The climate transition in cities is underway all over the world. Viable Cities is involved in several international initiatives, both to bring insights back to Sweden and to share our own. In the near future, we will participate in the Driving Urban Transitions (DUT) conference in Brussels, which takes place alongside the New European Bauhaus festival, the sustainability conference in Hamburg, and the Innovate4Cities conference, which is being held for the first time in Africa, in Nairobi.
Here at home, we’re rallying for the climate at the Transition Lab Forum in Skellefteå and Almedalsveckan on Gotland in June. In addition, a number of international climate conferences will be held throughout the month, in which Viable Cities is participating in various ways. Both nationally and internationally, the focus is on action—from financing and systemic transformation to multi-level governance and local climate leadership.
June 4–5 | GEF Assembly 2026 – Samarkand, Uzbekistan
The GEF (Global Environment Facility) Assembly brings together governments, international organizations, financial institutions, and cities to discuss how to accelerate the implementation of climate and sustainability goals during what is described as “the final sprint toward 2030.” Particular emphasis is placed on systemic transformation and sustainable urban development through the GEF’s Sustainable Cities Programme.
Viable Cities is represented by Olle Dierks, who will participate as a speaker in a roundtable discussion on urban systems and systemic transformation. The discussion will focus on how governance, investment, procurement, and private capital can work together to accelerate the transition to climate-neutral cities.
June 10 | CHAMP Steering Group Meeting – Bonn, Germany
On June 10, the first in-person meeting of the new steering group for CHAMP (Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnerships for Climate Action) will take place. The meeting marks the launch of CHAMP’s formal governance structure and the work to translate the coalition’s ambitions into concrete action through 2028.
Sweden is also represented here by Olle Dierks of Viable Cities, who serves on the steering committee. The focus is on how national governments and cities can collaborate to achieve climate goals, strengthen multilevel governance, and accelerate the climate transition.
June 10 | DUT Policy Conference | New European Bauhaus Festival – Brussels, Belgium
The Driving Urban Transitions (DUT) partnership holds a policy conference every two years. This year’s event focuses on how cities can be future-proofed through groundbreaking research and innovation for sustainable urban development that strengthens the capacity of urban actors to drive transformation in Europe and globally. The event brings together stakeholders from cities, academia, public government agencies, business, civil society, policymakers, and European institutions and initiatives to showcase and discuss collaboration and scalable solutions. The event will highlight DUT’s main activities and the need to translate global and European goals into concrete local results. The day will feature panel discussions, workshops, project presentations, and networking opportunities.
One of the sessions, “Implementing and Scaling Urban Solutions: From Pilot to Practice to Impact, ” is being held in collaboration between DUT and CapaCITIES and highlights cities’ transition journeys, how solutions developed through DUT-funded projects can be implemented and potentially scaled, and the role played by the EU Cities Mission initiative. A large part of the program will be webcast, and you can still register to participate online at: DUT Conference 2026 | dut
Viable Cities is involved in the leadership of both DUT and CapaCITIES and has helped design the program. Representing Viable Cities are Josefin Levander, Carina Aschan, and Marie Ivarsson.
June 21–24 | Innovate4Cities – Nairobi, Kenya
Governance at Scale: Achieving CHAMP Objectives Through Integrated National Platforms
The Innovate4Cities 2026 Conference (I4C26), held for the first time on the African continent, brings together researchers, city leaders, professionals, and innovators to link climate research with the local decisions that shape cities around the world.
During the conference, CapaCITIES, DUT (Driving Urban Transitions Partnership), Urban Transitions Mission, and Viable Cities are organizing a joint session titled “Governance at Scale: Delivering CHAMP Objectives via Integrated National Platforms,” which will highlight concrete examples of multilevel cooperation and how national platforms can contribute to achieving climate goals. The role of global and European initiatives in cities’ climate transition will also be explored. Maria Tengvard and Olle Dierks from Viable Cities will participate in the session.
The goal is to:
- Highlight results and best practices from countries, cities, and national platforms around the world
- Show how collaboration can be strengthened by linking initiatives and introducing innovative approaches
- Foster long-term partnerships between Europe and the Global South
June 23 | Local Climate Action Summit – London, United Kingdom
During London Climate Action Week, Bloomberg Philanthropies, C40, and the Under2 Coalition are bringing together leaders from cities, regions, and national governments to discuss how climate commitments can be translated into concrete action.
The meeting particularly highlights the importance of collaboration between different levels of government to accelerate the implementation of climate goals ahead of COP31. For Viable Cities, issues related to multilevel governance, investment, and the role of cities in the climate transition are central themes.
June 30 | Hamburg Sustainability Conference, Scaling Solutions: Leveraging Lessons from Leading Cities – Hamburg, Germany
During the Hamburg Sustainability Conference, WWF, in collaboration with CapaCITIES, the One Planet City Challenge (OPCC), NetZeroCities, and the LIFE ASAP initiative, is organizing a joint session titled “Scaling Solutions: Leveraging Lessons from Leading Cities.” The session will highlight the leading cities from the current round of WWF’s One Planet City Challenge, along with other key stakeholders. Insights and best practices will be shared, and the session will also explore how these solutions can be scaled up to accelerate the climate transition in cities. Viable Cities participates in CapaCITIES, works closely with WWF, and has contributed to the design of the program. Åsa Minoz will participate on behalf of Viable Cities. For information and registration, contact opcc-event@wwf.se.
Program highlights:
- Awards Ceremony for Global and EU-National OPCC Winners (also livestreamed)
- Roundtable discussions on key topics, such as youth engagement, multi-level governance, funding, and stakeholder collaboration (in-person only)
