As Europe faces an escalating climate crisis with 70% of its population living in cities, the 12th European Urban Resilience Forum (EURESFO [1]) concluded in Rotterdam with a clear message: local leadership is driving the transformation needed for a climate-resilient future, but systemic support across all governance levels is essential to scale these solutions. 

For over a decade, EURESFO has served as Europe’s leading platform for urban resilience, bringing together city representatives, resilience experts, and stakeholders from across local and regional institutions, facilitating the exchange of knowledge and strategies on climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and integrated urban resilience planning.

During the past three days, nearly 400 participants representing around 150 cities from almost 40 countries engaged in 22 sessions exploring how European cities can accelerate resilience action in the face of mounting climate and social challenges.

 

Co-organised by ICLEI Europe, the European Environment Agency (EEA), and the City of Rotterdam, EURESFO25 showcased practical solutions for strengthening cities' ability to withstand shocks, from climate disruption to geopolitical instability. With a strong track record in managing water extremes and fostering cross-border collaboration, Rotterdam offered an ideal setting for this year’s edition. Site visits provided participants with a chance to explore innovative projects, engage with local practitioners, and gain hands-on insights into Rotterdam’s resilience strategies.

 

"Cities are the beating heart of global solutions. From Rotterdam - a city shaped by water, history and international cooperation - we are building a just and decisive future together," said Chantal Zeegers, Deputy Mayor of Rotterdam and member of the Regional Executive Committee of ICLEI Europe. 

 

Participants explored embedding resilience into governance structures, infrastructure investments, and community planning, while emphasising the need for coordinated action across all levels of government.

 

"Science is clear: the impacts of climate change are accelerating, Yet Europe is not keeping pace. We urgently need to accelerate action and strengthen our resilience. Local leadership is essential, but it must be supported by national and European cooperation, with a systemic, long-term vision and action plan,” said Irene Bonvissuto, Team Leader Adaptation to Climate Change Mission, European Commission. “The knowledge and solutions exist,” she added, “and EURESFO is a vital platform for sharing concrete experiences, lessons learnt, and remaining challenges."  
 

A notable development at EURESFO25 was the growing participation of private finance actors, reflecting increased interest in real adaptation investments.“It’s encouraging to see more private finance actors joining EURESFO each year, reflecting a growing interest in real adaptation investments. While public funding still leads, the path for private sector involvement is clearer than ever. With adaptation now embedded in the EU’s sustainable finance framework, it has rightly gained the attention of private capital", said Linda Romanovska, Principal at Melomys Advisory.

 

A highlight of EURESFO25 was the announcement of the 2025 Local Sustainability Award [2] winner. The award recognises ambitious and innovative sustainability action by cities, towns, and regions. The cities of Grenoble and Vilnius, along with Barcelona Metropolitan Area, were selected as finalists. The City of Grenoble's "Breath of Schools" project (Places aux Enfants) stood out for its innovative approach to transforming areas surrounding schools into playful and inviting public spaces. The project creates pedestrian zones, reduces air and noise pollution around schools, and fosters child development. To date, 13 school streets have been transformed into safer, greener spaces, with co-design engaging over 200 residents and benefiting hundreds of children across the city.

 

The forum addressed six key topics: justice, inclusion and societal resilience; new extremes and polycrises from heatwaves to water resilience; nature-based solutions from policy to action; finance and investment strategies for resilience-building; resilience governance in a polarised political landscape; and data, information and evidence-based resilience action. These discussions showed that resilience is already being built across Europe, but must be scaled up to meet the urgency of the climate crisis. The insights shared in Rotterdam will continue to shape ICLEI Europe's support for cities across the continent as they work toward building just, climate-neutral, and resilient communities.

 

Cities and regional governments are invited to express their interest in hosting the 13th European Urban Resilience Forum (EURESFO) in 2026 - a unique opportunity to place your city at the heart of Europe’s urban resilience conversation. Visit here: https://urbanresilienceforum.eu/news-and-information/call-for-bids/ [3]

 

For more information about the award, visit: https://award.iclei-europe.org [2].

 

Pictures from the 12th European Urban Resilience Forum available here [4].

 

 

About EURESFO: EURESFO is an annual platform that brings together city representatives, experts, and stakeholders to discuss strategies for adapting to climate change, managing disasters, and building urban resilience. Organised by ICLEI Europe and the European Environment Agency (EEA) since 2013, EURESFO fosters open and interactive exchanges on pressing urban resilience challenges. 

 

About ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability: ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability [5] is a global network of more than 2,500 local and regional governments committed to sustainable urban development. Active in 125 countries, we influence sustainability policy and drive local action for low emission, nature-based, equitable, resilient and circular development. ICLEI Europe [6] provides members in Europe, the Middle East and West Asia with a voice on European and international stages, a platform to connect with peers, and tools to drive positive environmental, economic and social change. ICLEI Europe works closely with an extended network of local and regional governments and partners on a broad range of topics.