IURC Knowledge Library

• Circular Flanders: Aims to reduce its material footprint by 30% by 2030. This strategy emphasizes cross-organizational integration, effective policy research, and building partnerships with local governments, businesses, and research sectors. The result? Enhanced guidance tools, monitored contracts, and a marketplace engaged for continuous improvement.
• Richmond, Canada: Leverages strategic data analysis to uncover opportunities, close value loops, and drive circular solutions across city projects, from infrastructure to office assets. Community engagement is critical to co-owning the process and fostering innovation.

The latest IURC NA Best Practice on Public Procurement for Circular Cities lets cities and regions discover actionable strategies, so their spending power can drive sustainable change! By embracing circular procurement, cities can create new local jobs, reduce waste, and boost social integration. Some key features include:

• Start simple and scale up
• Engage suppliers early to foster innovation
• Use life-cycle costs to guide decisions
• Join buyers’ networks and share best practices

The circular economy has gained in popularity because its basic principles, such as designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems, can be applied at various scales, and the potential benefits are broad. Considering the core competencies of municipal governments, cities can play a well-rounded role in the circular economy by promoting the circular economy and acting as a role model, facilitating connections and establishing multi-level governance to align priorities and policy coherence, enabling appropriate governance conditions by mobilizing resources, adapting regulatory frameworks,...

Cities increasingly adopt systemic and integrated planning approaches to enhance their resilience and address challenges like climate change, population growth, and food security. The circular economy has gained traction because its principles can be applied at various scales and offer broad benefits. Effective planning is crucial to harnessing the circular economy’s potential for environmental benefits, job creation, support for local businesses, and social cohesion. Leading examples of municipal innovation demonstrate that cities are key to driving this transformation.

Affordable housing is a critical aspect of urban planning due to its profound impact on social equity, economic stability, and community well-being. The AMB, through IMPSOL, and the City of Toronto are transforming social housing by shifting the current model, using sustainable materials and technologies, incorporating innovative designs with a gender perspective, and creating spaces for community participation and support. This new paradigm is changing the image of social housing as a tool to transform neighborhoods.

Join us on the 20th of June for an engaging webinar on affordable housing, a key element in urban planning with profound impacts on social equity, economic stability, and community well-being. Discover how a paradigm shift in affordable housing is necessary and achievable. Learn how high-quality, affordable housing can promote positive behavioral changes among residents, benefiting entire neighborhoods and communities. We'll also discuss how population growth and the increase in homelessness in certain cities demand faster affordable housing development through non-traditional...

The IURC-China initiative achieved success in enhancing partnerships and facilitating the exchange of knowledge among European and Chinese cities and regions. It developed 9 city and regional cooperation partners in 3 thematic networks, bridging over 40 cities and regions across China and Europe. During 2021-2023, participants engaged in 78 thematic events, resulting in the creation and dissemination of more than 50 knowledge products.

This repository lists organisations providing funding for sustainable urban projects, providing details on sectors, budget, eligibility, application timelines, case studies, with potential applicability to cities, states, national governments, non-government organisations, private sector, etc. While the primary focus is India, the information may apply to various other countries.

Kanpur city faces the urgent need for an efficient parking management system due to increasing reliance on personal vehicles and a shortage of designated parking spaces.

This case study proposes implementation measures to transform Kanpur’s parking landscape, promoting sustainable urban mobility, reducing pollution, and creating vibrant, walkable neighborhoods that prioritize the needs of the community. A holistic and collaborative effort is essential to address Kanpur’s parking challenges and move towards a more sustainable and accessible urban environment.

In May 2023, the collaboration between Gwalior, India, and Leuven, Belgium, reached new heights as three representatives from Gwalior start-ups and a representative from G.Incube joined forces at the And& Connect event in Leuven from 2-5 May 2023 to promote innovation, connectiveness and inspiration, bringing together professionals and experts from diverse fields.

A Centre of Excellence (COE) is proposed for the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) as they work towards building a region with sustainable growth potential and economic opportunities. The proposed COE aims to establish a Think Tank on the key pillars of Research and Participatory processes. The regional authority would then be able to make informed and inclusive decisions and thereby establish a one of its kind urban centre of research and participatory planning in the State.

Cycling infrastructure design is an important subject with the aim of creating quality infrastructure in every street and for every type of user. This report discusses key design principles that must be respected when designing new cycle paths. It also introduced practical recommendations and key resources with regards to designing cycle paths.

In the past three years, collaborations, investments, and knowledge sharing has multiplied on themes related to the circular economy (CE). Networks, knowledge-sharing hubs, and training tools are bringing to light the CE innovations and best practices in fields such as waste and water management, land-use planning, transportation, infrastructure and buildings, agriculture, and food systems. The cities and regions that are part of the IURC NA network are well-placed to contribute to this global transformation to improve circularity by promoting and...

You are invited to the first IURC-NA webinar session of 2024, focusing on international cooperation and how it can relate to the sustainable and resilient cities of the future! Climate change and environmental deterioration have become central to cities’ urban development plans. As a result, the European Union’s IURC program facilitates the exchange of challenges and solutions internationally to accelerate the reduction of net greenhouse gas emissions and improve the quality of life in urban areas. This first online session of 2024 will be an opportunity...

Urbanisation and industrial transformation are common challenges faced by the industrial cities of Zagreb and Rijeka in Croatia, and Kawasaki, Japan. By making use of their respective unique characteristics and local resources, the three cities are promoting sustainable urban development. Zagreb and Rijeka gained knowledge into Kawasaki’s efficient “waste management” and “business incubation”, while lessons learned by Kawasaki included how nature-based solutions (NbS) are being implemented by Zagreb and Rijeka, and the co-benefits approach on climate change action.

Prague and Kyoto mutually aligned their efforts in pursuit of a shared sustainability agenda, encompassing goals related to decarbonization, energy, climate adaptation, and the circular economy.

Turin and Nagoya aim to be vibrant hubs for industrial and social innovation. Turin learnt of Nagoya’s entrepreneurial education for children. In return, Nagoya learnt how to develop demonstration projects using public spaces from Turin.

European Union regions and Japanese prefectures have launched diverse initiatives and programs dedicated to nurturing startups and cultivating open innovation. EU-Japan cooperation will bring mutual benefits: it opens up opportunities for EU startups to enter the Japanese market and access various technologies, while Japan can encourage its startups to adopt a global mindset and provide support for international expansion.

Hydrogen projects in EU regions and Japanese prefectures represent significant steps toward achieving carbon neutrality and advancing sustainable energy solutions. Both are actively developing policies and infrastructures to promote hydrogen use, with a focus on green hydrogen. Their collaboration on hydrogen projects offers substantial mutual benefits, including economic growth and environmental improvements.

Initiatives in EU Regions and Japanese prefectures are Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, Val d’Oise (France), Basque Country, Catalonia (Spain), Emilia Romania (Italy), Ljubljana Urban Region (Slovenia), Aichi, Osaka and Oita (Japan).

The Alentejo Region integrates natural resources with strategic logistics and transport infrastructures, supported by strong educational and research institutions. This strategic approach is reflected  through Alentejo Region’s cooperationwith Dalian on Green Port development and cultural tourism, further enriching its economic and cultural diversification.

