21st IAPS conference, 27 June – 2 July 2010, Leipzig, Germany, Helmholtz Centre for environmental research, UFZ, “Vulnerability, Risk and Complexity: Impacts of Global Change on Human Habitats” http://www.iaps2010.ufz.de/21st IAPS conference

The conference will address the study of the interrelations between the social, the built and the natural environment and the impacts on them by what is called ‘global change’. This includes climate impacts, environmental risks, but also new demographic challenges and uneven economic developments. Human habitats are facing social, economic, man-made, natural and climate-induced risks, and they are vulnerable to a variety of crises and stresses. These new and complex challenges encourage looking for new scientific approaches directing on comprehensive and integrative problem solutions that can help to strengthen local and social resilience. Hence, sophisticated theories, innovative methods and appropriate empirical foundations are needed.