Themes

Yale boasts the expertise across disciplines necessary to develop holistic urban solutions that address climate change, the built environment, biodiversity, economics, health, and governance and community—all with a lens on equity. Yale Urban showcases the University’s wide-ranging expertise in these six critical themes. Spanning science, policy, law, architecture, business, and almost every other realm of human knowledge, our faculty and students are developing insights and actions that shape life in cities around the world.

Select a topic below to learn more about cutting-edge work at Yale and beyond.

 
Climate Change
Cities are key contributors to global CO2 emissions and at the same time, climate change will impact cities all around the world, be it flooding, the spread of diseases, or urban heat. Yale Urban brings deep expertise to analysis of the urban drivers of climate change, and how climate change will affect urban infrastructure, livelihoods, living conditions, and migration.
Built Environment
The urban built environment shapes the planet’s landscape and human livelihoods. The form, connectivity, and resource demands of cities and urban areas will determine key impacts of activity and growth. Development strategies that harmonize the built environment with local ecology can help ensure a sustainable, accessible future.
Biodiversity
Our urban lives depend on the integrity of ecosystems and organisms in all corners of the globe. Yale Urban brings together biologists, industrial ecologists, and urbanists to envision places that support natural systems, respect planetary limits, and promote biological integrity, both within and outside of cities. Yale faculty deepen our understanding of the nature of global change, and how urbanization will change global nature.
Economics
Urban areas are central to productivity, innovation, and access to wealth and well-being. Drawing on Yale’s deep strengths in economics, policy, and management, Yale Urban advances research and analysis that supports inclusive prosperity.
Health
Cities and urbanization have transformed the trajectory of human lives—and will continue to do so. Research at Yale uncovers the disparate impacts of urbanization and climate change on community health, and informs strategies that empower individuals and promote equity. From medicine and public health to ecology and environmental justice, our collaborations support human flourishing, resilient communities, and planetary health.
Governance & Community
The vital challenge of urbanization asks how to give people everywhere a voice in a transforming world. Meeting unprecedented problems will require equitable, accountable governance structures. Yale Urban brings together unmatched expertise in law, public policy, environmental justice, and community planning to envision a world where all individuals and communities can help lead the way towards a sustainable future—from place to planet.