A pathway to inclusive cities: multi-level governance for climate resilient urbanization

This networking event brings together key actors from different countries that are striving towards building inclusive cities (youth, women, local and national government representatives, non-profits and researchers) and engages them in a dialogue to produce tangible building blocks for urban inclusion, illustrated by real stories of urban life. Inclusive cities reflect their diversity and provide greater chances for equality. Our time is marked by rapid urbanization and climate change as the biggest global drivers of change. Urbanisation, climate-resilient and lowemission development can open new doors towards creating environmentally sustainable and socially just cities – a winwin scenario if all stakeholders are engaged and empowered by the right means to harness change. At the same time, opportunities for urban inclusion are often put to test by the impacts of climate variability and change through floods, fires and sea level rise with disproportionate impacts on the most vulnerable. In this context, understanding the significance and interlinkages of local and national actors’ roles for paving the road to inclusive cities is essential to ensure conducive governance and political commitment to capture the opportunities for inclusion. The objective of the event is to co-design with them building blocks for a pathway of implementation of the New Urban Agenda, informing and exchanging on multi-level governance and supporting the development of key characteristics of inclusive, climate-resilient cities. Real-life examples to illustrate topics of urban planning, inclusion and climate action will be the basis of discussing concrete building blocks for urban transformation towards inclusion (e.g. universal access, spatial equality, participation, decentralization and accountability).