Region Lazio integrates sustainable agriculture and agri-food supply, focusing on safety, sustainability, and enhancing tourist attractions. It promotes local produce through various gastronomic experiences, establishing a distinct local identity for international markets. Lazio’s Smart Specialisation Strategy (RIS3) targets development, employment, and regional competitiveness, supported by innovation in diverse sectors like agri-food, circular economy, life sciences, and more. Its cooperation with Zhengzhou focuses on sustainable agriculture, focusing on sustainable urban agriculture, agri-food systems, and climate change.

The Western Greece Region, with its dynamic innovation ecosystem and diverse cultural & economic fabric, is committed to cooperative development in key sectors like agro-food,  digital sciences, renewable energy, and cultural tourism, especially in Ancient Olympia. Western Greece collaborates with Hangzhou (China), focusing on internationalization and digitalization of local products and services, particularly in e-commerce education and vocational training.

Bari, a key economic and educational center in Southern Italy, owns wide array of academic and research institutions and a dynamic tertiary sector. The city’s urban development strategy focues on revitalizing its waterfront, transforming brownfields, and enhancing cultural landmarks, with a strong focus on community-led governance and active citizen participation. The city´s expertise in urban regeneration, with initiatives that prioritize neighborhood development, public space revitalisation, and community engagement, has many synergies with developmental strategies in the Chinese city of Guangzhou.

Both Lazio Region and Zhengzhou prioritize sustainable agri-food supply, integrating urban-rural development and encouraging innovation in agriculture. Lazio region’s agri-food production, intertwined with its natural and cultural heritage, promotes local food networks. Zhengzhou, confronting challenges in peri-urban agriculture like economic viability and biodiversity conservation, can learn from Lazio’s experience in sustainable farming and the Slow Food movement. The cooperation between Lazio and Zhengzhou fosters regional dialogue, knowledge sharing, and innovative practices in sustainable agri-food supply.

Sisak-Moslavina County initiated a climate-friendly economic transformation with the “Sisak Moslavina County – A Center of Gaming Industry” project. Meanwhile, Zhongxian (Chongqing) developed “Zhongxian E-sports” town as a new economic driver. Both sides cooperate to establish a gaming industry platform, enhancing education and training, organizing e-games and e-sport events, operating gaming incubators, and facilitating cultural exchanges.

European cities and regions are committed to digitalizing their economies, aligning with the digital agenda. Hangzhou cooperate with several European cities and regions on E-commerce ecosystem and advancing in education and vocational training.

Taicang (Suzhou) and the Stuttgart Urban Region are collaborating to address their urban development challenges balancing economic growth with ecological transition. Their joint efforts on Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) and low-carbon urban districts involve government dialogues, knowledge exchange, joint projects, and technical support, aiming to establish green, productive, and eco-friendly urban areas. They are implementing the TOD model and Low Carbon City principles, with three pilot projects in Taicang.

NCI Bologna and Yangzhou jointly endeavour on green and resilient urban development, focusing on nature-based solutions, ecological transition, cultural heritage, and smart cities. A MOU has been signed to establish a joint research centre on green design.  Stakeholders from universities, governments, social organizations, and businesses are involved. The goal is to develop a long-term partnership, fostering joint activities in urban design, music, art, and education, with plans to set up a Green Design Centre and facilitate ongoing dialogue and cooperation.

The webinar "IURC Latin America: Final lessons from the City-to-City cooperation" organized by the International Urban and Regional Cooperation Latin America (IURC-LAC) Programme sougth to  reflect on the main lessons learned from the IURC Latin America City-to-City cooperation and share best practices linked to sustainable urban development. Space The full agenda of the event is available here Space Download the presentations here Space Read the highlights from the event here

The webinar "IURC Latin America: Final lessons from the Region-to-Region cooperation" organized by the International Urban and Regional Cooperation Latin America (IURC-LAC) Programme sougth to reflect on the main lessons learned from the IURC Latin America Region-to-Region cooperation and share best practices linked to sustainable regional innovation. Space The full agenda of the event is available here Space Download the presentations here Space Read the highlights from the event here

Over three years, European cities and regions have had the opportunity to cooperate with colleagues across the world in order to develop their capacity in ecological transition and the Green Deal; urban & regional renewal and social cohesion; and innovative sustainable & carbon neutral ecosystems and strategic sectors. These are the takeaways of the programme’s final event 2023.

IURC Annual Event 2021 visual takeaways

IURC Cities Forum takeaways

Takeaways from IURC’s EU Week of Regions and Cities 2023 event.

A selection of thematic posters from the IURC 2022 annual event.

The following Takeaways Factsheet highlights key aspects of the PRI operational framework, featuring strategic policy formulation, an open discovery process, and the mobilization of diverse policies and actions. Key supporting factors include the multi-level governance approach within the EU framework, the need for recalibrating operational methodologies, and the central role of multi-stakeholder collaboration. Cultural challenges are addressed, recognizing the contextual nature of human actions and decisions.

The One Stop Liaison Officer (OSLO) methodology developed in Central Macedonia (Greece) has a significant role in boosting the region’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem. Operating under the Department of Innovation Support of RCM, OSLO acts as a vital link between academia, research, and businesses, promoting collaboration and innovation. OSLO’s diverse services include operating a Regional Intelligence Information System, coordinating RIS3 Strategy updates, informing stakeholders through a digital platform, and supporting SMEs with accessible information on calls and funding tools.

Incentives should be created for children to learn and live waste prevention and recycling
through competitions and rewards. Incorporating playful activities, related to specific environmental-themed holidays for example, is also a way to capture children’s attention. Furthermore, it is important to measure the impact of initiatives to assess their effectiveness and make necessary
adjustments, ensuring that children develop ecological awareness from an early age and
become advocates for good environmental practices.

Puerto Montt and Piraeus have been working on a variety of topics such as Nature-based Solutions (NBS) and participatory planning. Their cooperation also explored the Blue Economy approach as a cross-cutting strategy for urban planning, local economic development, protection of maritime resources, cultural recognition of coastal cities, sea-related productive activities, amongst other. As a result, both cities co-created a Blue Economy Cluster to continue sharing best practices, technical knowledge, applied methodologies and innovative strategies beyond the IURC-LA programme.

 

Essen, Grenoble-Alpes Métropole, Koriyama, and Toyota City are creating a physical and virtual place that helps their private contractors meet innovators, start-ups, and SMEs of the partner cities. The topic they chose to work on is “new energy technologies and hydrogen”.

Bratislava and Tokorozawa aim to be green and energy-efficient. Bratislava has learnt from Tokorozawa’s greenery expansion measures and active use of renewable energy, especially solar power. In return, Tokorozawa has gained insights from Bratislava’s longstanding approach to city greening and adaptation, and their efforts to initiate actions for energy efficiency and renewables.

Genoa (Italy) and Mar del Plata (Argentina) are actively working on the digital transformation in the framework of IURC-LA. The topic became a opportunity to improve the efficiency of municipal services and data sharing. The two cities developed digital tools to facilitate the execution of municipal procedures, enhance the flow of information, and reduce in-person visits to municipal offices. Read the takeaway to learn about Genoa’s experience of the “Fascicolo del Cittadino” and Mar del Plata’s “Mesa Digital de Entrada”

The webinar "Cultivating Urban Resilience through Co-creation and Storytelling: Case Studies from Medellín, Colombia – Lecco, Italy" organized by the International Urban and Regional Cooperation Latin America (IURC-LAC) Programme sougth to provide practitioners and policy-makers with concrete examples from relevant case studies on Cultivating Urban Resilience through Co-creation and Storytelling: Case Studies from Medellín, Colombia – Lecco, Italy. Space The full agenda of the event is available here Space Download the presentations here Space Read the highlights from the event...

