Urban Transitions in and for uncertain times: Launch Conference 2022 – Cities’ perspectives

• Moderator: Johannes Riegler
• Tudor Drambarean, Alba Iulia Municipality
• Tom Meeuws, City of Antwerp
• Pirita Lindholm, European Research and Innovation Network
• Roman Mendle, ECLEI EU

Local public administrations are at the forefront to transition human (urban) processes towards a sustainability. Increasingly, cities are committed and are working intensively to transform towards climate neutrality, just sustainable and livable urban futures. The need to change and transform rapidly is underlined by the cumulative anthropogenic effects of the climate crisis (e.g. increasing number of extreme weather events) which are becoming increasingly frequent and severe.

Combined with the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as recent shifts in global political order and resulting socio-economic disruptions, the shocks resulting from a bunch crises require local public administrations to maintain infrastructures and services while preparing for disruptions and changing situations with flexibility and robustness.

The session brought together representatives from local urban policy and administration and cities and regional networks to discuss the challenges and needs to transition their cities and municipalities towards sustainable futures while being prepared for unforeseeable, yet drastic shocks and disruptions.