Urban areas are increasingly exposed to severe climate-related and human-induced risks,making cross-sector collaboration essentialforreducing risk and strengthening resilience. Multi-level community-based approaches can support inclusive decision-making and adaptive urban planning, improving preparednessfor natural hazards and future emergencies. In this context, the New European Bauhaus (NEB) Compass identifies three core working principles: participation, multi-level governance, and transdisciplinarity. Building on NEB principles and the engagement ladder model, this study proposes a structured approach to stakeholder engagement in addressing multi-dimensional challenges. This research is part of the Horizon European co-funded project RETIME, focusing on three pilot sites in Portugal, Slovakia, and Estonia. These sites were selected for their socioeconomic diversity, distinct environmental risks, and emerging challenges. Key stakeholders were first identified across these pilot sites, and their roles and levels of engagement were mapped using the Power–Interest Matrix. This enabled an analysis of governance structures, leadership, decision-making processes, and stakeholder influence. Two public authorities and one non-profit organisation conducted a self-assessment to reflect on their roles and influence within their urban systems. Based on these insights, context-specific strategies will be developed to strengthen collaboration and participation across public and private sectors. By combining analytical frameworks with self-assessment, the proposed methodological framework supportsstrategic stakeholder engagement while empowering local actors to actively contribute to multi-risk hazard assessments and resilience planning. This study contributes to defining scalable stakeholder engagement approaches for effective urban governance, enabling the integration of local constraints, emerging needs, and community priorities into inclusive and impactful resilience interventions.

This publication resultsfromtheHorizonEuropean projectRETIME- Urban Adaptation and Alert Solutions for a TIMEly (re)Action (Grant Agreement No. 101147113). This work was supported by ISTAR-Iscte Pluriannual Projects UID/04466/2025 (https://doi.org/10. 544

Participatory decision-making,Multi-stakeholder engagement process,Climate-related actions,Urban resilience initiatives,New European Bauhaus,Engagement ladder model