Piraeus and Puerto Montt consolidated the Blue Economy Cluster (BEC), to promote and diversify local development strategies.

The main objective is to generate a platform for interaction between stakeholders involved in the local development of both cities, focusing on sharing technical knowledge on fields:

1. Innovation and Research
2. Tourism sector and local culture
3. Local governance on Blue Economy
4. Port and logistic activities

Read the takeaways.

Dublin and Seoul have jointly released a policy publication on Digital Transition in Sustainable Mobility, marking a significant milestone in their pilot project aimed at advancing urban mobility and digital transition within the framework of IURC Asia and Australasia.

The policy publication on Digital Transition in Sustainable Mobility is a result of their collaborative efforts following their participation in a study visit in 26 – 30 August 2023, as part of their competitive awardread, read more https://www.iurc.eu/2023/09/08/dublin-delegation-visits-seoul-on-the-topic-of-urban-mobility-and-digital-transition/ 

Cities face significant challenges in decarbonizing and improving the resilience of their aging housing stock. Panelization promises to reduce the labour involved with deep retrofits. This presentation covers Canada's first panelized retrofit to achieve net-zero energy performance, the Presland Net-Zero PEER Pilot.   Ottawa Community Housing (OCH) and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) will share the results of this ambitious project, which represents a replicable, scalable model for retrofits nationwide. OCH will explain its role as a general contractor and panel...

Among the more problematic effects climate change imposes on urban planners are the challenges of creating and re-purposing public spaces that mitigate urban heat islands and alleviate threats from intense rain events and flooding while positively impacting communities.   In this session, we will learn from three different projects.   - The Moakley Park Vision Plan, presented by the City of Boston, transforms one of its largest waterfront open spaces from a largely single-use recreational facility into a resilient and...

The webinar "Bilbao’s Post-industrial Transformation: A Blueprint for Urban Rebirth" organized by the International Urban and Regional Cooperation Latin America (IURC-LAC) Programme sougth to delve into the urban regeneration and transformation process of Bilbao, highlighting key strategies, challenges, and successes. Through expert insights and discussions, participants gained a comprehensive understanding of the Bilbao model and its relevance to urban development. Space The full agenda of the event is available here Space Download the presentations here Space Read the highlights from...

In the framework of IURC LA, Umeå (Sweden) and Punta Arenas (Chile) collaborates on Urban Renewal and Social Cohesion, involving efficient participatory processes with a focus on integration a gender perspective into planning.

Within the process of technical cooperation between both cities, Punta Arenas incorporated Umea’s Gender Landscape approach into the design of the city’s “Green Areas Master Plan”.

To learn about this experience, read the pairing’s case study.

Find the guidelines about “gender equality perspective in urban planning”

Umeå, Sweden, is a city that actively strives for gender equality, aiming to create
conditions for women and men to have equal power to shape society as well as their own
lives. A crucial starting point is that planning approaches must integrate an understanding of
how gendered power structures and norms shape how we plan and interact with our
cities. It is therefore necessary to integrate a refined understanding of gender (in)equality
as a central aspect of planning strategies.

On the 18th-20th of September, a cohort of 14 IURC cities gathered in Mannheim, Germany, to create professional connections and networks while facilitating knowledge for a green, sustainable urban transformation on topics such as:

• Challenges and Opportunities of the Green Deal
• Integrated Sustainable Urban Redevelopment
• Nature-based solutions
• Brownfield remediation
• Energy efficient communities

The event was co-hosted with Mannheim and included presentations and site visits to learn and experience how urban planning can be done with a climate lens.

Program attached: Turku-Nagano & Obuse Workshop 2023-09-14_as of 0913 Language: English and Japanese, Simultaneous Interpretation Service available

PMRDA and Karlsruhe’s key area of cooperation is to develop a concept for the establishment of a “Center of Excellence for Urban Planning” and support for the creation of an Eco-Industrial Township (EIT) within the framework of IURC Asia & Australasia.

Within the IURC Asia & Australasia framework, Rotterdam is working with Surat to construct and efficiently operate a water plaza in a dense city neighborhood, in order to manage water resources, reduce the climate change impacts, facilitate social interactions and encourage athletic activities.

Urban transformation through the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Brisbane will host the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, an event Barcelona hosted in 1992. Through the IURC, experts from both sides engaged in several activities to gain a deeper understanding of how global events can create tangible benefits for their citizens and strengthen sustainable urban development.

The regions of Coimbra (Portugal) and Valle del Cauca (Colombia) have exchanged knowledge and good practices to boost their economic reactivation in the framework of the IURC Latin America programme. Both regions signed an economic agreement in April 2023, to address Coimbra’s shortage of qualified labor with Valle del Cauca’s surplus of highly qualified professionals in the engineering and hospitality sectors. The goal was the Mutual Recognition of professional degrees to certify engineers from Colombia and Portugal.

 

Merida and Parma are exchanging best practices to improve urban mobility by promoting non-motorized modes of transportation, public transportation and changing people’s behaviours and mobility choices.

As a result of the IURC-LA collaboration, the city of Merida aims to implement a Mobility Manager pilot with academic institutions, including collection of data through a standardized survey to better understand mobility habits and barriers for students.

Silesia’s Central Mining Institute (GIG) developped a new technology to transform sludge into fertilizers. As the cost of fertilizers is rising in Parana, the  SANEPAR is looking to test this new technology and theredore to reduce agricultural production costs. Both regions signed a Cooperation Agreement on April 17^th, 2023, aimed at implementing joint projects in areas of regional specialisation and sustainable economic development.

 

Seberang Perai have successfully replicated two circular economy waste management models post-study visits to Vila Nova de Famalicão & Maia: (1) Bagan Ajam Market and (2) eco-school vocational training (citizen centric community programmes)

Sofia Municipality is working with Sejong City from the Republic of Korea to conduct a joint business venture on solar panels. This pilot project is expected to develop a partnership between Bulgarian and Korean companies on renewable energy.

Dublin City Council is working with Seoul Metropolitan Government to build data analytics capacity in both cities to improve sustainable mobility including public transportation (PT), walking and cycling, and to support their respective targets for active travel.

The City of Rotterdam is working with Busan Metropolitan City from the Republic of Korea to conduct a joint policy study on urban mobility. This pilot project is expected to help policy makers in both cities to create greener urban mobility ecosystems.

As part of the IURC Kochi/India – Messina/Italy city pairing, a minimal viable use-case on flooding was developed in TOSCA by the Digital City Science team at HafenCity University in cooperation with Cochin University of Science and Technology and University of Messina.

Ostrobothnia (Finland) and Magallanes (Chile) are exchanging best practices for the implementation of a hydrogen green ecosystem (H2V) in the Chilean region. In the framework of IURC Latin America, Magallanes is currently working with the Finnish region of Ostrobothnia, which possess extensive experience in the development of green energy hubs, particularly in wind energy and biogas. Therefore, both regions are exchanging best practices that can contribute to accelerate the creation of the H2 Hub in Magallanes.

 

In the framework of IURC Asia and Australasia, Leuven is working with Gwalior to strengthen the capacity of start-ups inspiring them to become a genuine force of change and economic development for the city and India, while promoting the development of partnerships with businesses in Europe.

