AI and innovation for resilience

27 June 16:15 - 17:30

Location: Sala José Iturbi

The session focuses on resilient climate action in European cities. We delve into how cities leverage artificial intelligence and data to bridge the gap between climate action policies and creating real-world impact. The case studies will showcase the role of AI in analysing vast datasets to identify actionable insights for climate resilience in cities. For instance, how cities can enable green infrastructure development, sustainable mobility planning, promote the use of renewable energy and build resilience from air pollution and heatwaves. Join us to explore how cities use AI, data, and partnerships with organisations like Google to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, build resilience, and inform improved city planning, ultimately shaping a more sustainable urban future.

This session is part of the Enabling the transformation to resilient, adaptive and climate-neutral cities stream.

Speakers

Tom George

Product Lead for Sustainable Cities at Google, Google (US)

Tom George, Product Lead for Sustainable Cities at Google, Google

Thomas George is a Product Lead at Google working at the intersection of Cities and Sustainability, building solutions to help Cities decarbonize while improving the lives of its citizens. He came to Google from Sidewalk Labs where he was leading the Pebble team, optimizing parking and transportation systems in cities.  Prior to that, he was VP of Technology for Quadlogic Controls, leading product development and acquisitions, and COO of BlocPower, a Clean Energy startup.
Tom has spent over 20 years building teams to develop and deploy products and systems around the world; in sustainability, clean-energy, IoT and satellite communications, among others. From energy policy in New York to rural electrification in Eastern Congo to hardware product development in China, Tom has a demonstrable ability to plan, execute and deliver in complex situations.

Bettina Tratz-Ryan

Research VP Smart City; Sustainability, Gartner Inc

Bettina Tratz-Ryan, Research VP Smart City; Sustainability, Gartner Inc

 

Bettina Tratz-Ryan serves as Vice President of Research, overseeing industry sustainability and intelligent urban ecosystem research. In her role, she explores how sustainability can bolster organizational resilience, drive industry transformation, and yield operational advantages. Her research in smart cities delves into the strategic impact on citizens and the business value derived from data analytics, the Internet of Things, open data marketplaces, applications, and the complex infrastructures within cities, as well as the growth of digital societies and their industrial frameworks.
In recognition of her influence, StateTech Magazine listed Bettina Tratz-Ryan among the top 30 must-read state and local government IT influencers in 2019. Handelsblatt Germany also recognized her as one of the Top 50 Women in Tech Influencers in 2021. In 2022, she earned two Gartner Thought Leadership awards.

Elina Seppänen

Energy and Climate specialist, City of Tampere

Elina Seppänen, Energy and Climate specialist, City of Tampere

Elina Seppänen is an accomplished Energy and Climate Specialist with a background in power plants and combustion engineering. With over 13 years of experience working for the City of Tampere, she has specialized in climate mitigation focusing on carbon-neutrality strategies, emissions projections, and the impact of climate plans and actions.

Elina has supported the green transition in urban planning, sustainable mobility and construction with her expert knowledge. Her work has played a pivotal role in the City of Tampere becoming one of the CDP A-list climate leaders and receiving the European Commission Mission label for Climate-neutral and Smart Cities.

Passionate about creating cities that are better for both people and the planet, Elina is committed to advancing sustainable energy systems in Finland and beyond. Her current focus is on facilitating the sustainable transition in transport, a critical sector for achieving cities’ climate goals.

Shaojuan Xu

Senior researcher, Research Institute for Regional and Urban Development

Shaojuan Xu, Senior researcher, Research Institute for Regional and Urban Development, Dortmund, Germany

Dr. Shaojuan Xu is a senior researcher at the Research Institute for Regional and Urban Development in Dortmund, Germany, and a lecturer at the Geography department of the Humboldt University of Berlin. Dr. Xu's research focuses on the data approach to urban sustainability and resilience analysis. She has worked on several international and national research projects on topics ranging from land recycling to urban land consumption, affordable housing, urban health, 3D city modelling, and urban digital twins. Currently, she is leading an ICLEI-funded project, CATCH4D, which aims to create a 3D thermographic model for an entire city to investigate energy loss of buildings, building energy efficiency and energy poverty.

Moderator

Alis-Daniela Torres

Head of Green and Digital Transformation, ICLEI Europe

Alis-Daniela Torres, Head of Green and Digital Transformation, ICLEI Europe

 

Daniela, an Environmental Engineer with over 15 years of experience, is a driving force behind greener cities. Her expertise in energy, ICT, and urban sustainability, coupled with master's degrees in Sustainable Energy and City Sciences, allows her to bridge the gap between cutting-edge solutions and real-world impact.

Currently, at ICLEI Europe, Daniela leads Green and Digital Transformation. Here, she harnesses data, digital solutions and science to guide cities towards a sustainable future, crafting impactful climate action plans. A leader in smart city projects, she also drives ICLEI's monitoring, reporting, and evaluation efforts, ensuring accountability and progress.

Daniela's a force for good, collaborating with Google, the EU Covenant of Mayors, and more. Her expertise spans the globe, from leading Telefonica's global climate change program to advising organizations in Latin America. Daniela isn't just building sustainable cities, she's pioneering them.

Julen Imana

ICLEI Europe

Julen Imana, ICLEI Europe