Day 1 – Tuesday 15 April 2025, Istanbul, Türkiye 

9.05am | Opening remarks by Ekrem İmamoğlu, Mayor of Istanbul and President of Turkish Union of Municipalities 

9.10am | Welcome speech by Jurgen Rigterink, First Vice President of EBRD 

9.15am | Keynote speech

9.30am | Plenary Panel - Local leadership to overcome system shocks 

We are living in turbulent times. Geopolitical developments are challenging existing international norms and rules, and the impacts of climate change are increasing in frequency and severity. As cultural, political and economic hubs, cities are the centre of all of this.  

How do cities cope with external shocks whether caused by climate change or geopolitics? What are strategies to cope with natural disasters, such as earthquakes and flooding? How do cities cope with large influxes of migrants and what does a green recovery look like? This session will highlight the power of local leadership, mayors from across the EBRD regions will share their insights about emergency response measures as well as long-term strategies to respond a rapidly changing world.

11.15am | Mayors' panel discussion - Bridging the transition gap 

Cities are diverse places. They are unique in terms of history and culture, social and economic structures as well as location and climate. Several cities have made commitments to transition to a low-carbon and climate resilient future. Yet, their individual transitions differ in terms of focus, approach and speed.

What are transition priorities – improving air quality through sustainable transport systems, green spaces and affordable housing; future proofing essential infrastructure, such as water and waste management; or a green digital shift? How do cities approach transforming priority areas and, essentially, how do they fund the necessary investments? During this session, mayors from around the world will share their experiences of transitioning to low-carbon and climate resilient cities.

1.35pm | Public-private perspectives - Deploying innovative technologies in cities

Innovative technologies have the potential to transform the way cities work, addressing challenges such as pollution and traffic congestion, mobility, energy, water consumption, and data-based decision-making. The effective deployment of such technologies frequently hinges on thorough project planning and strong collaboration between technology providers and public entities. What are the essential requirements that the city and the private sector need from each other to achieve success? During this session, leading technology providers will convene with Mayors from EBRD Green Cities to explore how public and private organizations can collaborate effectively to facilitate the integration of innovative technologies and ensure maximum benefit for city administrators and their citizens.

2.20pm | Roundtable - Healthy and active cities  

Healthy cities are places that benefit people and the planet. They preserve nature, ensure high air quality, build liveable spaces and create green jobs. They also plan for the future by including climate change impacts into their strategies and city plans.

What does it take to become a healthy city, encouraging citizens to be more active? How do cities provide transport systems that reduce pollution and are convenient for their citizens? How do cities integrate green space to reduce heat stress and facilitate for their citizens’ leisure? And, how can municipal infrastructure more generally contribute to cities’ health and sustainability? Mayors and EBRD partners will share their experience of building healthy cities; contributions from the audience are welcome.

2.20pm | Roundtable - Climate proof cities 

This roundtable session brings together city leadership and climate adaptation experts to discuss the importance of climate adaptation in cities. The focus will be on how investments into climate resilience help cities manage climate risks, but also generate significant co-benefits, such as economic growth, enhancement of public spaces, improved public health, and enhanced social equity. Mayors will share their experiences and challenges in building resilient cities and how they are making the case for adaptation investments, while experts will provide insights on how adaptation strategies can lead to such co-benefits. Participants will leave with actionable ideas to climate-proof their cities.

2.20pm | Green City Officers Session 

The Green Cities Officers’ network comprises of municipal counterparts tasked with managing Green City Action Plans (GCAP) and their implementation. Launched in December 2020, the network convenes regularly, providing officers with an opportunity to engage, exchange and learn from one another.

At the Green Cities Annual Conference in Istanbul, the network comes together in person. A dedicated session will be used to discuss common opportunities and challenges, as well as the expectations that the Green City Officers have for the network and its future activities.

4.00pm | Mayors’ dialogue

Each Mayor is invited to bring one successful case of localizing climate action, delving into practical steps for executing climate action projects, including securing funding, engaging the community, and garnering policy support. 

Day 2 – Wednesday 16 April 2025, Istanbul, Türkiye 

 1pm | Site Visit