URBREATH will take part in the 2026 Sustainable Cities Summit, convened by the Lisbon Council, coordinator of the URBREATH project, on 23 April 2026 in Brussels.
As part of the Summit, URBREATH will convene a High-Level Roundtable on ‘Scaling Sustainability in a Tougher Climate: What Europe’s Cities Have Learned and What Comes Next.’ This invitation-only session will bring together senior city leaders to exchange practical experiences on delivering urban climate action, with a focus on the governance, investment and coordination choices that enable real progress.
Designed as a peer-to-peer discussion, the roundtable will move beyond strategies and commitments to address the realities of implementation, exploring how cities can scale successful solutions, manage constraints and sustain momentum in an increasingly challenging economic and political context.
Confirmed participants include decision-makers and thought leaders such as Thomas Van Oppens, deputy mayor alderman for climate and sustainability, finance, waste policy and digitalisation, City of Leuven; Alessandro Balboni, deputy mayor for urban regeneration, environment, urban forestry and infrastructure, City of Ferrara; Dušan Chrenek, principal adviser on digital for the green transition, directorate-general for climate action, European Commission; and Jesse Shapins, head of investment for urban regeneration, Urban Partners.
The session is held under the banner of the URBREATH project and contributes to the objectives of the European Union Mission “Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities” and the European Union Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change through the integration of nature-based solutions and digital tools.
The Summit will also mark the launch of the Sustainable Cities Lab, a new initiative by the Lisbon Council aimed at bridging the gap between innovation and implementation by turning research outcomes into actionable policy.
The 2026 Sustainable Cities Summit – Schedule at a glance:
- 09h45 – 10h35: RegistrationsandWelcome Coffee
- 10h45 – 12h45:High-Level Roundtable on ‘Scaling Sustainability in a Tougher Climate: What Europe’s Cities Have Learned and What Comes Next’
- 13h00 – 14h30:Networking Lunch
- 14h30 – 16h30:Plenary session on ‘Squaring the Green Circle: Climate Action, Economic Urgency, Urban Reality’
While the morning roundtable is invitation only, the Summit’s lunch and afternoon sessions will be open to the public. Those interested in learning more about the summit may contact Anna Pizzamiglio, community lead and policy analyst, the Lisbon Council, at anna.pizzamiglio@lisboncouncil.net.
URBREATH is pleased to contribute to this important discussion on how European cities can advance sustainability in practice under increasingly complex conditions.