Digital Global Townhall Conference
Today’s cities face the urgent task of addressing the impacts of climate change, ensuring energy security, and building urban environments that are inclusive and accessible to all. At the same time, they also serve as testing grounds for innovative solutions and ideas which can be applied to the national level. “Future Cities Go Glocal” recognizes cities as both global and local actors. The aim is to promote exchange between city stakeholders from Berlin, New Delhi, Nairobi, and Mexico City in order to share best practices, create new networks, and develop policy recommendations for sustainable and inclusive urban development in the face of these diverse challenges.
On Tuesday, June 17, 2025, the Aspen Institute Germany will host the Digital Global Townhall Conference, bringing the first cohort of the Future Cities Go Glocal project to a close. The conference will feature panel discussions and exchanges on topics such as international city cooperation, climate change, mobility, the energy transition, and environmental management in urban areas. It will also include discussions about the publication of global and local policy recommendations developed by the participants from Berlin, New Delhi, Nairobi, and Mexico City. The event will bring together the project participants, leading urban thinkers, and key stakeholders from across sectors.
Speakers & Moderators
- Dr. Cornelia Auer
- Senior Scientist, Potsdam-Institute for Climate Impact Research and Spokesperson, Climate Council of the Berlin Senate
- Nitin Bassi
- Senior Programme Lead of the Sustainable Water Team, Council on Energy, Environment and Water
- Chetan Bhattacharji
- Climate Journalist and Communications Consultant
- Rafael Carmona
- Co-Founder and CTO, GreenMomentum Inc.
- Soumya Chaturvedula
- Director, ICLEI South Asia
- Roberto Castillo Cruz
- General Director for Policy Coordination and Environmental Culture, Ministry of Environment of Mexico City (Sedema)
- Paramita Dey
- Head of the Resources and Waste Unit, National Institute of Urban Affairs
- Bhaumik Gowande
- Associate Researcher, International Council on Clean Transportation
- Andreas Grau
- Senior Expert, Center for Sustainable Communities, Bertelsmann Stiftung
- Dr. Felix Groba
- Head of Unit “Energy”, Berlin Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises
- Georg Klußmann
- Chief of Protocol of the State of Berlin, The Governing Mayor of Berlin – Senate Chancellery
- Ashish Kundra
- Principal Secretary to the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of National Capital Territory of Delhi
- Dr. Jens Libbe
- Member of the Institute Management and Head of Department, Infrastructure, Economics and Finance, German Institute of Urban Affairs
- Diana Luna
- Latin America Policy Advisor, Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom
- Luciana Maia
- Director, futurbanos and Senior Advisor, Stadtverwicklung
- Dr. Stormy-Annika Mildner
- Executive Director, Aspen Institute Germany
- Nasra Nanda
- Special Elect Member, Nairobi City County Assembly and CEO, Kenya Green Building Society
- Carla Ortiz Fuentes
- Country Manager México, RER Energy Group México
- Anna Otieno
- Technical Environment Officer, Climate Change and Air Quality Monitoring Unit, Nairobi City County Government
- Dr. Alanus von Radecki
- CEO, Data Competence Center for Cities and Regions
- Ricardo Samaniego-Breach
- Retd. Economics Professor, Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico
- Dr. Stefan Taschner
- Spokesperson for Climate Protection & Energy, Animal Welfare, and One World Policy for the parliamentary group of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, Berlin House of Representatives
- Dianne Wakonyo
- Researcher, Asphalt & Ink.
Agenda
These are the speakers confirmed for our conference so far. More will follow shortly and will be added on an ongoing basis.
| 3:00 – 3:05 pm CEST | Opening Remarks – Dr. Stormy-Annika Mildner, Executive Director, Aspen Institute Germany |
| 3:05 – 3:10 pm CEST | Future Cities Go Glocal: Project Video Screening |
| 3:10 – 3:20 pm CEST | Opening Keynote Speech – Georg Klußmann, Chief of Protocol of the State of Berlin, The Governing Mayor of Berlin – Senate Chancellery |
| 3:20 – 4:00 pm CEST | Panel Discussion: “The Urban Century: Cities as Anchors of Glocal Change“ – Anna Otieno, Technical Environment Officer, Climate Change and Air Quality Monitoring Unit, Nairobi City County Government – Paramita Dey, Head of the Resources and Waste Unit, National Institute of Urban Affairs – Andreas Grau, Senior Expert, Center for Sustainable Communities, Bertelsmann Stiftung – Dr. Jens Libbe, Member of the Institute Management and Head of Department, Infrastructure, Economics and Finance, German Institute of Urban Affairs – Dr. Stormy-Annika Mildner, Executive Director, Aspen Institute Germany (Moderator) – Ricardo Samaniego-Breach, Retd. Economics Professor, Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico |
| 4:00 – 4:50 pm CEST | Simultaneous Breakout Panel Discussions Panel 1: “From Local Grids to Global Goals: Making the Energy Transition Work for Everyone” – Chetan Bhattacharji, Climate Journalist and Communications Consultant – Dr. Felix Groba, Head of Unit “Energy”, Berlin Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises – Diana Luna, Latin America Policy Advisor, Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (Moderator) – Carla Ortiz Fuentes, Country Manager México, RER Energy Group México – Dianne Wakonyo, Researcher, Asphalt & Ink. Panel 2: “Nature and the City: Rethinking Environmental Management in Cities” – Dr. Cornelia Auer, Senior Scientist, Potsdam-Institute for Climate Impact Research and Spokesperson, Climate Council of the Berlin Senate – Nitin Bassi, Senior Programme Lead of the Sustainable Water Team, Council on Energy, Environment and Water – Roberto Castillo Cruz, General Director for Policy Coordination and Environmental Culture, Ministry of Environment of Mexico City (Sedema) – Soumya Chaturvedula, Director, ICLEI South Asia – Luciana Maia, Director, futurbanos and Senior Advisor, Stadtverwicklung (Moderator) Panel 3: “Last Mile Mobility: The Future of Just Urban Movement” – Rafael Carmona, Co-Founder and CTO, GreenMomentum Inc. – Bhaumik Gowande, Associate Researcher, International Council on Clean Transportation – Dr. Alanus von Radecki, CEO, Data Competence Center for Cities and Regions (Moderator) – Dr. Stefan Taschner, Spokesperson for Climate Protection & Energy, Animal Welfare, and One World Policy for the parliamentary group of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, Berlin House of Representatives |
| 4:50 – 5:25 pm CEST | Panel Discussion: “Local Power, Global Impact: A City Leadership Dialogue“ – Hon’ble Sh. Ashish Kundra, Principal Secretary to the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of National Capital Territory of Delhi. – Hon. Nasra Nanda, Special Elect Member, Nairobi City County Assembly and CEO, Kenya Green Building Society – Dr. Stormy-Annika Mildner, Executive Director, Aspen Institute Germany (Moderator) |
| 5:25 – 5:30 pm CEST | Closing Remarks – Dr. Stormy-Annika Mildner, Executive Director, Aspen Institute Germany |
| 5:30 pm CEST | End |
The project is supported by the Stiftung Deutsche Klassenlotterie Berlin.
