2 December 2014: An event organized by the École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Paris (MINES ParisTech) on the margins of the Lima Climate Change Conference focused on the design of climate-friendly strategies for cities to address climate change vulnerability and promote sustainability. ‘The Need and Challenge of Ambitious Climate-Energy Strategies at the Urban Scale’ presented concrete initiatives being undertaken by academia, local authorities and industry.

On the technological tools to visualize a climate-impacted future, Nadia Maïzi, MINES ParisTech, emphasized the importance of scenarios that do not solely rely on prediction but also identify solutions. She stressed the need to develop environmental goals through involving different sectors of society, including industry, local governance systems and research.

Edi Assoumou, MINES ParisTech, presented alternative 2050 urban energy strategies, using the city of Bologna, Italy, as a case study. He called for: an emphasis on transport network analyses; integration of local renewables; and detailed building models. On potential 2050-pathways, he proposed simulating long-term strategies, including through: energy consumption mapping; driving useful energy needs to address future energy service levels; and anticipating technological changes and altered external choices.

Vincent Mazauric, Schneider Electric, described the role of energy management in empowering “wiser” cities. He said global energy consumption will double in the next 40 years and electricity consumption will double in the next 20 years. In economies driven by urbanization, however, he said doubling will occur in just a decade. To address these challenges, he urged: constructing flexible buildings that can adapt to an uncertain future; introducing holistic district views; and moving towards an energy-positive district through rebalancing its energy mix.

During the discussion, participants posed questions on ways to include behavioral change in modeling initiatives and energy consumption trade-offs between different sectors.

MINES ParisTech is a French engineering school with research centers focused on: energy and processes; mathematics and systems; earth science and environment; economics, management and society; and mechanical and materials engineering. [IISD RS ENBOTS Coverage] [IISD RS Coverage of Lima Climate Change Conference] [MINES ParisTech Event Announcement]