial systems
Nature, Urban Ecosystems and Climate Justice
Nature-based solutions and urban ecosystems
Biodiversity, green infrastructure, and ecological resilience
Climate justice and inclusive urban futures
SUB-THEMES

· Climate crisis and disaster risk

· Urban inequalities and vulnerable groups

· Spatial justice and the right to the city

· Resilience and sustainability policies

· Urban–industry relations

· Green transition and industrial policies

· Low-carbon economy and energy transition

· Circular economy and sustainable production

· Food systems and urban sustainability

· Climate finance and technological transformation

Expected Contribution

The 11th Urban Studies Congress aims to make academic knowledge production in the field of cities and climate change visible in the period preceding COP31, to establish an interdisciplinary platform for discussion, and to share Türkiye’s intellectual accumulation in this field at both national and international levels. It is expected that the outputs of the congress will contribute to academic publications and policy debates.