Arid cities, climate change, sustainability and resilience challenges and needs

This event highlights the particular challenges facing hot and arid cities worldwide and the adequacy of existing knowledge and skills for addressing them. These are currently being assessed by the Doha-based Earthna Centre for a Sustainable Future and the Climate Governance Commission. Key questions include:
• The extent to which hot and dry cities face specific challenges and have different needs from more temperate cities and, if so, what are these?
• How do these challenges impact urban sustainability and resilience?
• Are these challenges and needs shared widely amongst dry cities or are there groups or clusters with challenges that affect different types of cities (e.g., big vs small; region or geographic location; coastal vs non-coastal)?
• How appropriate are existing governance models in different regions to the current situations?
• To what extent do or can traditional / indigenous forms of knowledge (e.g., architectural, urban design, cultural and natural, water conservation) in different regions and countries provide valuable and locally appropriate insights for adaptation to today’s conditions in combination with current technologies
• Are resources and expertise in existing transnational municipal networks and more purpose-specific city networks adequate to assist hot and arid cities, or would an Arid Cities Network fill a current gap?
• If yes,
• what are the most pressing challenges and needs for which an ACN could support members?
• What are levels of interest and potential engagement with an ACN?
• How did Earthna identify the issues being explored in their testbeds?
• How could Earthna facilitate collaboration and knowledge sharing among
network members?

Key issues already identified by Earthna and being explored in Doha linked to the existing Earthna/QF test-bed strategy, include:
o sustainable and renewable energy (i.e. solar)
o air quality
o water scarcity and management
o walkability and placemaking - Compact neighborhood design in hot and dry climates (15 minutes vs 6-8 minutes?)
o food security and potentials for urban agriculture
o circular economy and waste management
o the built environment and traditional /indigenous knowledge as a cross-cutting lens and area of interest in relation to sustainability.

A short video might be shown and panel members will highlight the current level of knowledge, distinguishing particular subsets of issues that apply globally and that vary across individual cities regionally, from the perspectives of research, climate governance, advocacy and city management. Consistent with the Networking Event format, a considerable chunk of time will be devoted to discussion with the audience and then informal networking.