The Institute of Strategic Risk Management (ISRM) is excited to launch the ISRM Centre for the Study of Wicked Problems 2024 Global Urban Resilience Project to bring together academics, practitioners and policymakers in researching and advocating for effective solutions that can help to model, prepare for and engage with the challenges that we are already facing, and will continue to face for the foreseeable future.

On February 20 – 22, the ISRM is launching the project with the CSWP Virtual Conference: Global Urban Resilience in the 21st Century, consisting of six online sessions over three days that will serve as a platform for discussion on tackling modern wicked problems and the evolving nature of urban resilience in the 21st century.

In addressing the wicked problems of the 21st century, including new and emerging challenges to the resilience of our built environments, an interdisciplinary approach to complexity and uncertainty is vital in the drive to develop innovative modern solutions, the organisation says. “It is time to provide a more serious response to the many of the crises our cities are facing globally.”

The virtual conference will bring together leading global expertise and thought leadership for a wide-ranging series of discussions on the opportunities and challenges that we face in 2024 and beyond. It will serve as a platform for discussion on tackling modern wicked problems and the evolving nature of urban resilience in the 21st century. Delegates are being invited to “be a part of the solution”, the ISRM says, and form part of the discussion around the wicked problems of our time.

The opening session, chaired by ISRM Executive Director Dr David Rubens, will set the scene for the Global Urban Resilience Conference by unpacking the main concepts behind urban resilience as a 21st-century wicked problem.

Distinguished panelists will include:

• Lord Toby Harris, Chair of the UK National Preparedness Commission and President of the ISRM
• Xavier Castellanos, Under Secretary-General for National Society Development and Operations Coordination at the IFRC
• Jaroslav Romanchuk, renowned Ukrainian-Belarusian advocate and economist, President of the Mises Research Center and former Presidential Candidate

The full programme is as follows:

Tuesday 20 February

10:00 – 11:30 /GMT/

Setting the Scene: Concept and Reality
Introductory address, presentation of our vision and concept, and discussion on Wicked problems and the Urban Resilience needs of our time.

16:00 – 17:30 /GMT/

Cities Underwater, Cities On Fire – Dealing with the realities of global warming and climate change
Panel discussion and paper presentations related to challenges related to the Resilience of our cities in relation to rising sea levels, supply chain issues, food production, pollution and adaptation.

Wednesday 21 February

10:00 – 11:30 /GMT/

Lessons From The Global South
Panel discussion and paper presentations related to the experiences of cities in the Global south. The fastest growing urban centres of today are in the global south, and we can learn much from their challenges and solutions.

16:00 – 17:30 /GMT/

Disaster-Proofing City Management
Panel discussion and paper presentations related to preparing cities to anticipate and effectively manage complex disasters of all kinds, in order to ensure Resilience even in emergency situations.

Thursday 22 February

10:00 – 11:30 /GMT/

Keeping It Going: Planning and Management of City Infrastructure
Panel discussion and paper presentations related to structural resilience and infrastructure developments in contemporary cities, as the infrastructure tomorrow must be developed in way that makes cities more resilient in a fast paced and changing environment.

16:00 – 17:30 /GMT/

Beyond Imagination: The City of 2050
Panel discussion and paper presentations related to Imagining the cities of tomorrow and the obstacles they need to overcome, as well which practices they could implement in order to be able to resist the challenges brought by Wicked Problems.

The Institute of Strategic Risk Management is urging interested parties to register to become part of the discussion, and part of the solution.

You can also learn more about the ISRM by watching our recent interview at Intersec with ISRM Executive Director, David Rubens.

For more ISRM news, click here