June 27, 2025 | Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB)
The 2025 International Conference on Sustainable Cities opened with a thought-provoking session that brought together leading scholars and international experts to address the urgent challenges of sustainable and climate-resilient urban development.
Professor Dr. Phoebe Koundouri (Athens University of Economics and Business & University of Cambridge; Chair, SDSN Global Climate Hub; Founder, AE4RIA) delivered the opening keynote, emphasizing the need for systemic transformation that integrates nature, economy, and society. She presented the global impact of AE4RIA – the Alliance of Excellence for Research and Innovation on Aephoria – which operates in more than 120 countries and leads over 100 projects. She also highlighted five key EU-funded projects supporting the conference: ARSINOE, Climate Impetus, CARMINE Project, Pathways2Resilience, and BuildSkills Academy.
Professor Vassilis Vasdekis, Rector of AUEB, underscored the university’s role as a central urban institution, actively collaborating with the Municipality of Athens and contributing to research and initiatives that promote sustainable urban development.
Gary Jacobs, President of the World Academy of Art and Science, spoke about the historic and continuing role of cities as engines of innovation, civic engagement, and transformative action, especially in times of global crisis.
Professor Klaus Mainzer, President of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts, provided a systems science perspective, describing cities as complex adaptive systems. He emphasized how digital technologies and artificial intelligence can support the modeling and optimization of sustainable urban solutions.
Professor Peter Wagner, Chair of the Environment, Sustainability and Climate Task Force at Academia Europaea, highlighted the dual role of cities as both major consumers of resources and potential leaders in sustainability transitions. He noted the constraints cities face within broader national and geopolitical systems and stressed the importance of local leadership.
María Cortés Puch, Vice President of Networks at the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), presented findings from the 2025 Sustainable Development Report, revealing that none of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are currently on track globally.
Massamba Thioye, Director of the UNFCCC Global Innovation Hub, emphasized the need for innovation and applied science to serve societal and environmental goals. He praised the conference as a model of science being mobilized to drive people-centered, systemic transformation.
A significant announcement during the session was the formation of a strategic partnership between the UNFCCC Global Innovation Hub, led by Mr. Thioye, and the SDSN Global Climate Hub, led by Professor Dr. Koundouri. This collaboration will leverage scientific modeling, stakeholder engagement, and digital tools to facilitate measurable, inclusive, and systemic sustainability transitions.
