Cities on the frontline: urban governance in the age of the polycrisis?

This event is a free, one-hour lecture, hosted by Oxford Lifelong Learning, University of Oxford. The event will be live-streamed from our Lecture Theatre, so you have the option to join us online or in person.

Cities are often the first responders in times of crisis - whether conflict, climate disaster, or migration. This lecture by keynote speaker Ievgeniia Kopytsia, draws on Ukraine’s experience to examine how cities on the frontlines of conflict can become laboratories for transformative recovery, reimagining housing, climate adaptation, legal frameworks, and participatory governance. It explores the challenges and opportunities of urban crisis response, highlighting the role of local leadership, adaptive policy, and cross-sector collaboration in building more resilient, inclusive urban futures amidst profound disruption.

About our Speaker

Dr Ievgeniia Kopytsia is a legal scholar specialising in climate, energy, and environmental law and policy, with a focus on green recovery and the net zero transition from international, European, and Ukrainian perspectives. She is an Associate Professor at Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University, where she leads the Centre for Sustainable Development and Environmental Law and coordinates the Europe–Ukraine Energy Transition Hub—an international consortium supporting Ukraine’s green reconstruction and the development of resilient governance and market frameworks. From 2023 to 2025, she was an academic visitor at the Faculty of Law, University of Oxford and Associate of Oxford Net Zero, where her research focused on climate law dilemmas in the era of polycrisis. She also serves as a Steering Committee member of the Oxford Ukraine Hub, helping to shape interdisciplinary academic initiatives on Ukraine in the context of conflict, recovery, and transformation.

About the Sustainable Urban Development programme

This event is part of Oxford University's Sustainable Urban Development programme which comprises a transformative MSc and DPhil programme. We welcome students, alumni, and all those with an interest in this dynamic and rapidly evolving field. There will be the opportunity to network and meet like-minded individuals. Learn more about the programme here.