Resilience in Crisis: Accelerating Action for a Just Future
25. June 9:00 - 10:30
The last edition of the European Urban Resilience Forum concluded with a critical discussion on the interconnected climate, economic, and political crises currently facing Europe. The urgency for resilience stakeholders to accelerate transformational change across all sectors of society was a key takeaway. At the same time, ensuring a just and inclusive approach in the face of evolving political and social challenges emerged as a central concern.
EURESFO25 will pick up where these discussions left off, raising ambitions with an agenda designed to challenge conventional approaches and explore ways to fast-track resilience action. The opening plenary will set the stage for bold expectations and forward-thinking dialogue.
The session will welcome participants to a host city that has embodied resilience for centuries. It will outline the event’s ambitions, anchoring discussions in the lived realities of local authorities. Through a conversation format, the panel will address pressing challenges - including extreme weather events, conflict scenarios, the housing crisis, and economic instability - all deeply interconnected elements of a broader resilience challenge that cities cannot tackle alone.
A multilevel cooperation approach is essential for building a safer, more resilient, and just Europe. These key issues will remain at the heart of the conference discussions.
Speakers
Head of Unit Climate Risk and Resilience, European Environment Agency
Blaz Kurnik, Head of Unit Climate Risk and Resilience, European Environment Agency
Blaž Kurnik (1978) has worked at the European Environment Agency (EEA) since 2010 in various positions. He has been a coordinator of and contributor to various EEA reports on climate change impacts and adaptation, notably on climate change adaptation in the agriculture sector, climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction and climate change impacts in Europe. Blaž is currently head of climate risk and resilience. He leads a team of around 20 experts working on various climate change adaptation topics.
Prior joining the EEA, Blaž worked at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission and at the Slovenian Environment Agency (ARSO).
Blaž holds a PhD degree in climatology.
Chief, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction
Natalia Alonso Cano, Chief, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction
Ms. Natalia Alonso Cano is joining UNDRR as Chief of the Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia bringing over 25 years of professional experience in international development and partnerships. An agronomic engineer, she has worked 9 years overseas, mostly in India and the Dominican Republic, for the European Union and others on environmental resource management, governance, and disaster preparedness.
Prior to this assignment, Ms. Alonso Cano was Senior Adviser at UNICEF EU Office where she was leading on mainstreaming child rights into EU policy and practice and on strengthening partnerships to achieve positive outcomes for children and young people. Her previous leadership roles in Brussels included serving as Deputy Director at Oxfam International, where she played a pivotal role in advocating for ambitious EU responses to climate change and inequality while steering complex development, humanitarian, and partnership portfolios.
Regional Director Europe & Managing Director, ICLEI Europe
Wolfgang Teubner, Regional Director Europe & Managing Director, ICLEI Europe
Wolfgang Teubner is the ICLEI regional director for Europe and also the managing director (CEO) of the ICLEI European Secretariat. He has more than 20 years professional experience working with local governments on sustainable urban development, climate adaptation and mitigation, Local Agenda 21, waste management, as well as sustainable urban transport policies. During his career he has been involved in more than 100 European an international projects.
Deputy Mayor, Poltava City Council
Tetiana Bardina, Deputy Mayor, Poltava City Council
Tetiana Bardina is the Deputy Mayor of Poltava (Poltava City Council), a city of 300,000 residents in central Ukraine. She is responsible for territorial development, rural districts (starostynski okruhy), and veteran affairs. A PhD in Economics and Associate Professor, she is the author of over 30 academic publications and taught for more than 10 years at Poltava State Agrarian University (PSAU). She has initiated numerous community development projects, including the creation of the Poltava Veteran Center. Dr. Bardina actively cooperates with international partners such as USAID, UNDP, and Power Up Ukraine, with a strong focus on post-war recovery, local resilience, and inclusive policy development.
Moderators
Head of Resilience and Climate Adaptation, ICLEI Europe
Vasileios Latinos, Head of Resilience and Climate Adaptation, ICLEI Europe
Vasileios Latinos, is Head of Resilience and Climate Adaptation at ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability, European Secretariat. Vasileios is a climate resilience expert and project coordinator, with 14 years experience, working with local and regional governments throughout Europe. He is responsible for the management and coordination of projects and services in the topical areas of climate change adaptation, urban resilience and disaster risk reduction and leading the programmatic development of ICLEI in this field.