Genoa and Mar del Plata are exchanging knowledge and best practices on Tourism and Culture, to develop an action plan to promote sustainable, balanced, and diversified tourism, while meeting the needs of local communities. The pairing designed tourism diversification strategies to reach this objective, in the framework of the IURC Latin America programme. The pairing built a series of guidelines to share their learnings with other cities facing similar challenges. Find the tourism diversification guidelines here: https://www.iurc.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/guidelines-Genoa-MDP-2.pdf

 

Bangkok’s District Food Management Sandbox: Applying the MUFPP to the Thai context

In the framework of IURC Latin America, Puerto Montt (Chile) and Piraeus (Greece) are collaborating on Nature-based Solutions (NBS) involving efficient participatory planning processes. Both cities are exchanging knowledge and good practices on the implementation of innovative strategies of social engagement. They are studying existing sociocultural capital that recognise and use traditional knowledge of citizens, as well as involve population groups that has been historically absent in urban planning decision-making, to co-created new green spaces.

Companies (large, middle-sized or SME) from our IURC partner cities of Essen (Germany), Grenoble-Alpes Metropole (France), Toyota or Koriyama (Japan), looking for solutions on new energy technologies and/or hydrogen to address climate change challenges, are eligible to participate in the Joint Open Innovation Online Pitches.

Rome (Anci Lazio region) and Barranquilla exchanged best practices on urban and peri-urban agriculture to improve food security and participatory management of brownfield sites, contributing to reverse the growing threats of poverty and vulnerability during the COVID-19 pandemic. Barranquilla and Rome developed a pilot project to test the idea of urban agriculture in Barranquilla, leading to the co-creation of a proposal approved by the European Commission in late 2021 with a 2,6-million-euro grant (“GenerACTOR” project).

 

In the framework of IURC Latin America, Essen and Fortaleza are exchanging knowledge and best practices on circular economy and waste management, linked to the recycling and collection of special waste, legal frameworks, and waste fee structures, that promote zero-waste policies. They coined the name “Fortalessen” for their collaboration, as a symbol of how working together made them stronger.

The city of Hermosillo (Mexico) elaborated a “Green Infrastructure Manual” as a result of a joint effort by the Border Environment Cooperation Commission (BECC) and the North American Development Bank (NADB). The manual intends to connect Green Infrastructure with strategic planning, participatory management, and adaptation to local ecosystem conditions. It is not only aimed at the public government, but also seeks to transfer basic knowledge for Green Infrastructure implementation at the local and micro urban scale.

São Paulo and Milan are working on urban regeneration through the lens of sustainability and social inclusion. The cities are interested in uncovering common patterns, similarities, and important differences in their land-use organisation, city development plans, and policies. They have created a comparative study with the aim of shedding light on important urban regeneration policies, practices and projects that both cities are developing which includes a detailed analysis of different planning instruments and regeneration methodologies. 

The webinar "Smart Specialization Strategies and Sustainability" organized by the International Urban and Regional Cooperation Latin America (IURC-LAC) Programme sougth to show reflections related to the sustainability dimension of smart specialisation strategies and their deployment in the industrial (industrial policies and sustainability) and local (entrepreneurship and innovation Hubs) dimensions. The presentations aimed to generate inspiration on how to mobilise research and innovation to address the SDGs in various territorial contexts, including places facing institutional and structural challenges. The framework is...

Final Report of the Asia Pacific Food Policy Training implemented by Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (MUFPP) Secretariat and the IURC Asia and Australasia project team in 2022.

The Canalejas Mobility Hub is a driver of sustainable urban mobility in Madrid, and the city of San Diego is eager to replicate it. By transforming underutilized parking structures into mobility hubs, both are becoming sustainable, accessible, and healthier cities.

IURC NA, in partnership with the Baltimore Development Corporation, held on May 10th to 12th, 2023, the Urban Regeneration and Economic Development for Social Inclusion event in Baltimore, USA. Twenty-one cities from Spain, Italy, Portugal, Germany, Mexico, the US, and Canada gathered to work on key urban regeneration & economic development challenges, economic inclusion & community impact, public-private partnerships, sustainable waterfront development, adaptive reuse & neighborhood regeneration, and innovation economy & social inclusion. These are the takeaways.

The EVENTSOST system is transforming the tourism and events sector in Zaragoza, while Ottawa is analysing its adoption as another step to ensure that economic growth is accompanied by sustainability, a smaller carbon footprint, and a positive social impact.

A Canadian model of urban farming sparks a strategy for the prevention of fires and the generation of incentives for repopulation in Galicia and the Northern region of Portugal.

The Metropolitan Area of Barcelona’s quest for civic innovation across 36 municipalities leads them to explore replicating Boston’s Mayor’s Office of Urban Mechanics, the City’s pioneering civic research & design team.

Because of climate change, intense heat waves are becoming increasingly frequent and intense. They are exacerbated by urban heat islands – a phenomenon that occurs when an urban area is much hotter than the surrounding undeveloped areas (i.e. too much concrete, too few trees!). This webinar will feature presentations from experts with the City of Boston and the Barcelona Metropolitan Area sharing specific solutions that they are undertaking, such as networks of cooling spaces, increasing vegetation, and urban parks, and how these interventions have been identified and are...

Our final Sustainable Urban Mobility and Transport online session featured an interactive exercise for participating cities to start thinking about the challenges and solutions to increasing bike ridership, such as infrastructure, incentives, and campaigns.

The online Capacity Building on Regenerative Design by ACCIONA, organised by the IURC Central Coordination Services in coordination with the Geographical Areas in two sessions (morning for Asia & Australasia and China; afternoon for Latin America and North America) aimed to support worldwide pairings and clusters to path the way of their ongoing projects during the last year of the programme. The training was conducted on March 7th 2023 and welcomed more than 75 participants from all around the globe.

The training session was held on the new approach to smart specialization for the 2021-2027 programming period but starting with main approach to S3, learning about good practices in defining and implementing the Smart Specialization strategy following the methodology recommended by the European Commission.

5 case studies:

Case study 1 – Climate & Food (Umeå) 

Case study 2 – Over-tourism and sustainable promotion of territories (Metropolitan City of Venice) 

Case study 3 – Citizen-led sustainable urban development (Kamakura) 

Case study 4 – Station of Being (Umeå) 

Case study 5 – Over-tourism (Kamakura) 

For each of the case studies, there is an executive summary, special features, results and impact, key figures and lessons learned.

 

Puerto Montt and Piraeus are exchanging innovative social engagement techniques and
local experiences implementing Nature-based Solutions (NBS) initiatives, generating
knowledge related to the crucial role that citizens have in the sustainable development.
The cities have prepared a set of recommendations for efficient participatory planning
processes in NBS projects. In this context, Puerto Montt expects to apply these lessons of
co-creation and green solutions in the urban park “La Paloma”, which has wetlands and
abundant native forests.

Genoa and Mar del Plata exchange best practices on Tourism and Culture, to develop an action plan to achieve balanced and sustainable tourism, while meeting the needs of local communities. Mar del Plata’s strategy is focused on attracting tourism during the whole year, not only the summer season, while Genoa seeks to diversify tourists’ profiles. As a result, the pairing built a series of guidelines to share their learnings with other cities facing similar challenges.

Essen and Fortaleza (“Fortalessen”) are exchanging knowledge and best practices on circular economy and waste management in the framework of the International, Urban and Regional Cooperation programme (IURC Latin America), linked to the recycling and collection of special waste, legal frameworks, and waste fee structures, that promote zero-waste policies.
These guidelines share the main learnings from this exchange and provide a roadmap for other cities that wish to implement a solid waste recollection fee while integrating
complementary interventions.

