Viable Cities at Almedalen 2026

Viable Cities at Almedalen 2026 brings together a broad range of stakeholders from various sectors of society to continue turning the climate transition from vision into reality.
Together with government agencies, municipalities, civil society, the business community, and academia, we explore how climate-neutral solutions are becoming the new normal in governance, investment, and the way we plan and build our communities. We also delve deeply into issues such as food systems, mobility, and civic engagement.
It’s not enough to talk about the transition—words must become action. Here, you can sample the food of the future, take a look at a fossil-free, driverless bus, learn how student climate councils work, and encounter solutions that show what the transition really looks like.
Through visions of the future, hands-on test environments, and collaborative learning, we’re creating the conditions to accelerate the transition and make the new normal tangible and vibrant. We invite you to join us during Almedalen Week!

Representing Viable Cities will be Anders Wijkman, Olga Kordas, Åsa Minoz, Lars Johansson, Charlotte Gustafsson Brynielsson, Anette Olovborn, Albert Edman, and Daniel Dersén.

Tuesday, June 23

Spy and apply. We’ll meet at Kruttornet at 11:30 a.m. and walk together through the Botanical Garden to Paviljongsplan, where we’ll discuss different ways to foster civic engagement. For example, we’ll hear about student city councils for the climate, which have been implemented in Karlstad (with Emma Sundh and Maria Soxbo from Klimatklubben), and about Green Travel Plans for sustainable daily commuting (with Anette Olovborn, Viable Cities). The discussion will be led by Lars Johansson, Viable Cities.
After the picnic, we’ll take a look at a self-driving fossil-free bus. And this is about more than just buses. It’s about how new technology can transform future transportation and what opportunities it can create. Self-driving buses are already in use in several places in Sweden. Meet Climate-Neutral Gotland 2030 and experts from Linköping, where self-driving buses have been in service for several years. How can the transportation of the future contribute to better accessibility, stronger service, new opportunities for rural areas, and a more sustainable Gotland?

Wednesday, June 24

10:00–11:15 AM So many calls for proposals—but how does the system all fit together?
Örebro Municipality is hosting a discussion on how EU programs, national initiatives, and regional projects can work together more effectively to give municipalities and regions a stronger foundation for driving climate transition and sustainable social development.
Participants:
Lennart Andersson, Chief Architect, Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning
Helena Bjarnegård, Chairman the Council for Living Cities, Council for Living Cities
Charlotte Brynielsson, Head of Multi-level Coordination, Viable Cities KTH
Sascha Benes, Innovation Strategist, Environment and Urban Planning, Örebro Municipality
Erik Blohm, Administrative Director, Environment and Urban Planning, Örebro Municipality
Alisa Basic, Director of Community Development, Linköping Municipality
Viable Cities will be represented by Charlotte G Brynielsson on the panel. Location: Nygatan 1, courtyard. Link to the event

12:00 PM and 6:00 PM A meal like no other – practicing for the future together
On Wednesday, we’ll explore how we can break free and start creating a new world together, right now, through an experience and a conversation about what needs to happen, what we don’t want to happen, and how we can work together to transition to a sustainable food system and a sustainable economy. Even though we know that everything is at stake and that humanity must now act with force and seriousness, it feels like we’re stuck. Stuck in an economy that favors the short-sighted and ruthless, and that punishes those who try to do the right thing. We explore how the choices we make today affect the future, and how we can think and act in new ways and begin to create the new world together, starting now. The event will be held on two occasions. Unfortunately, it is open only to pre-registered participants; invitations will be sent out according to a specific procedure.
Viable Cities is a co-organizer alongside the innovation platform 9outof10meals, Sally, DarkMatterLabs, Miljömatematik, and Gotland Science Park.

2:30–3:15 PM What can we learn from Ukraine for our own resilience and societal development?
Amid the ongoing war, Ukraine has demonstrated an impressive ability to maintain critical societal functions, rebuild what has been destroyed, and develop new innovations. Their experiences encompass both the protection of essential infrastructure and new material flows. What can we learn from their agile capabilities?

The creation of public spaces in cities and parks has proven to be of great importance for residents’ mental resilience and adaptability. What can we achieve if we act on these lessons? What solutions for energy, mobility, and material flows are relevant? What might work in a Swedish context?Olga Kordas, Program Director at Viable Cities, will be speaking. Organizer: Sweco. Location: Specksrum 5, Omställningsarenan at Sweco’scourtyard

Link to the event

Thursday, June 25

Sustainable Development at the Sustainability Arena (Teaterskeppet)

The Sustainability Arena is a gathering place for those of us who want to steer the future in the right direction. Here, stakeholders from politics, business, research, and civil society come together civil society share knowledge and discuss how we can take steps toward a sustainable society.
With one term left until the goal of climate-neutral construction is reached, the industry, municipalities, and various initiatives are coming together for a full day to discuss what it will take to succeed. The focus is on scaling up what works—from reuse and innovation to governance, procurement, financing, and social sustainability.
Co-organizers for the day are Viable Cities, Hemsö Fastigheter, HBV, Adda, LFM30 Malmö, Smart Built Environment, Swegon, and Sh bygg, sten och anläggning.
Link to the event

Below is a selection of Thursday's program.

