Cities are increasingly confronted with extreme weather events such as heatwaves, droughts, storms and flooding. With their dense population, extensive building development, paved surfaces and lack of green spaces, they are particularly vulnerable to their consequences.

The opening keynote delves into the Sponge City concept and provides an insightful overview of our topic Urban Water Resilience in regards to urban planning.

Our distinguished speakers, Dr. Darla Nickel from the Berlin Rainwater Agency and Dr. Carlo W. Becker from bgmr Landscape Architects, will share their expertise on how cities can adapt to the challenges of climate change by embracing innovative water management solutions.

The keynote will place a special focus on Berlin’s pioneering efforts in decentralized rainwater management, showcasing how the city is leading by example in integrating water-sensitive urban design into its planning and infrastructure.

This session will also emphasize the critical collaboration between urban planners and water experts to shape resilient, sustainable urban environments together.