The Global Classroom Series explores the critical trends, challenges, and solutions to some of our world's most pressing problems.

Resiliency is about cities adapting to the change that is occurring in our climate and preparing against future catastrophic events.

• How do we prepare for more flooding and increasing drought and wildfires?
• How do we prepare for sea level rise and spreading infectious disease?
• Will we see climate refugees and food shortages?

Cities and countries are investing resources to advance sustainability, but the insufficient amount is being implemented to make them more resilient. Many designers are now imploring us to develop cities that can cope with climate changes and challenges of the uncertain future.

In this 12-week program, we will be delivering strategies to handle global and local concerns regarding the escalation in carbon emissions. We will be assessing the risks within each of the sub-systems, and innovations being developed to combat these challenges. Attendees should bring an interest in global issues, environmental sciences, sustainable development and problem-solving.

Challenges being addressed from two books:

• "Resilient Sustainable Cities: A Future" by Peter Newman, Timothy Beatley and Heather Boyer
• "Sustainable and Resilient Communities: A Comprehensive Action Plan for Towns, Cities, and Regions" by Stephen Coyle

• Visit the August 2014 GENI-us Newsletter on Resilient Cities

Topics in Each Week:

• Resilience vs. Sustainability
• Systems Stressors within the region and from the outside
• Interconnected sub-systems: (Economic, Social, Environmental, and the built environment)
• Innovation as a solution: food and water security, transportation and transit, energy and efficiency, network technology, social inclusion, waste streams, buildings, and urban design and technology
• Policies to prepare and Leadership that fosters change