8:30–9:30 a.m. Industry Call to Action – Immediate Strict Limits to Meet the Paris Agreement. Are you also convinced that the real estate, construction, and civil engineering sectors must act now to meet the Paris Agreement’s goals? The National Board of Housing, Building, and Planning’s only proposal in line with the EU’s goals is Level 1—but introducing limits as late as 2027 or 2030 is already too late. The Great Dining Hall

8:30–9:15 a.m. The Power of Procurement for Sustainable Timber – From Ambition to Demand. How can buyers and the market drive the use of sustainable and economically viable timber from forests with greater biodiversity and long-term ecosystem values? How can demand, procurement, and different approaches contribute to the development of more sustainable forestry practices? The Theater Auditorium

9:30–10:30 a.m. What policy decisions are needed and promised to achieve sustainable construction within the next legislative term? This election year marks the start of the legislative term leading up to 2030—a critical period for achieving our climate goals. The real estate, construction, and civil engineering sectors believe we can still limit global warming and meet the Paris Agreement, but this requires clear political support in legislation, policy, and financing. The Grand Dining Hall

9:45–10:30 Sustainability through quality-assured measurement, traceability, and digital product passports in the forest industry. We want to build more with wood—but how do we know it’s actually sustainable? When data follows the wood from forest to reuse, digital product passports can provide proof, not just claims: origin, process, climate, quality, and reusability. The Small Dining Room

11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Financing and economics: ambitious goals and a tight timeline call for new financing solutions. Despite high climate ambitions, there is a lack of effective financial tools to rapidly scale up the energy and climate transition. Many companies have limited investment opportunities, which slows down progress. At the same time, the implementation of new EU requirements is moving slowly, and there is a great need for innovative financial solutions. The Grand Dining Hall

12:30–1:15 p.m. How can we create a national climate infrastructure for Swedish cities and climate initiatives? Swedish cities are set to achieve climate neutrality by 2030. At the same time, many municipalities lack the tools to collect, analyze, and use climate data in urban development. How can a shared national climate infrastructure help municipalities, businesses, and climate initiatives make informed decisions? The Small Dining Room

12:30–1:30 p.m . Public and private procurement drives sustainability in challenging times. Public procurement is a powerful lever for sustainable transition but involves conflicting goals. How do we balance economic considerations with long-term sustainability, resilience, and security of supply? And how do we drive innovation without compromising competitive neutrality? The Great Dining Hall

2:00–3:00 p.m. Who is responsible for Sweden’s circular transition when the regulations do not mandate it? Sweden’s regulations enable circularity, but do not require it. Developers must identify reusable building products and plan for material recycling, but reuse is not required. At the same time, the construction sector accounts for 40 percent of Sweden’s waste and has a significant climate impact. The Great Dining Hall

3:30–4:30 p.m. How do we create a socially sustainable construction industry? The construction sector not only shapes our cities—it also shapes our society. Yet we know that challenges such as unscrupulous operators, workplace crime, and barriers to the labor market are holding back the industry’s full potential. Main Dining Hall

4:00–5:00 p.m. From Slow-Moving to Transformative – How Is Digitalization Changing the Construction Industry? Over the years, numerous reports and analyses have identified the construction industry as one of the most conservative and least digitized sectors. At the same time, however, something even more important is highlighted: its enormous potential. With the right technological shift, greater value can be unlocked here than in almost any other industry. The Small Dining Room

3:15–4:00 PM How do we future-proof large-scale multi-family housing developments? Sweden’s multi-family housing developments face urgent renovation needs, demands for climate transition, and growing social disparities, all while cultural values must be preserved. Despite high ambitions, social sustainability remains difficult to understand, assess economically, and translate into concrete decisions. The Theater Auditorium

Sweden is making the transition – what recommendations would sustainability experts make if they were in the government?

1:00–1:55 p.m. Ahead of the 2026 election, Aktuell Hållbarhet is launching the “Sunshine Government,” tasked with developing the measures Sweden needs to transition to a sustainable future. Seven “ministers,” all leading experts in their fields, will present their proposals for what is needed to make Sweden more sustainable. The focus will be on green jobs that combat social exclusion, tax reform, the role of cities and nature, infrastructure, and energy sovereignty.
Markus Wråke – Minister of Energy
Stefan Krook – Minister of Finance
Evin Cetin – Minister of Social Sustainability
Nina Ekelund – Minister of Industry
Olga Kordas – Minister of Urban Development
Mattias Goldmann – Minister of Infrastructure and Mobility
Linda Burenius – Minister of Nature and the Environment.

Also participating is Ylva Bergman, Editor-in-Chief of Aktuell Hållbarhet. Representing Viable Cities is Olga Kordas, Program Director.
Location: Strandvägen 4.2, Dagens Industri Arena, Talks Stage
Link to the event