Cities participating in the Mission “100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities” have developed and are currently implementing Climate City Contracts, strategic planning instruments aimed at achieving climate neutrality. In some cases, these contracts serve as guiding frameworks for structuring actions and decisions across different urban governance sectors; in others, they complement existing plans and strategies already in place.
Building on the dialogue among Horizon Europe projects working on climate neutrality, this study day offers a comparative discussion on the climate transition pathways of four Italian cities. The event will conclude with a roundtable reflection exploring the relationship between climate action and both general and sectoral urban planning.
With contributions from: Andrea Giorgio, Benedetta Lucchitta, Ettore Bompard, Francesco Musco, Giovanni Vicentini, Giulia Canilli, Grazia Concilio, Lorenzo Chelleri, Maria Manez Costa, Matteo Satta, Mattia Leone, Mira Conci, Rossana Torri, Stefano Salata.
Where?
CRAFT, Campus Leonardo Edificio 11B, Via Ampère, 20 — Milan (Italy)
Programme
09.30 Welcome
- Valeria Fedeli – Scientific Director, CRAFT, Politecnico di Milano
- Elena Grandi – Deputy Mayor for Environment and Green Spaces, City of Milan
09:45 Insight from EU Projects
- Climaborough – Matteo Satta, Scientific coordinator, ANCI Toscana
- NetZeroCities – Mira Conci, Built Environment Lead, Climate-KIC
- UP2030 – Mattia Leone, DIARC, Università Federico II
10.30 Keynote Speech: URBAN PLANNING FOR (CLIMATE) TRANSITION,
Francesco Musco – Planning and Climate Change Lab (PCCL), IUAV University of Venice
Planning is increasingly challenged by complex urban issues and, more recently, by the urgent need to address climate-related risks and resilience. Planning theories and practices are called upon to support actions and interventions that may encounter organizational, behavioral, economic, and ideological resistance. What kind of planning for climate transition?
11.15 Coffee break
11.30 Roundtable: ITALIAN CITIES IN THE NET-ZERO CITIES MISSION 2030
More than 100 cities in Europe are committed to developing climate action plans within the framework of the so-called “Climate City Contracts.” Is this merely a new tool of urban marketing? To what extent are cities reframing their internal structures and implementation protocols to make such plans effective? Four Italian cities share their experiences and challenges.
- City of Milan – Rossana Torri, Project Manager, EU Mission “100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities”
- City of Turin – Ettore Bompard, DENERG, Politecnico di Torino
- City of Florence – Andrea Giorgio, Deputy Mayor for Environment and Ecological Transition
- City of Padua – Giovanni Vicentini, Giulia Canilli, Environment and Territory Sector
Moderator: Matteo Giacomelli – DASTU, Politecnico di Milano
13:00 Light Lunch
14:15 Keynote Speech: THE LIMITS OF ADAPTATION
Lorenzo Chelleri – Urban Resilience reserach Network (URNet) / Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC)
European cities have adopted ambitious climate agendas, but project-led governance often fails to embrace the much-needed alignment between mitigation, adaptation, and climate justice. This keynote presents findings from 10 cities, 30 workshops, and 80 interviews, highlighting key barriers to climate governance and offering a closer look at the strengths and gaps in Barcelona’s climate strategy.
15:00 Roundtable Discussion: PLANNING IN THE AGE OF CLIMATE ACTION
Climate action plans are increasingly being adopted worldwide. What is the relationship between these targeted actions, their implementation strategies, and the planning instruments governing urban transformation and management? To what extent is climate resilience a mainstreamed component of planning? Or should it be viewed as an overarching strategy guiding more established planning frameworks? Do we need to rethink planning altogether—or develop new approaches?
- Benedetta Lucchitta – SUR LAB, Bocconi University
- Ettore Bompard – DENERG, Politecnico di Torino
- Francesco Musco – PCCL, IUAV University of Venice
- Grazia Concilio – DASTU, Politecnico di Milano
- Lorenzo Chelleri – URNet / Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
- Maria Manez Costa – Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon
- Mattia Leone – Urban Climate Change Research Network, Università Federico II
- Mira Conci – Built Environment Lead, Climate-KIC
- Stefano Salata – DASTU, Politecnico di Milano
Moderator: Irene Bianchi – DASTU, Politecnico di Milano
16:50 Closing
Grazia Concilio – DASTU, Politecnico di Milano
The event is supported by Climaborough Project and CRAFT.
Organizers: Grazia Concilio, Matteo Giacomelli, Irene Bianchi
Info at matteo.giacomelli[at]polimi.it
