In urban planning education, the impacts of climate change on city structures and infrastructure are increasingly considered. However, the new generation of planners who have received this education are not yet in significant roles in the workforce. It is crucial to provide experienced urban planners, who completed their education decades ago, with knowledge and skills to incorporate climate change adaptation into their work, as the need is immediate. With climate change, rainfall levels are increasing, and heavy rains are becoming more frequent. Urban drainage systems are not dimensioned for the rising stormwater volumes, leading to floods and infrastructure damage. Adequate proactive learning on stormwater management is essential. Additionally, increasing heavy rainfall impacts buildings, which are also subjected to more extreme weather conditions. Snow loads may increase or turn into slush, affecting building durability. Furthermore, structures must withstand extreme weather events such as strong winds, heatwaves, and heavy rains. In Finland, energy efficiency in buildings must now be examined not only from a heating perspective but also in terms of cooling. At the urban level, rising temperatures necessitate cooling solutions, as the urban heat island effect intensifies with warming summers, particularly in cities. Nature-based solutions such as trees, green roofs, and stormwater management systems can help cool urban areas and manage excess water. However, urban greenery planning has not yet been sufficiently integrated into climate adaptation strategies. Many urban planners, architects, and traffic planners have not yet fully understood how to incorporate climate change impacts into their designs. There has been insufficient targeted continuing education on climate adaptation for professionals in the field. This project provides working professionals with training and tools to update their knowledge and design cities that are resilient to future climate challenges. The project enhances urban planners' ability to account for climate change effects, such as extreme weather events, increased stormwater volumes, temperature fluctuations, and the role of green spaces in urban ecosystems. The goal is to raise awareness of new climate-related challenges in the urban environment. The project offers concrete tools and solutions applicable to zoning, building design, and traffic planning. Another objective is to promote cross-sectoral collaboration, ensuring a broad-based approach to climate adaptation. Additionally, the project will produce practical guidelines and recommendations for urban planners on adapting cities to climate change. New construction and development projects are continuously being implemented without sufficient understanding of the changing climate conditions of the near future. Both planners and decision-makers require knowledge to enable rapid responses to climate change impacts. The project also emphasizes cross-sectoral collaboration, increasing understanding of how systems and urban structures react to changes. As a result of the project, urban planners' expertise in climate adaptation will improve. Urban planning will adopt more sustainable and climate-smart solutions, and cities will become more resilient to the effects of climate change. Key performance indicators include the number of participants and organizations involved in the project's events, as well as feedback surveys from participants. Additionally, the number of new urban planning guidelines or strategies developed as a result of the project, along with the number of pilot projects in participating cities, can be monitored.
