Written by Deesha Chadha, Co-chair of the London Resilience Faith & Belief Sector Panel
Attending the London Resilience Summit 2026 provided a powerful, clear-eyed look at how cities, communities, and institutions must adapt to an increasingly complex world. From plenary speeches in The Chamber to breakout sessions on community infrastructure and leadership, the recurring theme of the day was clear: resilience is fundamentally about people, relationships, and whole-of-society collaboration.
Lord Sadiq Khan joined us for the early part of the proceedings, delivering a powerful, honest address on the importance of a resilient London and the role we must all play in making this happen.
London Resilience Sessions
The summit kicked off with an opening plenary on Resilience and Preparedness for a Rapidly Changing World. Speakers like Kirsten Wright set the foundation, emphasising that digital infrastructure and technical systems mean nothing without community infrastructure.
- Person-Centred & Local Focus: Emergency plans and risk assessments are evolving. Local risks – ranging from frequent flash flooding and heatwaves to extreme weather driven by El Niño require a move away from top-down government models toward person-centred, local prevention.
- Connecting Boroughs and Communities: Emergency plans across London boroughs are becoming more joined-up. However, the real first responders aren’t just official agencies – they are neighbours.
- The Missing Link: While formal networks are critical, key connections often lie in grass-roots community ties that others overlook. Mapping these networks and breaking down barriers (such as through apps or robust administrative processes) is vital to healing and long-term community recovery.
During the parallel sessions which focused on learning, overcoming challenges, and creating solutions, several key themes emerged:
- Baroness Twycross (Cabinet Minister) highlighted cabinet-led resilience and government initiatives aimed at building broad, accessible reach through partnerships.
- Toby Harris (National Preparedness Commission) underscored that involvement of people is key. Everyone, from individuals to local businesses, has a part to play in national readiness.
- Climate Realities: Discussions around climate shocks (such as heatwaves, heavy rainfall, and the 2026 wildfire risks in the UK/Europe) stressed that we must not underestimate what these events demand from local infrastructure.
A breakout session on community infrastructure, expertly orchestrated by Emily Coatham, Partnership Manager of the London Communities Emergencies Partnership (LCEP) and Cliff Flemming, Communities Resilience Manager at London Resilience, allowed individuals to connect and discuss. Essentially, conversations were focused on identifying issues and best practices. What actions are we currently in a position to take to mitigate problems? Where do gaps still lie? What can we learn from one another? It is amazing how sophisticated these conversations have become.
Deanne Criswell (Administrator of the USA Federal Emergency Management Agency from 2021-25) delivered a phenomenal keynote address, in conversation with our very own Katherine Richardson (Chief Resilience Officer, London Resilience). They reflected on their many years of experience and built expertise in the field. They touched on such themes as:
- Rethinking Risk: Community perception of risk is changing. Modelling and leadership are no longer just hierarchical; modern leadership requires flexibility, rapid decision-making on the spot, and proactive structure rather than rigid procedures.
- Human-Centred Leadership: Emergency management must remain a human-centred space rather than devolving into a purely political arena. Encouraging trusted local voices to participate in planning and preparation is essential.
- Risk and Equity: True resilience cannot exist without equity. Equity is fundamental to ensuring a broad, systems thinking approach to resilience.
- Co-Design and Mapping: The immediate next steps for resilience practitioners involve mapping exercises, co-designing emergency responses with local groups, and grounding policies in real human stories rather than abstract statistics.
- Embracing Uncertainty: Effective leadership requires comfort with ambiguity, diverse partnerships, and the courage to act outside traditional policy constraints when human safety demands it.
Ahead of the closing remarks – excellently delivered by David Bellamy (Chair of the London Resilience Forum), I attended a session entitled ‘Designing a Future Resilient London’. It was delivered by young people, who represented the Mayor’s Fund for London. The focus was on partnerships, resources, voice etc. and the vital part young people can and ought to play determining what our next steps look like. We cannot go forward without their meaningful contributions.
Final Thoughts
The London Resilience Summit 2026 proved that shaping a resilient future isn’t just about build quality or technical readiness – it’s about people, trust, and shared responsibility.
As a takeaway, I would summarise by stating that as cities face compound risks, the path forward relies on:
- Building strong community infrastructure alongside physical assets.
- Empowering local neighbours as vital first responders.
- Prioritising equity, lived experience, and co-creation in every stage of planning.
We have come such a long way. There is still much to do. I came away with questions, but more than anything – I came away hopeful.
