More than 750 people have arrived in Edmonton for the Cities and Climate Change Science conference, which brings politicians and researchers together to discuss environmental sustainability.

The inaugural conference starts Monday and will feature discussions on how climate change affects cities and how cities can help protect the environment.

One of the goals of the conference is to "develop a blueprint for new scientific research," which will help shape climate change plans globally, according to the event's website.

"This is not only a historic week for Edmonton, but for the world," said Pittsburgh mayor Bill Peduto.

Peduto and other mayors from across the world came together ahead of the conference for the Global Mayors Summit over the weekend. The private event kicked off the climate change conversation, with the mayors hearing from experts and learning about new research.

Edmonton mayor Don Iveson said it was a productive weekend that allowed leaders to discuss the roles different levels of government play in addressing climate change.

"The overarching challenge is the complexity of it," Iveson said. "But that's the point of having hundreds of thousands of local governments working together with thousands of esteemed scientists to understand what the gaps in the knowledge are."

William Solecki, the founding director of the City University of New York Institute For Sustainable Cities, said one of those gaps has to do with the accessibility of research. He said climate change research needs to be easily understood by government officials.

"The science is emerging," Solecki said. "It's growing in volume, complexity, nuance and there's a challenge to translate that into practical statements."

The Cities and Climate Change Science conference runs from Monday to Wednesday at the Shaw Conference Centre and is open to the public.