One year of Urban Climate Future Lab UCFL Days, including a public lecture on urbanisation in Africa
New approaches to climate-friendly urban development: One year after its launch, the Urban Climate Future Lab (UCFL) welcomes its international scientific advisory board to the UCFL Days on 16 and 17 October 2025 at Technical University of Braunschweig. Together, they will discuss the work and research results of the first project year, as well as further developing the strategic roadmap for the coming years. On the evening of 16 October, the UCFL will host a public keynote lecture. Professor Philippa Tumubweinee from the African Centre for Cities in Cape Town will speak on “An unstoppable force: African Urbanisation”.
Professor Philippa Tumubweinee of the African Centre for Cities at the University of Cape Town. Photo credit: @Tumubweinee
The Urban Climate Future Lab (UCFL) researches the complex interplay between climate change, climate change adaptation and urbanisation. The lab brings together a multidisciplinary team of scientists from Technical University of Braunschweig, Leibniz University Hannover, Leuphana University Lüneburg, the ARL – Academy for Spatial Research and Planning in the Leibniz Association, and the Climate Service Centre Germany (GERICS). Professor Vanessa Miriam Carlow, Director of the Institute for Sustainable Urbanism at Technical University of Braunschweig, is the spokesperson for the UCFL and the research focus “City of the Future”. The co-spokespersons are Professor Astrid Kause (Leuphana University) and Professor Martin Prominski (Leibniz University Hannover).
In the climate laboratory’s sub-projects, scientists investigate how urban traffic can be organised to take climate protection into account, the role of green spaces in the microclimate and how factories can be better integrated into cities. Using simulations and modelling, they analyse the impact of climate change on Niedersachsen and necessary adaptation strategies. To conduct research in both theory and practice, the Urban Climate Future Lab is forming strategic partnerships with cities, municipalities, industry, and civil society.
Advisory board of nationally and internationally renowned experts
The “UCFL Days 2025” bring together the members of the Urban Climate Future Lab, the advisory board of nationally and internationally renowned experts from Singapore, Shanghai, Graz, Freiburg, Berlin, Barcelona and Cape Town, as well as network partners. At the SpACE Lab of the ISU of Technical University of Braunschweig, the research group will present its latest research results to the international advisory board. The project also seeks to contribute to the global debate on how urban transformations can be shaped worldwide, and to gain recognition for its methods and approaches beyond regional boundaries.
As a highlight, the UCFL is hosting a public lecture by Professor Philippa Tumubweinee of the African Centre for Cities at the University of Cape Town on the evening of 16 October. Under the title “An unstoppable force: African Urbanisation”, she will talk about the global connections between urban development, social justice and climate change. This will be followed by a discussion with members of the UCFL, the international advisory board and guests. The event will take place from 17:00 to 19:00 in the student union building at TU Braunschweig.
The Urban Climate Future Lab is funded by the zukunft.niedersachsen programme of the Niedersachsen Ministry of Science and Culture and the Volkswagen Foundation. Over the next five years, the lab will continue to develop transformation paths for a climate-resilient and sustainable future, focusing on Niedersachsen.