The Transformative Power of Cities

Together with the issue of climate change, the transformation of cities towards sustainability should be at the top of the agendas at the United Nations, the G7, the G20, the development banks, in bilateral cooperation as well as in national, regional and local politics. If this does not happen, it will be impossible to meet the global sustainability goals. Starting from a global perspective on urbanization the conference of the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU) will discuss with international experts urban issues from a multi-sector (systemic) and transdisciplinary approach. A specific focus will be given to two controversial issues in urban development:

• Do Real Estate Markets Lead to Unjust Cities?
• Digital Cities – Potential or Risk for Sustainable Development?

Speakers include amongst others:

• Saskia Sassen, Columbia University
• Carlo Ratti, CEO Carlo Ratti Associati, SENSEable City Lab, MIT
• Shevani Chaudhry, Director of the Housing and Land Rights Network, South Asia
• Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, WBGU, Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
• Dirk Messner, WBGU, Director of the German Development Institute

Please direct your queries to
Gesa Schöneberg or
Benno Pilardeaux