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!

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 climate councils, which have been implemented in Karlstad (with Emma Sundh and Maria Soxbo from Klimatklubben), the Future Workshop in Örnsköldsvik, 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.

Wednesday, June 24

10:00–11:15 Workshop: How can we support faster climate transition in cities within a changing policy landscape?
In a turbulent world and a shifting geopolitical landscape, the EU’s long-term budget is being negotiated and the Swedish policy landscape is changing. At the same time, the effects of climate change are becoming increasingly noticeable, and there is an urgent need to limit emissions. For several years, Viable Cities has been working with municipalities, government agencies many other stakeholders to mobilize for urban climate transition in Sweden and Europe. We want to bring everyone together for a discussion on how we can best continue to support cities’ climate transition in times of major changes in the policy landscape. Workshop with Örebro Municipality, the Council for Living Cities, the Swedish Model for Sustainable Urban Development, and Viable Cities.

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. Unfortunately, this event is by invitation only; invitations are issued on a special basis.
Viable Cities is a co-organizer alongside the innovation platform 9outof10meals, Sally, DarkMatterLabs, Miljömatematik, and Gotland Science Park.

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, the industry, municipalities, and 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.

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