Track: Energy & Environment

Can cities lead the global fight against climate change? Urban centers, heavily impacted by the climate emergency, hold the power to implement specialized policies and actions to address this urgent issue. These initiatives, affecting a significant portion of the world's population, could drive substantial progress in mitigating environmental impacts and promoting a sustainable future. By leveraging their unique position, cities can spearhead global efforts to combat climate change and ensure long-term environmental resilience.

The effects of the climate emergency are disrupting our urban lifestyles. How can cities integrate environmental considerations into urban development to create more resilient, livable, and sustainable public spaces? How do green spaces in cities contribute to improving the quality of life for residents, fostering community engagement, ensuring accessibility and safety, and enhancing mental and physical well-being?

Increasing environmental pressures are changing the collection of natural resources, and circular practices are an efficient, green solution. These practices provide food security, water management, and waste reduction. What innovative strategies promote circularity in urban resource management? How can this approach address environmental, social, and economic challenges?

Cities are increasingly experiencing the direct and indirect consequences of the climate emergency. Simultaneously, they are hubs of innovation that can enhance their resilience and foster healthier, more sustainable environments through sustainable urban planning strategies. By integrating green spaces, eco-friendly infrastructure, and renewable energy, cities are reducing carbon footprints and promoting biodiversity. How can they further leverage these strategies to combat climate change?

The latest technological advances are revolutionizing our lives. How can we use eco-innovation to make cities more energy-efficient, resilient, and environmentally friendly? This session will analyze how cutting-edge technology enhances urban green spaces and explore the challenges and solutions innovators and administrations face in creating more technological and sustainable cities.

Clean energy sources provide safer, more plentiful, and environmentally friendly solutions for decarbonization. Beyond the latest innovations proposed daily for this transition, it is important to explore how the urban fabric is implementing these measures and the effects they have on the dynamics of cities.

How is the building sector adapting to city sustainability initiatives? How can the built environment help mitigate urban climate change impacts? This session delves into new construction practices that align with city-level sustainability goals. Discussions will explore the challenges and opportunities for the building sector in supporting urban sustainability objectives, particularly in combating climate change and achieving decarbonization targets.

Almost 10 years after the Paris Agreement, citizens are increasingly struggling with the effects of a constantly changing climate, experiencing unprecedented high temperatures and an elevated risk of disasters. Despite this, the role cities play in addressing the climate crisis demonstrates how local efforts can drive meaningful results on a global scale. In this session, we will explore the adaptation strategies and best practices cities implement to achieve climate goals.

The intersection of enabling technologies and sustainability is revolutionizing how environmental challenges are addressed. Innovations such as IoT, AI, and renewable energy systems are enhancing energy efficiency, reducing carbon footprints, and making our overall existence more sustainable. As societies become more aware of the urgent need to adopt sustainable practices, tech leaders are pioneering the transition to a greener, more sustainable future for our planet.