All rights reservedGedikli, BaharBalaban, Osman2024-10-032024-10-032016978-85-7785-551-1https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14235/2033Proceedings of the IV World Planning Schools Congress, July 3-8th, 2016 : Global crisis, planning and challenges to spatial justice in the north and in the southClimate change mitigation and adaptation is a multi-level challenge, i.e. it requires simultaneous action at international, national and local levels. Since climate change is a global problem, political responses have been primarily developed at international platforms where nation-states participated. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and Kyoto Protocol are significant attempts in this regard. Meanwhile, the “local” has been also widely recognized as an appropriate level to tackle the climate change problem. Accommodating roughly half of world’s population, more than 70% of greenhouse gas emissions are generated in cities. Ironically, cities are also the places which are vulnerable to climate change effects (Rosenzweig et al. 2010, Hunt and Watkiss 2011). The most severe potential effects of climate change on cities are heat waves, periods of extreme winter cold, increased frequency of air and water pollution episodes, rising sea levels and increased risk of storm surge, changes in the frequency and severity of flooding associated with more intense precipitation (Wilby 2007). The growing concerns for climate change have led to urban responses by municipalities across the world particularly since the 1990s. Municipalities with their authorities over land-use planning, water and waste management, energy consumption and transportation can play significant roles in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, they can go beyond their already defined responsibilities, and develop bottom-up initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (Betsill and Bulkeley 2005). It should be noted that the growing interest and involvement of municipalities in climate change mitigation and adaptation has also led to establishment of climate-related international and regional partnerships and networks for the last two decades.EnglishopenAccessconferenceObject1127-1129