Based on a major international forum held in Rome in 2008, this volume brings together leading climate change experts from an array of fields to engage holistically with the climate change discourse as it shifts from mitigation to adaptation, with particular attention to the urban environment. It is a pioneering effort to broaden the discursive field, and is likely to remain a landmark study on the subject for a generation.

Contents: Introduction, Jeffrey D. Sachs; Part 1 Intersections: The design equation, Richard Plunz; The question of environmental justice, Julie Sze; Five health concerns, Bettina Menne. Part 2 Beyond Mitigation: Cities and governance, Harriett Bulkeley; Taking action, Cynthia Rosenzweig; The adaptation imperative, Richenda Connell. Part 3 The Urban Psyche: Urban competitiveness, Matteo Caroli; What if ... New York, David Burney; Toponymical Rome, Lorenzo Bellicini. Part 4 Communication Challenges: Communicating the safe city, Antonio Cianciullo; Real people, urban places, Matthew C. Nisbet; Governance and consensus building, Marianella Sclavi. Part 5 Post-Warming: The Mad Max phase, Lieven De Cauter; The sociology of disaster, Bruna De Marchi; The Antarctica project, Jorge Orta. Part 6 The Resistance Factor: A vicious circle, Cinzia Abbate; Uncertainties, Alessandro Lanza; Out of alternative explanations, Antonio Navarra; Bibliography; Index.