The SESA Project recently participated in the 11th edition of the European Urban Resilience Forum (EURESFO) in Valencia, the European Green Capital for 2024. This prestigious event gathered 450 participants from 35 countries to discuss the future of urban resilience and sustainability.
EURESFO 2024 featured three main thematic streams and a special thematic stream, each addressing crucial aspects of resilience, sustainable development, and recovery. The first stream focused on multilevel governance, cooperation, and the imperative of a just transition. The second stream explored water resilience and the Blue Economy within and beyond the Mediterranean region. The third stream aimed to enable the transformation towards resilient, adaptive, and climate-neutral cities and regions. The fourth special stream addressed building resilience in fragile settings, bridging the gap between humanitarian response and post-conflict recovery.
“Unlocking Climate Finance for Urban Transformation,” emphasised the pivotal role of collaborative efforts in driving sustainable urban development. Nadia Calviño, President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), opened the session by announcing a 2-million-euro investment to support European cities, highlighting that “every place, every region, every city, and every citizen matters.”
Key speakers, including Jaana Kiiski from the City of Lappeenranta, Teresa Czerwińska (Vicepresident, EIB), Allison Lobb from Bankers without Boundaries, Fabien Perez from the City of Marseille, Jesús Julio Carnero from the City of Valladolid, and Matiss Paegle from the European Commission Mission Board, shared valuable insights on overcoming the challenges in financing urban sustainability projects.
Teresa Czerwińska outlined EIB’s commitment to aiding cities in decarbonization, energy efficiency, and sustainable mobility initiatives, with up to 75% project financing for energy efficiency endeavors. Allison Lobb discussed methods to attract private capital, emphasising the need to make city investments more appealing to private investors.
Mohamed Ridouani, Mayor of Leuven, shared Leuven’s approach of pooling projects to secure funding and stressed the importance of regulatory stability and impactful investments. Jesús Julio Carnero spoke on Valladolid’s focus on decarbonizing SMEs and fostering community involvement through a network of dedicated partners.
Fabien Perez highlighted the complexities and time-consuming nature of accessing public grants, underscoring the importance of private sector support. Jaana Kiiski called for assistance in advancing green electrification and hydrogen energy technologies in Lappeenranta, noting the need for financial backing and the opportunities that small cities have to offer.
Mattis Paegle provided a crucial perspective on accelerating private investment, noting that 80% of the required funds must come from the private sector. He emphasised the need to fast-track public sector project preparations and explore new public-private partnership models.
The session concluded with a consensus on the urgency of sustainable and resilient action and the necessity for flexible financing, rapid project implementation, and enhanced public-private partnerships to achieve the ambitious climate goals by 2030. The insights and strategies discussed were focused on the collective effort required to transform cities into sustainable and livable environments for everyone.
