Dr Cathy Oke named a lead author for landmark IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Cities

Dr Cathy Oke from Australia has been selected as a Lead Author for the upcoming Special Report on Climate Change and Cities (SR-Cities), set for release in March 2027 

Dr Oke is the Senior Advisor to the Innovate4Cities program of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy.  She is a former Councillor with the City of Melbourne and in the past has held a variety of ICLEI roles including ICLEI First Vice President, ICLEI Global Executive Committee- biodiversity portfolio lead and research portfolio lead, ICLEI Oceania Regional Executive Committee Chair and ICLEI Oceania Board of Directors Chair.  She is currently the Director of the Melbourne Centre for Cities in the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning at the University of Melbourne.  

Dr Cathy Oke at the recent first Lead Author meeting in Japan.

Cathy joins an esteemed group of ninety-seven scientists and urban practitioners from five continents selected by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as Authors, Coordinating Lead Authors, and Review Editors of the report, alongside four other Australian and two New Zealanders representing the Oceania region.

These experts will volunteer their time and expertise to produce a report that addresses the dynamic challenges cities face due to climate change and explores solutions for sustainable urban development. This marks a crucial milestone in advancing urban climate science and policy relevance.

Dr Oke said “I’m honoured to have been selected alongside so many esteemed colleagues to deliver this vital report, including five with direct city practice or decision-making experience.  Assessing cities in the global context of climate change is about presenting challenges and opportunities for mitigation and adaptation for our collective future”.

Dr Oke with Mr Togo Uchida, ICLEI Japan Regional Executive Director workshop in Japan after the Lead Author meeting.

The SR-Cities’ insights will inform global policies and actions related to climate challenges in cities, ultimately impacting all scales of action. In addition, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has invited the IPCC to contribute to the Global Stocktake 2.0, which is scheduled to be concluded in 2028. In light of this, it is expected that IPCC’s insights, particularly from the SR-Cities as the first product to be prepared under the seventh cycle, will play a crucial role in shaping policies and actions related to climate challenges in urban contexts.

ICLEI Secretary General Gino Van Begin stated, “ICLEI has a rich history of engaging with the IPCC and supporting its cycles, particularly regarding cities and city-level climate action. We are committed to scaling up this engagement in AR7 and supporting the IPCC by ensuring the urban practitioner community is well-equipped to collaborate with the scientific community to prepare this report.”