Throughout the Forum, the UBC stand in the Networking Village became a lively meeting point for city representatives, experts and organisations. Coordinated by UBC General Secretariat together with UBC Sustainable Cities Commission, the stand showcased ongoing initiatives, publications and upcoming opportunities. This year, the stand was supported by Cultural, Safe Cities, Learning, Planning & Inclusive and Healthy Cities Commissions.
Ahead of the Forum, the UBC Executive Board held a meeting on 11 May 2026, officially welcoming Kirkkonummi, Finland, as a new network member city, alongside the Ukrainian cities of Boiarka and Kalush as associated cities – another important step in strengthening regional cooperation during challenging times.
Cities preparing for climate and crisis resilience
On 11 May, the main back-to-back Day of Cities and Regions organised by the Baltic Sea States Subregional Co-operation (BSSSC) focused strongly on preparedness and resilience in the face of multiple crises affecting the Baltic Sea Region. UBC Sustainable Cities Commission contributed to the discussion with an intervention on climate resilience, emphasising how it can be integrated into wider local and regional preparedness strategies. This call for action, based on the knowledge in the ClimaResponse transnational consortium, formed part of the ongoing ClimaRoadshow campaign supporting Baltic Sea Region cities.
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Mariia Andreeva, UBC SCC, introducing the ClimaResponse structural pillars ultimately leading to climate resilience. Photo by Andras Kralla.
ClimaResponse, in which UBC SCC coordinates transfer activities under the leadership of the Council of the Baltic Sea States, also brought to the main Forum day one of the most engaging sessions with an interactive flood simulation exercise. This session was organised by ClimaResponse and its sister projects Baltfloods and CREWS, all co-funded by Interreg BSR.
This exercise used real flood data and a tested simulation model from UBC member city Kristiansand, Norway, and it created a creative space for participants to work through a realistic emergency scenario based on the devastating 2017 flooding event, classified as a “once-in-500-years” disaster.
Participants assumed different roles within a cross-sectoral crisis team, coordinating evacuations, managing resources, monitoring rising water levels and organising volunteer efforts in real time. The exercise demonstrated how effective cooperation between municipalities, emergency services and different authorities can significantly strengthen urban resilience and preparedness for climate-related risks.
Over 60 participants tried out the roles of volunteers, emergency units and mayors in a flood exercise based on real data. Photo by Andras Kralla.
From mobility plans to real urban change
Sustainable urban mobility was another major focus during the Forum, which was strongly supported by our Commission. On 12 May, our Commission's mobility team launched a session “From plans to reality: governing urban mobility for resilience” with the projects SUMPs for BSR and the BSR Urban Mobility platform (both led by our Commission). Together with local, regional, national authorities and macroregional representatives we explored how cities can move from strategic planning to practical implementation.
The panel brought together representatives from the UBC member cities of Hamburg, Gdynia and Panevėžys, Estonian Ministry of Climate, and EUSBSR coordinators of Policy Areas Transport and Spatial Planning. Discussions revealed that while Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) remain valuable tools, cities often face significant barriers when implementing long-term mobility solutions.
Panel discussion moderated by Maija Rusanen, UBC SCC, reflected on the audience responses on biggest bottlenecks in implementing sustainable mobility. Photo by Andras Kralla.
A key message emerging from the discussion was that fragmentation between local, regional and national responsibilities continues to slow the progress. Participants also highlighted the importance of political and public acceptance, noting that even well-designed solutions require strong public support and stable political commitment to succeed.
Another challenge identified was the mismatch between long-term infrastructure development and rapidly changing political priorities. Cities stressed the need for stronger governance structures, clearer coordination and better cooperation mechanisms to turn ambitious mobility plans into lasting urban transformation.
Overall, the Annual Forum 2026 underlined the central message: resilient and sustainable cities are built not only through good strategies, but through cooperation, trust and the ability to deliver practical solutions together.
Photo by Andras Kralla.