The cities of Milan and São Paulo are exchanging knowledge and best practices on the
regeneration of industrial heritage areas as a catalyst for social and environmental
transformation, and the creation of more livable and green neighbourhoods. The cities have collaborated on the creation of guidelines to ensure that regeneration projects integrally revitalise areas, that can then be integrated into the city’s fabric. This comparative study has been created to provide context for the guidelines.

São Paulo and Milan developed elaborated a comparative study of instruments and methodologies linked to the creation of more sustainable, inclusive, and lively neighbourhoods through the transformation of vacant or under-used spaces. A workshop allowed them to discuss common challenges and lessons learned, which led to the elaboration of a guideline for the realization of regeneration plans, which can be applied to other cities and also will be implemented in the regeneration of the Bras area in São Paulo.

Barranquilla’s “Todos al Parque” programme consists of the renewal and creation
of public space that guarantees universal access to a public park system
for Barranquilla’s citizens. The strategy has focused on the recovery of
existing parks, their maintenance, and the coordination of social activities,
creating a system of parks of different intervention levels; local, district,
and metropolitan.

The Jarillón Plan in Cali is a city megaproject and is classified as the largest resettlement project in Latin America. This project was born due to the winter wave of 2010-2011 when many families where affected by heavy floods throughout Colombia and the Jarrillón area.  The Jarillón Plan aims for resettlement with a full guarantee of rights, improving their quality of life, and living in areas of non-mitigable risk.

Read the takeaways.

One of the most interesting environmental and social challenges in Rome is the emergence of urban gardens. Currently there are more than 150 municipal urban gardens, providing citizens with the opportunity to grow their own food and create green spaces in the city. Despite their benefits, urban gardens face challenges such as limited space, lack of resources and funding, and difficulty in coordinating multiple stakeholders.

Read the takeaways.

The Historic Center of Malaga suffered neglect due to the exclusive promotion of sun and beach tourism on the coast, which turned it into an aging neighborhood with social exclusion problems and abandoned buildings. To address this, urban and commercial development programs were carried out to make it more attractive to residents and visitors.

The webinar "15-minutes city: promoting sustainable mobility in Umea (Sweden) and Valencia (Spain)” organized by the International Urban and Regional Cooperation Latin America (IURC-LAC) Programme sougth to explore the 15-minutes city model of planning, that became a global trend, in regard to its practical application and replicability in our cities. It discussed case studies to illustrate its contribution to increasing accessibility to urban life and promoting active and sustainable mobility patterns. Space The full agenda of the event is available...

The webinar "Repair, Recycle, Re-use: International experiences on the upcycling of electronic waste” organized by the International Urban and Regional Cooperation Latin America (IURC-LAC) Programme sougth to share inspiration about circular economy best practices, focused on the re-use, recycling, and repair of electronic waste and other materials. Three international experiences on the creation of recycling centres and related repairing initiatives were discussed to highlight opportunities and challenges linked to upcycling experiences in cities. Space The full agenda of the event...

Since 2022, the city of Hermosillo in Mexico has been implementing Participatory Budgeting through their Presupuesto Creces programme, as a way to promote greater transparency and citizen participation, and improve the decision making process for public works. You can learn the main lessons in this takeaway.

Through Parma’s Mobility Managers programme, companies work with the support of the city, on home-to-work travel plans, identifying actions to promote the use of more sustainable modes of transportation by their workers.

In recent years, the City of Puerto Montt (Chile) has been facing several challenges arising from unplanned urban sprawl, which has put cultural and environmental heritage under pressure. In this context, Puerto Montt’s team integrated the preservation of wetlands into its planning strategies and is working on the systemic integration of indigenous communities and their traditional knowledge into green infrastructure projects.

We invite you to read some lessons learned and recommendations from Puerto Montt.

The City of Piraeus (Greece) has been implementing Nature Based Solutions (NBS) projects with participatory planning processes to strengthen Public Health (PH) and Wellbeing (WB). The EuPOLIS project participated to open up spaces for social interaction to empower citizens in decision-making processes. They integrate different voices, point of views, and current needs of the local community, and especially of vulnerable groups tending to be traditionally excluded from co-creation processes.

 

Placemaking and Tactical Urbanism in Public Spaces Tuesday 16.05.2023 Venue: Online (Zoom link will be sent after registration) 08:00 AM – 09:30 AM (IRL) / 09:00 – 10:30 (CEST) / 16:00 – 17:30 (Korea) Over the past decade, the concept of tactical urbanism (also known as “urban prototyping”) has gained a strong pace in many cities around the globe. Pedestrian plazas, pop-up bike lanes, pop-up parks and innovative playgrounds are just some of the examples developed by city authorities and...

The webinar "From Grey to Green: Torino’s Rebirth through Urban Regeneration & Social Innovation” organized by the International Urban and Regional Cooperation Latin America (IURC-LAC) Programme sougth to share insights about the transformation of Torino which used to be known as the “City of the Automobile of Italy” to a city renown for design, culture, innovation, social inclusion and sustainability. The webinar provided a preview of the city to the delegates that participated in the Torino’s Cities Forum. Space The...

The webinar “Right to Green: Building parks through Community Engagement. Case Studies from Barranquilla, Essen, and Fortaleza” organized by the International Urban and Regional Cooperation Latin America (IURC-LAC) Programme sougth to open up a technical discussion on the provision of inclusive access to green areas in cities. Three international experiences on the creation of micro-parks and the implementation of greening strategies, with strong participatory methodologies and community engagement approaches, were discussed to highlight opportunities and challenges. These include:

The webinar "Right to Green: Building parks through Community Engagement. Case Studies from Barranquilla, Essen, and Fortaleza” organized by the International Urban and Regional Cooperation Latin America (IURC-LAC) Programme sougth to open up a technical discussion on the provision of inclusive access to green areas in cities. Three international experiences on the creation of micro-parks and the implementation of greening strategies, with strong participatory methodologies and community engagement approaches, were discussed to highlight opportunities and challenges. Space The full agenda...

Different perspectives on the Blue Economy concept and reflections on the importance of the sea and coastal borders as a platform to generate social benefits, economic development, and environmental sustainability.

During our second Sustainable Urban Mobility and Transport session, you will learn from Jacob Mason from ITDP what low-emission zones (LEZ) are and what can make them more successful. Hear directly from Jordi Jové from the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona, Spain, how they were able to implement their expansive LEZ and considerably reduced private vehicles and greenhouse gas emissions, and gain insights from Lidia Henderson from WRI on how to address the challenges to implement a LEZ in your city....

Nature-Based solutions have become an essential part of climate action plans. Beyond their environmental impact, these projects and programs are an opportunity to foster social cohesion and promote community engagement. In this session, the O’Brien Farm in St John’s, Canada, will explain their program, School to Farm, and present their Farm Incubation program, which supports new farming businesses. The Farm Borg project in Rimini, Italy, will present how they create gardens to promote socialization and participation in joint initiatives, develop...

The Vénkert community garden in Debrecen is an example of greening and recovery of unused gray areas, by transforming them into gardens that produce healthy organic food while strengthening the sense of community. The city of Debrecen help gardeners with raised beds, irrigation infrastructure and seeds. 

