People at the centre: Just resilience, housing, democracy
People and communities are at the heart of climate resilience and multi-level governance approaches. This thematic stream explores how resilience can be designed, governed and communicated in ways that are inclusive, just and socially transformative. Sessions within this stream will place a strong focus on participatory and bottom-up approaches to meaningfully engage residents and vulnerable groups in resilience decision-making, without shying away from difficult conversations around the intersections between climate resilience, affordable housing, health, media, (dis)information and post-crisis recovery.
Guiding questions:
How can cities and regions design and govern climate resilience strategies that meaningfully position residents, especially vulnerable and underrepresented groups, in the centre of decision-making processes?
What does socially just and transformative climate resilience look like in practice, particularly at the intersections of affordable housing, public health, post-crisis recovery, and local economic stability?
How can local and regional governments communicate climate resilience effectively in an era of misinformation and polarization, while fostering trust, participation, and collective ownership of solutions
Explore the sessions in this stream
Homes for all in a changing climate
How can we ensure affordable homes and neighbourhoods are also resilient to climate change? This session explores how cities integrate social justice and resilience into housing through design, materials, nature-based solutions, and planning. From building orientation to zoning, participants will discuss practical approaches, barriers, and actions to deliver climate-resilient, affordable living for all within planetary boundaries.
Climate change, Conflict and Displacement: The Ripple Effect
This session examines how the intersecting crises of climate change, conflict, and displacement reshape human mobility, security, energy supply, housing systems, natural eco-system and essential service delivery in fragile and post-conflict settings as well as bordering countries? Drawing on insights from ICLEI member municipalities in Palestine, Jordan, Ukraine, Poland and others, we aim to highlight on urban governance challenges and resilience-building opportunities at the local level, providing a focal focus to analyse climate-sensitive reconstruction, inclusive green recovery, and democratic participation strategies within the wider Pan-European multi-crisis context.
Winning the Climate Narrative: Disinformation, Trust, & the Politics of Resilience
Who controls the climate story? Climate resilience is hindered by gaps between scientific knowledge and public understanding, worsened by declining trust in media and rising disinformation. Coverage is often reactive, fragmented, and disconnected from communities. Resilience communication must become continuous, local, and trust-based, strengthening preparedness, accountability, and long-term public engagement.
From Co-Creation to Co-Ownership: Meaningful Engagement in Urban Greening and Climate Resilience
In this workshop, participants will explore practical ways to ensure that the diverse members of urban communities are not only heard but also play an active role in shaping decision-making and remain involved in the implementation and lifespan of urban greening and climate resilience actions. Building on the need to explore more than co-creation practices alone, the session examines how to move beyond fragmented participation practices and foster co-ownership to build trust, accountability, and ultimately, success. Participants will build on real-world challenges to understand how to ensure sustained, long-lasting engagement, enabling urban stakeholders to contribute to the design of solutions while remaining active contributors over time in shaping, implementing, and caring for meaningful urban greening and climate resilience actions.
From Vulnerability to Active Citizenship: Fostering Inclusive Decision-Making Towards Just Adaptation
How can communities’ agency be leveraged to influence risk-reduction and equitable adaptation? Which are the local challenges that difficult the application of just-resilience strategies to avoid exacerbation of inequalities? This session dives into the role of Local and Regional Governments (LRGs) in promoting equity-based governance and planning, placing the needs of vulnerable communities at the centre of decision-making dynamics. Specifically, it will look at the actions that empower communities to take an active role in shaping resilient territories, enhancing their adaptive capacities to deal with climate-related risks.