How Your Research Can Shape the Future of Climate Decision-Making.

Nicolla Nkomo
10 hours ago
2 min read

As the world is entangled in #COP30, one truth is becoming clearer: the next wave of climate decisions will depend not just on politics — but on evidence.

Every national/international plan, adaptation strategy, or urban design framework that gets endorsed at global platforms like COP stems from data and research which is often work that started quietly in universities, city projects, or small research collectives.

And that’s where you come in.

Research is the Foundation of Climate Action

For our inaugural issue at JTCA until March 2026, we are advancing action on #UrbanHeatVoices. And so we believe that from understanding urban heat islands to quantifying the impact of green infrastructure, researchers are shaping how cities adapt and how funding flows. The difference between a policy that works, and one that doesn’t, is often a matter of whether local data existed to guide it.

When decision-makers at summits like COP30 debate timelines, targets, and transitions, they rely on evidence drawn from published work, pilot projects, and citizen science. Every well-documented observation, every field study, every model you share publicly , becomes part of a much larger climate narrative.

But There’s a Gap

Too often, research stops at publication. It sits in journals or reports, while policymakers struggle to interpret or access it.

Bridging that gap means not just producing knowledge, but translating it:

into briefs policymakers can understand,
into visuals that planners can use,
into open-access data that others can build upon.

That’s how research becomes impact.

Why This Matters Now

In the lead-up to conferences like COP30, global priorities shift towards locally informed adaptation, where climate action reflects lived realities. That means more demand for region-specific insights:

How are African cities cooling themselves?
What indigenous approaches to reforestation are working?
What role can urban design play in reducing heat exposure?

The world doesn’t just need more research, it needs contextual, inclusive, and accessible research.

A Call to Researchers and Practitioners

If your work captures something unique — data, perception, or practice — don’t wait for COP to take notice. Share it, publish it, summarize it. Turn it into a policy brief, a short article, a map, or a dataset.

When your findings are accessible, they move from your desk to decision tables.

The Future Is Built on Shared Knowledge

Whether you’re studying urban heat, sustainable forestry, or social resilience; your research can inform tomorrow’s climate decisions. The next adaptation plan, the next funding model, the next global commitment might depend on evidence you already have.

Because the truth is:

Every paper written is a potential policy waiting to happen.

✍️ At JTCA, we believe that publishing is not the end of research — it’s the beginning of its impact.

Submit your work to the Journal of Trees for Climate Adaptation’s upcoming issue on Urban Heat Islands and Green Infrastructure. Be part of a collective effort turning research into action, and data into decisions that shape the climate future we all share.

Visit jtcapublications.org to learn more about the call for papers and submission timelines.