Cities at the Forefront Multi-level governance for Urban Water Resilience. Insights from innovative municipal flood and drought risk management.

Join us for an insightful dialogue with city leaders as we bridge the gap between local and national policies for water resilience. Together, let’s co-create innovative water policies and advance collective action for effective climate adaptation!

Stephanie Janssen

Facilitator

November 5, 2024 | 17:00 - 18:30

Voices from Cities - room E

Deltares

Netherlands

English

Reference:

VC-E 5

WUF12

Voices from Cities

Summary

1. Welcoming Words and Setting the Scene. Urgency of adapting urban water management for climate challenges. Overview of multilevel governance and national-local policy alignment in NAPs. Special guest: Esteban Leon (Head of the CRGP by UN-Habitat)
2. City Voices: Innovative Flood and Drought Risk Management Approaches. City representatives share experiences on urban water resilience and climate adaptation. Focus on challenges and successes in localizing national climate policies.
3. Roundtable: Bridging Local and National Climate Planning. Discussion of good practices and challenges in aligning local and national policies guided by the moderator and interactive with the audience.
4. Closing Remarks and Next Steps. Special guest: Josep Canals Molina (MedCities).

Objectives

• Examine the role of multilevel governance in aligning national climate policies with local urban water adaptation efforts.
• Enhance understanding of the water-climate nexus to bolster urban planning cognizant of compounding shocks and stresses and climate resilience.
• Highlight the crucial role of cities as drivers of climate action emphasizing the importance of integrating urban perspectives into national climate policies.
• Highlight the unequal impacts of the climate crisis and the water risks associated with it on vulnerable communities, and the need to address water risks in an inclusive, equitable and sustainable manner.
• Showcase case studies, to illustrate how cities can inform and contribute to the development of NAPs.
• Leverage the lessons learned to outline actionable next steps for bridging the gap between national policies and local actions, fostering multi-level governance approaches for advancing urban water resilience.
• Identify best practices and strategies for enhancing collaboration between cities and national governments in addressing urban water resilience.
• Discuss how water resilience planning, with cross-sectoral and cross-regional collaboration in approach, can be a key guide to planning for a water-secure future that protects the well-being of populations.
• Provide a platform for knowledge exchange among experts, policymakers, and professionals involved in urban water management, water governance, and climate planning.