On February 2023, Miguel Ángel Ania’s presentation provided an overview of the evolution of Zaragoza’s public transport strategy to reduce emissions significantly. He spoke about the economic feasibility of the tram and the city’s move towards electric and hydrogen-fueled buses.The keynote presentation was followed by short interventions by representative from Madrid, Metropolis GZM, Ottawa, San Diego, Santa Monica, and Umea who talked about challenges, successes, and strategies related to public transport and low emission delivery zones.

IURC NA, in partnership with the City of Ottawa and the EU-funded project Reducing Plastic Waste in Canada, held on June 2nd and 3rd, 2022, the Waste Management & Circular Economy Networking Event in Ottawa, Canada. Approximately 50 representatives from Spain, Poland, Italy, the USA, and Canada gathered to work on managing plastic at various levels of government level, developing strategies to enhance recycling, and generating energy from multiple sources of waste. These are the takeaways.

IURC NA, in partnership with Climate Action KC and GCoM USA, held on April 7th and 8th, 2022, the Renovation Wave Networking Event in Kansas City, USA. Approximately 40 representatives from Portugal, Dortmund, Poland, Belgium, the US, and Canada gathered to work on making buildings more energy-efficient, tackling energy poverty, and creating green jobs. These are the takeaways.

The fourth IURC-NA Thematic Networking event, Sustainable Urban Mobility & Transport (SUMT), took place in Zaragoza on the 10th – 11th of November 2022, in coordination with the host city of Zaragoza, Spain. Participating cities created professional connections and networks while sharing knowledge to advance public transport for zero emissions, shared & micro-mobility strategies, and reducing the use of single occupancy private vehicles. The following insights were shared by a cohort of 13 cities from Europe, Canada, and the US.

Lessons Learned from Sao Paulo

This first online session of our Renovation Wave series will feature Dan Dicaire, Manager of Energy and Sustainability, and Melissa Jort-Conway, Planner II in Climate Change and Resiliency, both from the City of Ottawa. They will share their role in the Race to Zero to eliminate Ottawa’s GHG emissions by 2040, including the retrofit strategy for OCH’s 15,000 units and several projects which hold the blueprints to eliminating GHG emissions from their entire portfolio. We will talk about financing, long-term...

With support from the European Union, the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (MUFPP) Secretariat, the City of Bandung, and the University of Parahyangan co-organised the 1^st MUFPP Asia Pacific Regional Forum on 3-4 August 2022 in support of Indonesia’s U20 Mayors Summit and G20 Summit, held at the end of August and in mid-November this year respectively.

 

This report provides an overview of the Pact and summarises key points from the event.

The online Capacity Building on Regenerative Design by ACCIONA, organised by the IURC Central Coordination Services in coordination with the Geographical Areas in two sessions (morning for Asia & Australasia and China; afternoon for Latin America and North America) aimed to support our worldwide pairings and clusters to path the way of their ongoing projects during the last year of the programme. The training was conducted on March 7th 2023 and welcomed more than 75 participants from all around the...

The webinar "Costal Cities & Blue Economy: Local experiences from Piraeus, Barranquilla and Genoa” organized by the International Urban and Regional Cooperation Latin America (IURC-LAC) Programme sougth to explore different perspectives on the Blue Economy concept and reflect on the importance of the sea and coastal borders as a platform to generate social benefits, economic development, and environmental sustainability. Space The full agenda of the event is available here Space Download the takeaways here Space Download the presentations here Space Read...

Thw webinar “Participatory Planning & Community Engagement: Towards More Socially Inclusive Cities” organized by the International Urban and Regional Cooperation Latin America (IURC-LAC) Programme sought to share challenges, opportunities, and strategic tools for developing and implementing participatory planning processes and community engagement. Space The full agenda of the event is available here Space Download the presentations here Space Read the highlights from the event here

This  event was organized by the International Urban and Regional Cooperation Latin America (IURC-LAC) Programme. It's objective was to discuss the role of urban planning in either reproducing or deconstructing gender inequalities in cities and showing how adapting urban environments to a variety of needs and identities can contribute to necessary social, sustainable, and economic transformation. Space The full agenda of the event is available here Space Download the presentations here Space Read the highlights from the event here  

The webinar was organized by the International Urban and Regional Cooperation Latin America (IURC-LAC) Programme with the objective of present the experience of rehabilitation of abandoned historic buildings in city centers and its challenges. The topic is of great interest, since  historic centers concentrate a large number of heritage buildings, which, in many cases, remain disabled and unusable for years. Space The full agenda of the event is available here Space Download the presentations here Space Read the highlights from...

This thematic cluster webinar is a part of International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) Asia & Australasia, which aims to further urban and regional cooperation in the fields of sustainable urban development and innovation between EU and non-EU cities. The activity is in addition to the ongoing bilateral discussions among pilot cities. Within the IURC thematic network n°2 “Urban and Regional Renewal”, this webinar will narrow in on Tactical Urbanism in Public Spaces.   Over the past decade, the concept...

Organized by the International Urban and Regional Cooperation Latin America (IURC-LAC) Programme, the event discussed the transformative potential of urban agriculture, as a catalyst of environmental transition and social inclusion. Space The full agenda of the event is available here Space Download the presentations here Space Read the highlights from the event here 

The webinar "Inclusive recycling " organized by the International Urban and Regional Cooperation Latin America (IURC-LAC) Programme introduced inclusive recycling and the potential of integrating the empowerment of vulnerable women with sustainable practices that incorporate technology and both financial and mobility solutions. Space The full agenda of the event is available here Space Download the presentations here Space Read the highlights from the event here

The "Mobility Behaviour Change: Promoting Sustainable Travel Choices in Cities" webinar sought to highlight the importance of mobility behaviour change for a transition towards greener transportation patterns. Reviewing different strategies and case studies can inspire urban practitioners to develop and adopt nudging strategies and to involve local communities in their green transition.  Space The full agenda of the event is available here Space Download the presentations here Space Read the highlights from the event here

This webinar was the second part of the “Financing Green Infrastructure for Sustainable Cities” webinar series, on the role of development banks and private financing. The event discussed the role of development banks and private financing in reducing the infrastructure gap in cities while promoting low-carbon investments. space The full agenda of the event is available here Space Download the presentations here Space Download the takeaways here Space Read the highlights from the event here

Takeaways of IURC China Urban Renewal Webinar

Takeaways of IURC China Urban Planning and Design Webinar

Trans Semarang is a bus transit system in Semarang City and Semarang Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. The service aims to break down congestion in Semarang and to accommodate commuters to the city center and tourist destinations in the city.

Takeaways of IURC China Education, Jobs and Skills Webinar

In this interactive workshop, Circular Economy Expert Erin Kennedy from Metabolic – a Netherlands-based organization who has over a decade of experience advising businesses, governments, and nonprofits around the world on how to thrive in a circular economy – will offer practical advice and strategies to help cities develop and implement their circular economy plans. Download: Miro Board

Hear from Pittsburgh’s experience planning and implementing Move PGH, the first MaaS system in the US. Through the creation of the Pittsburgh Mobility Collective (PMC), the city brought together a wide range of stakeholders that, instead of competing, are now working together to bring Pittsburgh a greater variety of transportation options. The change makes it easy for residents to locate mobility hubs, find transportation and mobility options and pay for services seamlessly through one app. As a result, there is...

With the amount of food imports from outside the city being as high as 96%, Bandung City established in 2020 the Buruan SAE programme to improve urban food security.

