MAPS at the World Planning Schools Congress 2026

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Today, 2nd of July 2026, MAPS Iuav research team presented the paper “Refugee Camps as Evolving Urban Settlements: A Multiscalar Approach to Climate Risks, Accommodation and Urbanization” at the 2026 World Planning Schools Congress (WPSC), one of the world’s leading international conferences in urban and regional planning, bringing together around 1,500 participants and featuring over 1,200 accepted abstracts.

The paper was presented by Gianfranco Pozzer during the session “Informality and Resilience”, while Giovanna Marconi contributed to the discussion.

The paper presents preliminary findings from the EU-funded MAPS project, exploring how long-term refugee and internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in Ethiopia are progressively evolving into urban settlements. Using a multiscalar risk assessment framework, the research analyses the relationships between climate risks, spatial vulnerability, accommodation conditions and urbanisation processes, arguing that protracted displacement requires planning approaches that move beyond the notion of camps as temporary spaces and instead recognise them as evolving urban settlements requiring long-term planning, housing and climate adaptation strategies.

The presentation offered an opportunity to discuss how urban planning can contribute to addressing the intertwined challenges of forced displacement, climate change and rapid urbanisation in Sub-Saharan Africa, while strengthening international dialogue on more durable and inclusive settlement solutions.

HERE BELOW:

1. the accepted abstract 

2. the PRESENTATION

* The MAPS Project—coordinated by the UNESCO Chair in Migrations, Population, and Development at Sapienza University of Rome— promotes evidence-based policy solutions on migration and displacement and involves a multidisciplinary consortium from Europe and Africa. Partner institutions include six Italian universities hosting UNESCO Chairs (Sapienza, Udine, University Iuav of Venice, Brescia, Ferrara, and Reggio Calabria), the University of Barcelona (Spain), the University of Dodoma (Tanzania), the University of Kabale (Uganda), and AMREF International University (Kenya). Advisory institutions contributing to the MAPS initiative include the IOM Regional Data Hub for West and Central Africa, the Catholic University of Rwanda, and the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa).