UNSW researcher chosen as a lead for international climate change report

Arts, Design & Architecture academic Negin Nazarian has been selected as a lead author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Climate Change and Cities.

Associate Professor Nazarian, who is one of only four lead authors from Australian universities, is among 97 specialists who will contribute to the vital publication by the IPCC – the United Nations body for assessing science related to climate change. The report, which is scheduled for release in March 2027, will integrate the latest scientific evidence with practical solutions to address the urgent challenges posed by urban climate change.

The Special Report on Climate Change and Cities is the first IPCC report to focus specifically on cities. The lead authors are meeting in Osaka, Japan, this week (March 10-14).

“The impact of climate change on cities has been long overlooked or sidelined in climate models,” says A/Prof. Nazarian. “Given that most of the world’s population live in urban areas, it is imperative that we understand cities' impact on regional weather processes and climate change, as well as their role in mitigation and adaptation.

“The report will be solution- and action-oriented so that it can equip policymakers, urban planners, and communities with the most concise and relevant information needed to address climate challenges in locally meaningful ways. The report will also inform and direct future research by identifying gaps in knowledge and particular vulnerabilities.

“I am deeply proud to represent UNSW and Australia’s research and expertise in urban climate on this global scale and look forward to contributing to a report that aims to shape meaningful and actionable strategies for cities worldwide,” says A/Prof. Nazarian.

An award-winning urban climatologist, A/Prof. Nazarian evaluates the ways the built environment interacts with the weather and climate, and, in turn, how urban dwellers are affected by this interaction. She is a Scientia Associate Professor at UNSW’s School of Built Environment, Chief Investigator at the ARC Centre of Excellence for 21^st Century Weather and a Fellow at the City Futures Research Centre.

A/Prof. Nazarian also leads the Climate-Resilient Cities (CRC) research lab – a multidisciplinary group focused on pressing challenges of urban heat and air quality issues. Its expertise spans mechanical engineering, climate science, architecture and advanced data analytics.

Internationally, A/Prof. Nazarian is a scientific advisor to the World Weather Research Programme and Chair of the Board on Urban Environment at the American Meteorological Society.