You are invited to the second session of the Cities Supporting Cities Towards Circular Economy Concepts, Frameworks, and Actions series of masterclasses. In this second session of the IURC-NA Cities Supporting Cities Towards a Circular Economy series: participants will learn how policies, interventions, and strategies from the city government can support industrial manufacturing operations to implement circular business practices. During this interactive session, participants will get the opportunity to ask questions to representatives from several leading companies and better understand...

Thursday, 15 December 2022, 12:00-1:30 p.m. Bangkok | 1:00-2:30 p.m. Singapore Check your local time here.   The MUFPP & IURC Asia Pacific Food Policy Training is a series of 6 webinars developed by the MUFPP Secretariat and the IURC programme to enrich the knowledge of Asia Pacific cities on food policy development.   Following the MUFPP recommended actions, there are many options at disposal for cities: raising awareness on food loss and waste, recovering and redistributing food still fit for consumption, assessing...

Download: Presentation

Friday, 18 November 2022 8:00-09:00 a.m. CET | 2.00-3:00 p.m. Bangkok   Check your local time here.   The MUFPP & IURC Asia Pacific Food Policy Training is a series of 6 webinars developed by the MUFPP Secretariat and the IURC programme to enrich the knowledge of Asia Pacific cities on food policy development.   Following the fifth category of the Milan Pact, Food Supply & Distribution, the webinar will present a variety of actions and measures cities are taking to ensure...

Takeaways of IURC China Sustainable Agriculture and Agri-food System Webinar

Takeaways of the IURC China Regional Innovation and RIS3 Webinar

BACKGROUND   In the EU and China, urban renewal has become the major way to meet the increasing demand of residents for urban space and facilities without the expenses of large-scale demolition of existing buildings and urban fabric. Many neighbourhoods and buildings are in critical demand of renovation aiming for healthy environmental quality, energy & resource efficiency, and aesthetics of the built environment.   The EU initiated the Green City under the framework of the New Leipzig Charter, which calls for nature-based...

  BACKGROUND   Around 57% of the global population lives in urban areas, which contribute 80% of the global GDP. Cities play important role in enabling innovation. Meanwhile, urban growth presents enormous social, economic and environmental challenges, which necessitate a new way of planning and design. Urban and transport planning practices are about to change from urban infrastructure design to participatory approach using new and emerging technologies.   The EU implement the urban development strategy through an integrated, partnership, and...

The webinar sought to inform/discuss/share best practices on nature-based solutions for flood management. Cities of Rotterdam, Messina, Surat, Kochi, Panaji and Semarang shared their efforts/initiatives apart from two flood management experts.

This webinar focused on the ways to reinstate public systems and non-motorized means as better means of city transport in the context of the covid19-induced reduced ridership.

Ban Nam Kieng Din is a trailblazer in food waste management in Bangkok. Since its establishment in 2000, the restaurant has been making continued efforts to better manage its waste and energy and has received countless visits from government officials, researchers and other restaurants and businesses interested in circular food waste management from all over the world.

This flow chart is a result from Milan’s study visit to Thailand from 8 to 11 August 2022.

European Commission webinar on ‘Regions, Cities and Level(s): Powering the green transition in Europe’s buildings’, 12 October from 16:00 to 17:00 (CEST). In October 2020 the European Commission launched Level(s), the new EU common language for assessing the sustainability performance of buildings. The Commission will be running a special webinar at the European Week of Regions and Cities to show how Level(s) can help the buildings sector contribute to EU climate and circularity objectives within cities and regions. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Why attend? -...

Takeaways of the IURC China Technologies 4.0, Industry 5.0 & Innovation Webinar

Takeaways of the IURC China Circular Economy Webinar

BACKGROUND   Both the European Union and China are in a time of transition. The transition towards a green, circular, digital economy significantly changed the way we live and work.  The distribution of smart technologies generated new jobs while some jobs have been changed or disappeared. The demographic change will draw on all diverse talents. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the digital transition and also considerably changed the career path of many people.   In July 2020, the European Commission published the Skills...

Takeaways of the IURC China Nature-based Solutions Webinar

Takeaways of the IURC China Tourism and Culture Webinar

Experiences with Solid Waste Fee in Essen and Fortaleza: Important & transferable lessons

Experiences with Urban Regeneration Projects: Milan – São Paulo

Thursday, 21 July 2022 9:00-10:00 a.m. CEST | 2.00-3:00 p.m. Bangkok   Check your local time here.   The MUFPP & IURC Asia Pacific Food Policy Training is a series of 6 webinars developed by the MUFPP Secretariat and the IURC programme to enrich the knowledge of Asia Pacific cities on food policy development.   Following the third category of the Milan Pact, Social & Economic Equity, the webinar will present how cities address inequality and poverty related to the food system....

The webinar took place on 23 June 2022. Space --> Watch the recording here Space --> Agenda here  Space --> More information: aamerico@iurc.eu Space Takeaways Transport is one of the Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy – Europe key sectors, representing the 14.5% of actions submitted by Covenant signatories (Covenant in figures) and the 26% of the total emissions in the BEI (JRC, Covenant of Mayors 2019 Assessment). This is why the Covenant of Mayors is working with a...

Discover the takeaways of the IURC Side Event at the Eurocities Annual Conference 2022.

BACKGROUND   Both the EU and China are facing three major challenges in the agricultural sector. First, food security challenge: the EU is part of the global food system, whereas China has a daunting task to feed 22% of the world's population with 9% of the world's arable land. Second, environmental challenges such as soil degradation, water shortages, biodiversity loss and climate change. And third, high degree of urbanization: 75% of the Europe population lives in cities in and 64% in...

Tuesday, 21 June 2022 09:00 – 11:00 CEST | 15:00 – 17:00 MYT | 16:00 – 18:00 JST   Check your local time here.   In our first thematic webinar Circular City Hubs: Improving Thriving, Liveable, Resilient Urban Centres on 14 December 2021,  participating IURC cities identified cities as centres for innovation hubs. The outcome of the webinar resulted in 13 IURC cities from 9 countries (Australia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, Finland, New Zealand, Portugal) completing a circular economy cluster spreadsheet for an inclusive stock take....

BACKGROUND   In the past two decades, regional innovation development policies have been widely discussed and implemented throughout the world. It is essential for the national and local governments to develop a strong innovation ecosystem, and react to the growing challenges of societies. Nowadays active circulation of know-how and innovation significantly contributes to the regional development and quality of life of the people.   The EU has implemented the Regional Innovation Strategy (RIS) since 2002 to enable sustainable, inclusive, and...

Vila Nova de Famalicão and Seberang Perai
Advancing Policies for Circular Neighbourhoods

24th May 2022 9:00-10:00 a.m. CEST | 2.00-3:00 p.m. Bangkok Check your local time here.   The MUFPP & IURC Asia Pacific Food Policy Training is a series of 6 webinars developed by the MUFPP Secretariat and the IURC programme to enrich the knowledge of Asia Pacific cities on food policy development.   Following the second category of the Milan Pact, Sustainable Diets & Nutrition, the webinar will present how cities can promote sustainable diets, better consumptions and nutrition patterns in...

IURC-China Programme promotes the inter-city and regional cooperation, learning and innovation between the EU and China, as well as supports cities and regions in implementing the United Nations´ Sustainable Development Goals, the New Urban Agenda, the Paris Agreement, and the local development agenda, bringing together 44 cities and regions to collaborate in an inclusive and win-win approach towards sustainable urban development and regional innovation.

This booklet provides information of their general socio-economic profiles, good practices and preferred areas of cooperation.

