Doan Quang Van, an expert from the Center for Computational Sciences, has been appointed as a lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Climate Change and Cities.
Associate Professor Doan is one of just four lead authors from Japan and among 100 global experts from 50 countries. He was selected from more than 1,200 nominations submitted by governments and international organizations to contribute to this significant publication by IPCC—the United Nations body responsible for assessing climate change science. Scheduled for release in 2027, the report will synthesize recent scientific research and propose practical solutions to tackle the challenges of climate change in urban environments.
For the first time, the IPCC is dedicating an entire report to cities, recognizing their central role in both contributing to and mitigating climate change. To kickstart the work, lead authors gathered in Osaka, Japan, last week (March 10-14) to define the report’s key priorities.
“Urban areas are responsible for 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions while producing 80% of global GDP,” says A/Prof. Doan. “This report is designed to help cities become climate-resilient by providing decision-makers with clear, science-backed strategies.”
He adds: “By linking climate science with policy, we can give global and local leaders the knowledge they need to act on climate risks effectively. At the same time, this report will help identify critical knowledge gaps that will shape future research.”
A/Prof. Doan is a recognized researcher in atmospheric science and urban climate modeling. He specializes in computational methods for high-resolution climate simulations and urban extreme weather and climate. As an Associate Professor at the University of Tsukuba’s Center for Computational Sciences, he has been pioneering the integration of physics-based modeling with AI techniques to improve climate research.
Internationally, A/Prof. Doan collaborates with major urban climate research institutions. He serves as a board member of the Board on Urban Environment at the American Meteorological Society from 2020 and leads several research initiatives on urban climate prediction and AI/ML applications under the World Meteorological Organization. His work on the IPCC Special Report highlights the critical role of computational science in advancing knowledge of urban climate change and developing solutions for climate-resilient cities worldwide.
