Empowering cities with digital tools: roadmaps for accelerating climate resilience and risk-informed planning
18. June 13:30 - 15:15
Conference Room
The rapid and impressive technological evolution is placing digital tools at the centre of urban management and decision-making processes, reshaping how cities are planned and managed. In particular, urban digital twins and advanced climate services are increasingly seen as an opportunity to support local decision-makers by generating digital replica of urban environments which allow to visualize and analyse data collected, building scenarios with desired transformations and optimizing city management. This approach seems very promising in dealing with climate hazards and extreme weather events, such as extreme heat or air quality.
However, cities and local authorities still struggle in integrating these tools into existing planning processes, often depending entirely on the support of external technical partners and providers. This integration can be challenging not only for the intrinsic complexity of these tools but also given institutional barriers and recurring issues with digital data compliance and building city data infrastructure. Besides discussion focusing on technical specifications and user requirements to learn how to use and interpret these digital tools, cities should also focus on the long-term adoption and maintenance of these digital tools and services. In this perspective, defining credible roadmaps can help local administrations in shaping clear pathways for uptake and integration into local decision-making processes.
The session at EURESFO is designed to bring together different municipalities and local authorities and work together on actionable roadmaps for the adoption and long-term integration of digital tools. The session is complemented by technical partners showcasing practical applications and helping city representatives. The session follows a workshop format with short presentations and breakout group discussions.
Speakers
Air Quality Project Manager, Barcelona City Council
JÚlia Camps FarrÉs, Air Quality Project Manager, Barcelona City Council
Júlia Camps Farrés is a Project Manager in the Air Quality Department of the Barcelona City Council and has been working in public administration for more than eighteen years.
During her early years, she specialized in noise pollution, developing a real-time noise monitoring network using sound sensors and designing a specific training program for municipal engineers on conducting sound measurements.
In recent years, she has focused on improving air quality in the city by leading projects such as the development of a low-emission zone monitoring system and studying its effects on the most vulnerable groups. Her short-term objective is to continue working towards achieving a city with a higher standard of living and better quality of life.
Senior Advisor, CDP
Afroditi Mathioudaki, Senior Advisor, CDP
Afroditi Mathioudaki is a Senior Advisor at CDP. Through advocacy and engagement with local and regional governments, and European and international institutions and organizations, she is supporting cities and regions in creating smart, sustainable and resilient urban ecosystems.
Facility Management Manager, Municipality of Turin
Dr. Manuela Magnino Prino, Facility Management Manager, Municipality of Turin
Law degree from the University of Turin. Master's degree in Public Administration Law and Master's degree in Management of Public Real Estate. I have been working for the City of Turin since 2007 in various roles, handling asset management contracts and energy management, and I am a member of the Project Financing technical committee for the energy requalification of the city's assets. I am part of the TIPS4PED project team.
Head of Strategy, Prevention and Community Resilience, Greater London Authority
Kristen Guida, Head of Strategy, Prevention and Community Resilience, Greater London Authority
Kristen is Head of Strategy, Prevention, and Community Resilience at the Greater London Authority. Her role involves integration of resilience across policy and programmes and ensuring that resilience practice in London centres people and communities. Before that, she spent 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.
Kristen has been a contributor to three UK Climate Change Risk Assessments, the London Climate Resilience Review, and numerous articles about climate risk and resilience communication, adaptation, and systems thinking for resilience. She has a background in human rights, and remains interested in the social justice issues raised by climate change and other crises, and the need to incorporate equity in resilience policy and planning.
Senior Researcher, Tecnalia
Dr. Aitziber Egusquiza, Senior Researcher, Tecnalia
Aitziber Egusquiza is a Senior Researcher at TECNALIA, architect and urbanist, with extensive experience in coordinating international research projects and multidisciplinary teams. She is the coordinator of RescueME (Horizon Europe) and SHELTER (H2020), leading work on resilience in complex socio-ecological systems.
Her research focuses on community-based and data-driven approaches, developing methodologies and tools to advance just resilience and sustainability, particularly in contexts with high cultural and natural heritage value. Her work also addresses implementation models, including governance, business, and financing, with a focus on participatory, digital, and nature-based strategies. She led the project that established the sustainability standard for the Galapagos Islands.
Moderators
Manager for Programs and Grants, Resilient Cities Network
Federico Aili, Manager for Programs and Grants, Resilient Cities Network
Federico Aili is an urban planner and currently serves as Manager for Programs and Grants at the Resilient Cities Network. He holds a degree in Geography and a master’s degree in urban planning from the Politecnico di Milano, as well as a master’s degree in urban management and development from Erasmus University of Rotterdam, where he specialized in urban environment, sustainability, and climate change. In 2018, Federico started his career at the International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP) and later joined the ISOCARP Institute, working mainly on EU-funded projects focused on nature-based solutions. Since 2021, he has been part of the Resilient Cities Network, where he works on a range of climate resilience and adaptation projects in Europe. Federico is passionate about advancing sustainable urban development and supporting cities in becoming more resilient and inclusive.
Adaptation Manager, Climate Alliance
Alison De Luise, Adaptation Manager, Climate Alliance
Alison is an urban climate change adaptation specialist, applying policy, partnership & program management experience towards support city resiliency. As Manager, Adaptation to Climate Change at Climate Alliance, Alison contributes to the Covenant of Mayors for Europe's adaptation and energy poverty work, building adaptation capacity across European cities. She also manages the EEA European Topic Center on Climate Change Just Resilience Task. Prior to this, Alison led strategic initiatives aimed at supporting case-making for Green Infrastructure across US cities. As Senior Advisor at the Water Center at Penn, she co-developed integrated solutions to complex urban water resource challenges. As head of Strategic Partnerships at Bioversity International, she focused her partnership development efforts on achieving development impact and securing funding. This work built on her years working for Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in food security and in rural development policy. The foundation of all this experience was her three years establishing social enterprise initiatives in Swaziland.
Expert, Green Digital Transformation, ICLEI Europe
Dr. Tanya Merger, Expert, Green Digital Transformation, ICLEI Europe
Dr. Tanya Baycheva-Merger is an Expert in Green Digital Transformation at ICLEI Europe, working on the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), sustainability, and urban innovation. She leads and coordinates projects and initiatives focused on the responsible development and use of AI-powered tools for climate and resilience action at local level. Among her recent work, Tanya led the development of a GeoAI Toolkit for Urban Planners (in collaboration with UN-Habitat), which provides practical guidance for integrating geospatial AI into urban planning.
Prior to joining ICLEI, Tanya worked as a postdoctoral researcher and lecturer at the University of Freiburg (Germany), where she focused on the intersection of digitalisation and environmental management, particularly on the adoption and use of digital tools in forest and groundwater management. She holds a PhD in Environmental and Forest Policy, a MSc in Environmental Science, and a BSc in Environmental and Resource Management.
Senior Expert for Communications, Resilience and Climate Adaptation, ICLEI Europe
Katherine Peinhardt, Senior Expert for Communications, Resilience and Climate Adaptation
Katherine Peinhardt is a Senior Expert for Communications on the Resilience and Climate Adaptation team at ICLEI Europe. Prior to this role, she was a German Chancellor Fellow supported by the Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung in Germany. Her research dives into links between place and resilience, exploring the ways that communities are already building both physical and social resilience through urban design and public space planning and management. She previously worked as a Project Reporter and Communications Associate at Project for Public Spaces (PPS), during which time she focused on telling the story of placemaking. She managed written content and promoted a narrative for building cities around places.