How can cities adapt to the consequences of climate change?

In June 2023, we moderated the International City Forum of the City of Kiel for the third time. As in the two previous years, the participants addressed topics relating to sustainable urban development. This time, the focus was on adapting cities to the consequences of climate change. The Zero Waste City concept, which aims to avoid waste in cities in order to protect our resources, was also discussed.

The City of Kiel welcomed numerous delegations from its 13 partner cities in Germany and abroad to this one-day conference as part of Kiel Week. Based on exciting inputs and discussion formats, emphasis was laid on the exchange of knowledge and personal contact between the delegates. This fav´cilitated meeting scope also leads to new projects and collaborations, in the spirit of “living” city partnerships.

In addition to a keynote speech by Prof. Jana Koerth from Kiel University and a concluding panel discussion with, among others, the Mayor of the City of Malmö and the Head of the Kiel Environmental Protection Agency, the city forum included three thematic workshops, which were also designed and moderated by us.
In detail, the workshops dealt with adaptation measures to extreme weather events, protective measures for the population in the face of increasing heat waves and municipal measures for waste prevention (zero waste).
Thanks to numerous exciting contributions and lively discussions, we can look back on a successful day and a valuable exchange at eye level among a wide variety of stakeholders who are also facing a major common challenge: Creating sustainable and livable cities for the future.

We are already looking forward to continuing our collaboration with the friendly team from the City of Kiel as part of the oncoming Cities Forum!