Case study: 2024 Innovate4Cities Conference (I4C24)
Making a difference and having a positive impact on the people and communities that we work with is at the core of our business model, and with global temperatures reaching record highs, there’s no greater issue in our world today than preserving our natural environment and addressing climate change!
So, when we were invited to produce the Innovate4Cities (I4C) Global Marketplace in 2023, and then more recently the 2024 Innovate4Cities Conference (I4C24) we jumped at the chance.
Co-hosted by the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM) and UN-Habitat, I4C24 brought together decision makers, scientists, civil society leaders and city climate experts from over 100 countries and 6 continents, to provide a space and opportunity for the leading voices of city climate action to share their knowledge and collaborate.
Running over three-days, from 10 – 12 September 2024, I4C24 attracted over 2,000 participants to more than 200 dynamic sessions. Due to the high demand and limited spaces, in-person registration closed in August, and 29 sessions were broadcast online allowing many more people to view the proceedings in real-time. These sessions have now also been made available to re-watch on demand.
With such a large number of delegates, speakers and sessions it was essential to utilise our groundbreaking Future Events Lab mobile event app. The app was fully customised with I4C24 branding and helped attendees seamlessly find and access relevant sessions, presenter bios and other important event information throughout the three days.
Here’s some of the highlights from each day’s proceedings, courtesy of the GCoM:
Day one:
Opening the Conference, the Montréal Mayor Valérie Plante, host city of the event, spoke about the link between finance and sustainable development and said: “Finance must go hand in hand with sustainable development, and the latter cannot advance without finance.”
The day also featured insightful sessions and case studies, focused on advancing climate-resilient actions through co-ordinated planning across multiple levels of governance and partnerships.
Day two:
In a powerful plenary session on Making City Climate Action Inclusive, Fair, and Just, Former Grand Chief of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà, Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer, said: “I feel like there are still so many people going about their day-to-day lives, not really caring, acknowledging, or knowing that they could be part of the solution. And we have to help them.”
Day two also focused on building city resilience, promoting environmental justice, and sharing research and innovation tools.
Day three:
On the final day, the Conference looked at how to mobilize urban climate finance and foster knowledge sharing across sectors, including sessions on data collection and measuring climate progress. Developments in AI innovation for city climate action were also explored.
EVENT FAST FACTS:
- Dates: Tuesday 10 – Thursday 12 September 2024
- Format: Hybrid – in-person and online
- Location: Westin Hotel – Montreal, Canada
- Registered attendees: 2,000 online and in-person
- Total Sessions: 200 (100+ sessions on day 1, then 50+ on day’s 2 & 3)
- Live Online Sessions: 29 (now available to view on demand)
- Website: https://www.innovate4cities.org/conference-2024/
- Livestream on-demand: https://www.innovate4cities.org/livesteam2024/
JTPM’s role:
All planning and meetings were conducted remotely from our Carlton office, with two of our most experienced event managers flying to Canada to produce the event on the days, with support from event coordinators and technical team members back in Melbourne. You know you’ve got an extraordinary event team when they can fly into a new city and deliver a three-day-long worldwide hybrid event as smoothly and successfully as I4C24…
In addition to traditional event logistics, scheduling and delivery services, JTPM was responsible for the I4C24 event website including design, ongoing updates, all bookings and registration enquiries. We also set up the abstract submission portal and managed that process and developed a detailed strategic communications plan including 10 EDM’s to promote the event.
What’s next?
At JTPM we always say, the end of any event should represent the beginning of new possibilities and opportunities…
I4C24 contributed valuable insights and best practices that will help shape climate policies and collaborative solutions around the world. As we continue to navigate climate challenges, the knowledge and innovations shared at this Conference will be pivotal in guiding future action and we have been honoured to help facilitate that!
Outcomes from I4C24 also contributed to The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Special Report on Climate Change and Cities, which will be released at the World Urban Forum (WUF 12) in Cairo, Egypt from 4 – 8 November 2024. We may not be producing that event, but we’ll be watching with keen interest!
(Chloe and Emily on the ground in Montreal, Canada).
Get involved!
Do you run a major Conference or event that aims to make the world a better place?
Contact us to book an event discovery and design session and get ready to make it your most extraordinary and impactful event yet!
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