Building Urban Resilience in an Era of Polcycrisis: The Holistic Agenda
25. June 11:15 - 12:30
In today’s era of polycrisis, resilience is no longer just about managing climate change — it’s about navigating the complex intersections of multiple, overlapping crises that test the very fabric of our cities. From climate extremes and geopolitical tensions to economic inequality, public health shocks, and social fragmentation, urban resilience demands a holistic, adaptive, and innovative approach that transcends traditional boundaries.
This session dives into what it truly means to build resilient cities—not only as a response to climate change but as living, evolving systems capable of withstanding and thriving amid systemic fragility and unpredictability. With Europe uniquely positioned at the crossroads of climate adaptation, geopolitical upheaval, and social transformation, urban resilience strategies must be recalibrated to meet the challenges of a volatile, interconnected world. Bringing together Chief Resilience Officers from Barcelona, Tbilisi, Ramallah, and London, alongside global thought leaders from UNDRR and frontline innovators from New Orleans, this conversation will unpack real-world experiences and practical insights. We will explore how cities are redefining resilience governance, integrating infrastructure with community-led adaptation, and fostering partnerships that bridge sectors and scales. “We aim to explore how cities can build resilience in the face of multiple interconnected crises—climate change, political instability, economic inequality, pandemics, and more. With Europe at the intersection of climate adaptation, geopolitical shifts, and societal challenges, urban resilience strategies must be recalibrated to address these overlapping and evolving risks. This session will bring together city representatives, chief resilience officers, and development agencies to discuss strategies, share experiences, and define the thinking necessary for thriving in this new and uncertain reality.
Speakers
Head of Strategy, Prevention, and Community Resilience, Greater London Authority
Krisen Guida, Head of Strategy, Prevention, and Community Resilience, Greater London Authority
Kristen is Head of Strategy, Prevention, and Community Resilience, and has been leading on City Resilience at the Greater London Authority since March 2022. Before that, she worked for more than 15 years coordinating climate change adaptation partnerships, as Manager of the London Climate Change Partnership, Director of Climate South East, and Chair of Climate UK. Her major interest is in bringing together people and ideas from across sectors to respond to social and environmental resilience challenges. In particular, she is interested in the social justice issues raised by climate change and other crises, and the need to incorporate equity in resilience policy and planning.
Associate Programme Management Officer, UNDRR
Yigyeong Oh, Associate Programme Management Officer, UNDRR
Yigyeong Oh is the regional focal point for the Making Cities Resilient 2030 Initiative at UNDRR ROECA, based in Brussels, Belgium. Since joining UNDRR in 2023, she has monitored UNDRR’s engagement with UN Country Teams in the region, coordinated collaboration within the Issue-based Coalition on Environment and Climate Change, and supported office communication efforts. She also contributes to the production of reports and knowledge products related to disaster risk reduction and urban resilience.
President, Grant Management Group
Cedric Grant, President, Grant Management Group
Cedric Grant has served as a senior executive at each of the three major levels of government. His expertise is in capital development, finance, economic development, government policy development, water utility and disaster grants management and resilience, urban, transportation and strategic planning.
He is currently President of Grant Management Group, a strategic advisory company. He is an advisor to public and private clients on government operations, business development, water management, resilience and sustainability. During his 40-year career he has delivered billions of dollars of public projects. He led the Hurricane Katrina infrastructure Recovery in the City of New Orleans as well as the Sewerage and Water Board recovery and investment in sustainable and resilience water management strategies.
Grant holds a BA in Political Science from Xavier University of Louisiana and a master's in public administration from the University of New Orleans.
Resilience Focal Point, Barcelona City Council
Eduard Carrasco, Resilience Focal Point, Barcelona City Council
Eduard is a civil engineer with over 15 years in public service, juggling infrastructure projects, urban chaos, and political headaches — all in the name of making Barcelona a bit more resilient (or at least less breakable).
He ran the city’s Operations Center, advised on resilience strategy, and is now elbow-deep in the Climate Master Plan, making sure adaptation and resilience aren't just buzzwords but actually land on the ground.
He also keeps Barcelona connected with the international urban resilience scene, working with partners from UN-Habitat, UNDRR, Resilient Cities Network, and others committed to making cities future-ready.
Believer in cooperation, shared learning, and good beer — especially after a long day of “multilevel governance”.
Chief Resilience Officer, Tbilisi City Hall
Ana Ardelean, Chief Resilience Officer, Tbilisi City Hall
Mrs. Ana Ardelean graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (Georiga) and a Master of Science at DePaule University of Chicago (United States of America).
In the United States, Mrs. Ana Ardelean worked in the private sector for more than 10 years. In 2014 she moved to work with the local government in Georgia, Tbilisi. She held a variety of senior positions in the Mayor’s Office including the Head of Vice-Mayor’s office and the Head of International Relations Department.
Mrs. Ana Ardelean lead Tbilisi to become part of the Resilient Cities Network In 2017 she was appointed as first Chief Resilience Officer for Tbilisi. Since then with a team of experts, she has been working on making Tbilisi a more resilient and livable city.
Senior Advisor, City of Rotterdam
Maarten Nypels, Senior Advisor, City of Rotterdam
Ecole du Breuil, Director of Development, City of Paris School of Horticulture and Landscaping
Marie Monjauze, Director of Development, Ecole du Breuil, City of Paris School of Horticulture and Landscaping
From urban innovation to green education, she leads transformative projects shaping a more resilient and sustainable Paris in collaboration with public and private stakeholders in the region. As Director of Development at the Ecole Du Breuil (https://www.ecoledubreuil.fr/) which is Paris School of Nature in the City, she supports the transformation of training programs for plant engineering careers to renovate and build the city of tomorrow.
Moderators
Lead, Programs, Climate & Health, Resilient Cities Network
Karl Astbury, Lead, Programs, Climate & Health, Resilient Cities Network
Karl Astbury leads the implementation of two flagship global initiatives at the Resilient Cities Network: the Urban Community Resilience Program - Resilience for Communities, funded by the Z Zurich Foundation, and Urban Pulse: Climate, Health, and Equity in Action.