In accordance with the IAPS mission http://www.iaps-association.org, 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. Research should ideally integrate the social, natural and engineering or planning sciences and should work in a transdisciplinary manner. This includes the close collaboration with representatives of the civil society, such as Local Agenda 21 initiatives, the economy, the private sector, NGOs and political decision makers. The conference will be interested primarily in urban areas and regions which have to cope with processes of simultaneous shrinkage and growth.