This month began with all eyes on Glasgow, as delegates from nearly 200 countries assembled in the city for the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26). The international summit included discussions of the coal phase-out, the mobility transition, and climate-resilient investment – issues that have been central to IKEM’s research for over a decade.

Eight IKEMers were on the ground in Glasgow to host official side events, discuss the institute’s latest findings on sustainable cities, and participate in panel discussions. They even collaborated with project partners and schoolchildren to plant an urban forest!

The past month also saw new developments closer to home. Last week, IKEM, Therme Group, and the University of Greifswald were pleased to announce the creation of the One Health Research Centre (OHRC), an institute for interdisciplinary research on a range of environmental issues. IKEM’s research at OHRC will focus on the design of inclusive, climate-resilient cities that support sustainable development goals. We’re looking forward to this exciting new opportunity.

Read on for more details on the events of this past month. And, as always, follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook for the latest updates on our work to fight climate change.

We hope you enjoy this November edition!

The IKEM Communications Team

Fighting climate change requires a coordinated, all-hands-on-deck approach. This calls on all stakeholders to recognise shared interests, pursue shared goals and manage shared risks. The goal of COP26 was to chart this kind of collective path forward.

At COP, IKEM joined delegates from nearly 200 other countries to create a common vision for the systemic change that would protect the future of the climate. IKEM’s representatives at the event included Director Michael Rodi, Managing Director Simon Schäfer-Stradowsky, Advisory Board member Olaf Däuper, Energy Law Team Lead Judith Schäfer, Mobility Team Lead Benjamin Grosse, Senior Research Associates Michael Kalis and Roman Weidinger, and Advisory Consultant Kate McKenzie.

Over the course of several days, IKEM representatives participated in panel discussions as experts on sustainable urban transformation. Because cities account for roughly 70% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, the success of climate change mitigation...