Cascading crises result from a complex combination of risks, vulnerabilities, and governance structures. Addressing these challenges requires not only technological or institutional changes but also active public engagement, inclusive decision-making, and effective risk communication.
In that context, the NEEDS 2026 Conference, entitled “Societal Resilience in Times of Cascading Crises and Disasters,” was held from April 28th to 30th, 2026, at the Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) in Lithuania. Organized by the Civil Society and Sustainability Research group at KTU, the event brought together scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to address the complex challenges of interconnected global crises.
The conference commenced with high-level welcomes that established the thematic foundation of the event. Prof. Aistė Balžekienė (KTU), serving as the Chair of the NEEDS 2026 Committee, provided opening remarks alongside Dr. Farid Karimi (University of Jyväskylä), the Project Leader of DeCrises. Their joint presence underscored the project's central role in the conference, with Karimi and Balžekienė later leading critical discussions on how multilevel governance (MLG) can ensure an equitable twin transition across Europe.
Day 1: Establishing Governance and Social Frameworks
The initial sessions saw DeCrises members actively moderating and presenting foundational and applied research:
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Governance Foundations: Vineta Kleinberga (Rīga Stradiņš University) chaired session 1.3, “Governance for Resilient Futures,” which explored how institutional structures adapt to common shocks.
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Technological Focus: Session 2.2, “Technological Innovation for Disaster Reduction,” was chaired by Asta Jurgutė (KTU).
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Invisible Voices: Joaquin Zenteno Hopp (Western Norway Research Institute) presented a paper co-authored with T. Myksvoll and D. Furberg titled "Uncertain Skills, Invisible Voices: The Personal Barriers to Socio-Technical Change," advocating for the inclusion of marginalized perspectives in resilience planning.
Day 2: Exploring Community and Multilevel Governance
The second day focused on the practical application of resilience strategies and inclusive engagement:
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Natalia Bełdyga chaired session 4.1 on “Displacement Dynamics and Refugee Integration Strategies,” while Aistė Balžekienė chaired session 4.3, “Perception, Trust, and Recovery in Complex Disaster Contexts”.
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Health and Capacity: Audronė Telešienė (KTU) chaired session 5.2 on “Health, Preparedness, and Community Resilience,” and Matúš Mišík (Comenius University in Bratislava) led session 5.3, focusing on “Preparedness Frameworks and Capacities”.
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The Power from Below: Natalia Bełdyga participated as a panelist in the roundtable discussion led by Robert Larruina, exploring grassroots organizing in times of polycrisis.
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Featured DeCrises Roundtable: Farid Karimi moderated a roundtable on “Multilevel Governance for Decarbonisation in Times of Crises.” This panel brought together a range of DeCrises experts, including A. Balžekienė, M. Mišík, J. Zenteno Hopp, V. Kleinberga, and P. Arteaga, to discuss the shift from green to security politics, the challenges in implementation of multilevel governance in twin transitions, and the necessity of ensuring just transition.
Day 3: Resilience in Practice and Future Perspectives
The final day highlighted specialized research and interactive simulations:
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Session Chairs: DeCrises partner Joaquin Zenteno Hopp chaired session 7.1 on “Societal Resilience and Crisis Preparedness,” while Farid Karimi chaired session 7.4, “Democratic Resilience and Politics”.
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Empirical Research: DeCrises partner Aistė Balžekienė presented her research on “Lay - Expert n Perception of Societal Resilience and Crisis Preparedness in Lithuania,” offering a regional lens on trust and readiness.
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Data and Deliberation: DeCrises partner Rodrigo Santaella Goncalves (LUT University) presented on the datafication of official statistics in the Baltics, while Matti Kojo (LUT University) - who also chaired session 8.1 on Strategic Foresight - presented a case study on deliberative panels for small modular reactor projects in Finland.
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Simulating the Future: One of the conference's most interactive components was a Scenario-Based Simulation of cascading crises in a complex risk environment, led by A. Telešienė, R. Pelikšienė, and U. Varankaitė.
Throughout these sessions, the DeCrises team emphasized that resilience is not just about technology, but about social innovation that could contribute to disaster prevention, efficient response in crises situations and speedy recovery. Key takeaways from their discussions included the need for civil society to act as watchdogs, the importance of local communities being co-owners of transition projects, and the critical requirement for better coordination between stakeholders to address institutional gaps in governance.
As the conference drew to a close, the message from the DeCrises team was clear: building a resilient Europe requires more than just new policy - it requires a fundamental shift toward social innovation and a commitment to ensuring that, in the face of any disaster, no community is left behind.
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The DeCrises project is a research project funded by Horizon Europe with grant agreement No. 101177807, which aims to enhance democratic governance in Europe by supporting a just and inclusive twin transition through multilevel governance and community-led social innovation. Learn more about the project and get in touch: