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

Key learnings from the UN 2023 Water Conference and from COP28 emphasize the urgency of preparing cities for the uncertain future in the face of climate change, and to deliberate on strategies for closer alignment between local and national climate planning. Cities, as hubs of innovation and resilience, play a pivotal role in driving climate action further. However, the integration of urban perspectives into national climate policies remains a challenge.
Effective climate action in cities requires strong collaboration and enabling frameworks established by national governments, with strong participation from cities being indispensable to achieving ambitious climate goals. There is a clear and urgent need to localise implementation of the National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and for this, the engagement of subnational governments in global and national policy and implementation discussions should be strengthened.
This event will bring cities, national governments, and practitioners together to foster dialogue and action to bridge the gap between national policies and local urban resilience efforts, focusing on water climate adaptation. The Mediterranean drought crises and Broward County’s floods will be presented as a case studies to illustrate innovative municipal water management, multi-level and transboundary water management stories. Attendees will explore integrated strategies for resilient urban water systems, groundbreaking approaches to water management, and the roles of governance and community involvement. Presentations will cover best practices such as rainwater capture, wastewater reuse, desalinization, and AI-based models enhancing water use efficiency. Furthermore, the session will leverage lessons learned from other initiatives like Water as Leverage focussing on inclusive and multidisciplinary approaches to create bankable, equitable and scalable solutions. By showcasing cities experiences, the event will outline next steps to bridge the gap between national and local urban resilience efforts and encourage participants to remain actively involved in advancing urban water resilience with multi-level governance approaches.
Event structure
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, highlighting the Mediterranean drought crisis and Broward County’s recent floods.
3. Roundtable: Bridging Local and National Climate Planning. Discussion of good practices and challenges in aligning local and national policies with Q&A.
4. Closing Remarks and Next Steps. Special guest: Josep Canals Molina (MedCities).