Climate Resilient Cities 2023

Climate Resilient Cities 2023

Branislav Siklienka, President, Slovak Association for Green Roofs & Green Infrastructure (first from left); Manfred Koehler, President, WGIN (second from left); Oleksandra Strashok, Head, Ukrainian Association of Green Infrastructure (third from left); Jana Toth, Leading manager for EU financing (the middle); Eva Papp, conference management (third from right); Marta Weber-Siwirska, Board member of WGIN &  President of Polish Green Roof Association (second from right); Jan Rapan, Vice President, Slovak Association for Green Roofs & Green Infrastructure (first from right).

Climate Resilient Cities took place on  26 – 28 September 2023 in Bratislava, Slovakia! The most successful Central & Eastern European Conference dedicated to science and research regarding climate resilient cities brought together the World Green Infrastructure Network (WGIN) and the Slovak Association for Green Roofs and Green Infrastructure in a more complex collaboration.

Green roofs, green facades and other green and blue measures have many benefits to help us adapt our cities to changing climate conditions. Every year we experience extreme droughts, heat waves and torrential rains. Vegetated roofs help to cool heat islands in cities, retain rainwater, increase biodiversity, and create new living spaces in office or commercial centres. They also combine well with photovoltaics and improve their efficiency.

During the Climate Resilient Cities 2023 conference, we had the opportunity to see and hear 24 great lectures and analyses as well as  an evening of networking with conference participants. On the third day, there was an excursion to Bratislava and Vienna.

Manfred Kohler, President of WGIN, and Marta Weber-Siwirska, Board Member of WGIN, contributed with excellent lectures.

This conference also had a world first in hosting the Head of the Ukrainian Association of Green Infrastructure, Oleksandra Strashok.

PROGRAMME:

DAY 1: 26.9.2023 (Tuesday)

  • 8:00: Registration
  • 9:00 – 18:00: Presentations and announcement of the winners of the “Green Roof of the Year 2023”
  • 18:00: Evening reception and networking.

DAY 2: 27.9.2023 (Wednesday)

  • 9:00 – 17:00: Presentations

DAY 3: 28.9.2023 (Thursday) 

  • Excursion to interesting green roofs

SPEAKERS:

  • Prof. Dr. Ing. Prof. Dr. Manfred Koehler, President, World Green Infrastructure Network (WGIN) Germany
  • Prof. Marta Weber-Siwirska, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Science, Poland
  • Prof. Ing. Zuzana Sternová, PhD, Executive Advisor of the Technical and Testing Institute of Construction
  • Mgr. Jozef Pecho, climatologist, Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute
  • Ing. Marek Sokáč, PhD., Chairman of the Scientific Council of the Institute of Hydrology, Slovak Academy of Sciences
  • RNDr. Timotej Brenkus, SAŽP, Director of Environmental Science Section
  • Ing. arch. Ondrej Horváth, Head of the Department of Spatial Development and Concepts, City of Trnava
  • Ing. Pavel Dostál, Chairman of the Green Roof Section, Czech Republic
  • Ing. Jana Tóth, Specialist in public project financing
  • and many others…

Find more information here.

View the event trailer here.

CONTACT:

The Slovak Association for Green Roofs and Green Infrastructure

papp@zelenestrechy.org
www.zelenestrechy.org

Follow us on our social channels.

Follow us on the channel that best suits you to receive our latest updates!

NEW

LATEST POSTS

Introducing the Australasian Green Infrastructure Network (AGIN)

AGIN, a recently formed national/regional association for green infrastructure advocacy, joined the WGIN family in 2024. In 2025, AGIN President Gail Hall stepped down and was succeeded by Dr. Sebastian Pfautsch.  Sebastian presents his personal journey to green infrastructure advocacy, the Australasian Green Infrastructure Network and selected projects from AGIN’s members.                                                                                                                                                                                         Dr. Sebastian Pfautsch, recently elected President, Australasian Green                                                                                                   Infrastructure Network Read the whole story about AGIN – the (not so) new kid on the block.

Save the date: World Green Infrastructure Congress 2026

Join us at: World Green Infrastructure Congress BARCELONA 2026 October 27–29: CCIB – Parc del Fòrum, Barcelona (Spain) October 30: University of Lleida – Catalunya (Spain) Organized by: University of Lleida Co-organized by the World Green Infrastructure Network (WGIN). Visit WGIC26.Barcelona

Resilience by design? Future-proofing urban environments through green roofs

We are happy to present the WGIN European Chapter latest White Paper, which explores the numerous benefits of green roofs as part of sustainable urban green infrastructure. This document provides an in-depth overview of the benefits of green infrastructure solutions, featuring real case studies that highlight their positive environmental, social and economic impacts. It also outlines the crucial role the European Union has been playing and can continue to play in supporting the widespread adoption of these solutions through effective policies and robust regulatory frameworks. Luigi Petito, Head of Secretariat of WGIN European Chapter: “We are pleased to have access to a powerful new paper highlighting the broad benefits of urban green infrastructure. This will be especially valuable for our ongoing work on the follow-up to the European Water Resilience Strategy and the forthcoming European Climate Adaptation Plan”. Explore the full White Paper here.