The role of development banks and private financing

Background Europe has experienced four industrial revolutions, each of which involved technology and innovation. The undergoing industry 4.0 (initiated in Germany in 2011) associated with key technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, nanotechnology, quantum computing, biotechnology and artificial intelligence (AI) is affecting a wide range of sectors. In 2021, the European Commission called for the Fifth Industrial Revolution (Industry 5.0), which aims beyond efficiency and productivity for research and innovation-driven transition to a sustainable, human-centric and resilient...

Manaus (Brazil) and Naples (Italy) share common challenges for improving their historic centres but focus on different approaches for citizens participation, financing, and implementation. Discover their recommendations!

After the success of the introductory webinar of the Asia Pacific Food Policy Training, we’re happy to invite you to the first webinar dedicated to the governance of the food system. It will take place on Tuesday, 5th April 2022, 9:00-10:00 a.m. CEST / 4:00-5:00 p.m. Seoul / 8:00-9:00 p.m. Wellington.   The Milan Urban Food Policy Pact Secretariat in partnership with the IURC programme of the European Union is organising an online training on urban food policy through a series of webinars for...

China’s Regional Development Strategies and Regional Policies (2021-11)

Review and Prospect of Smart Cities in China (2021-11)

China’s Regional Innovation and China-EU Cooperation (2021-11)

Sustainable Urban Renewal in China (2021-11)

Is Chinese Urbanisation Unique? (2021-11)

China – Tourism Trends, Prospects, Challenges and Opportunities (2022-03)

Boost Culture’s All-round Presence in Rural Revitalisation (2022-03)

Development Strategies for Culture and Tourism Industry in China (2022-03)

BACKGROUND In recent years, China has made significant efforts to promote sustainable development and environment-friendly technologies. From 2016 to 2020, the country doubled its investment in clean energy research, and strongly promoted a human-centred, smart approach of ‘new-type urbanisation’. In China, many industries and sectors are developing very rapidly, including digital technologies, green technologies for sustainable cities, green energy, smart transport and services, financial services, medical technologies, and elderly care. In 2020, China finally pledged to reach carbon emissions by...

BACKGROUND   Strategies and actions are needed worldwide to optimize the infrastructure and resource management to confront the challenges of resource depletion, climate change and degradation of ecosystems.  Nature-based solutions (NBS) and circular economy (CE) can provide tools for this transition. Implementation of NBS, combined with the concept of the circular economy benefits the ecosystem services and returns resources to the territory.  Blue-green infrastructure in smart cities, integrated water management, ICT etc. are considered as enabling tools for NBS in...

Thursday, 17 March 2022, 08:00AM – 09:30AM (CET) / 18:00 – 19:30 (AEDT) Moderation: Professor Bruce Wilson at RMIT & Country Coordinator IURC Australia   This thematic cluster webinar is a part of International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) Asia & Australasia, which aims to further urban and regional cooperation in the fields of sustainable urban development and innovation between EU and non-EU cities. The activity is in addition to the ongoing bilateral discussions amongst cities. Within the IURC thematic network n°2...

Green Infrastructure Manual – Hermosillo, Mexico (2022)

Please join us for our second webinar presented as part of the IURC-NA Jobs, Education & Skills Cluster on March 17th. This session will focus on Innovative Local Economic Development Programmes & Strategies for Post-covid Recovery featuring presentations from the following IURC-NA cities: - Valentina Ridolfi, Coordinator of Rimini Strategic Plan with the City of Rimini (Italy), will present the comprehensive “Villages of Rimini” initiative that has been developed in the region to reactivate the economy with a focus on tourism. - Ben Seigel, Opportunity Zone and Impact Investment Coordinator with the Baltimore Development...

BACKGROUND   Tourism is one of the major economic sectors in many cities and regions in the EU and China, with high potential for employment generation. It is one of the major sources of public revenue and for local communities, including local residents and SMEs. However, tourism, converging with the culture sector, has been hard-hit by the pandemic.   At the EU and national level, action plans have been launched to overcome the challenges for the green and digital transition,...

BACKGROUND According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), before COVID-19, the contribution of China's tourism industry to the national economy was 9.3%, which was similar to the EU average (9.5%). The Chinese outbound travel market is notable for its large volume and rapid growth. Tourism from China to the EU has tripled in ten years. China has already become an important force in the global tourism economy. With its rich cultural heritage and natural resources, China offered unique tourism destinations....

Wednesday, 2nd March 2022, 8:30-9:30 am CET   The Milan Urban Food Policy Pact Secretariat in partnership with the IURC programme of the European Union is organising an online training on urban food policy through a series of webinars for MUFPP and IURC cities in Asia Pacific. Participating cities will have the opportunity to showcase their best practices and learn from their peers in the region in the way they use food as an entry point for sustainable urban development....

The webinar "Rehabilitation strategies for Historic Centres: case studies from Naples, Manaus, and Cienfuegos", organized by the International Urban and Regional Cooperation Latin America (IURC LAC) Programme, presented multisectoral strategies and lessons learned in the rehabilitation of historic city centres, as a way for integral territorial recovery and revitalization. Space The full agenda of the event is available here Space Download the presentations here Space Read the highlights from the event here

In this first session of our Sustainable Urban Mobility and Transport Cluster, we will address the challenge of planning and managing public transport to achieve a zero emissions target by 2030. A keynote presentation by Miguel Angel Ania from the Ministry of Public Services and Mobility of Zaragoza, Spain, will guide us on:   - Identifying the optimum technology for each city’s public transport vehicles, - The relevance of planning an integrated system - Reevaluating strategies for success   Miguel’s presentation will be followed by...

Visual Takeaways of the Innovative sustainable & carbon neutral ecosystems and strategic sectors parallel session at the IURC Annual Event 2021 (24 November).

Visual Takeaways of the Innovative sustainable & carbon neutral ecosystems and strategic sectors parallel session at the IURC Annual Event 2021 (23 November).

Visual Takeaways of the Urban Renewal and Regional Competitiveness parallel session at the IURC Annual Event 2021 (24 November).

Visual Takeaways of the Urban & Regional Renewal and Social Cohesion parallel session at the IURC Annual Event 2021 (23 November).

Visual Takeaways of the Ecological Transition and Green Deal parallel session at the IURC Annual Event 2021 (24 November).

Tuesday, 14 December 2021 9:00 – 10:30 CET | 16:00 – 17:30 MYT | 19:00 – 20:30 Melbourne   Why cities are crucial to a circular economy? Cities have a high concentration of resources, capital, data, and talent spread over a relatively small geographic area and are centres for innovation hubs. According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, by 2050 two thirds of us will live in cities, consuming 75% of the world’s natural resources, producing 50% of global waste and...

Visual Takeaways of the Ecological Transition and Green Deal parallel session at the IURC Annual Event 2021 (23 November).

The webinar "Smart Strategies for Equality and Social Inclusion" organized by the International Urban and Regional Cooperation Latin America (IURC-LAC) Programme sought to introduce smart strategies and analyse how innovation and digitalization can promote more inclusive policies. Space The full agenda of the event is available here Space Download the presentations here Space Read the highlights from the event here

Date & Time: 29th November (Mon), 10:00 – 11:00 am (CET) / 18:00-19:00 (JST) This webinar will be held as a “Thematic Track 5 (TT5) “ of ISAP2021 which is organised by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES). Website of ISAP2021：https://isap.iges.or.jp/2021/jp/index.html Registration：https://form.iges.or.jp/webapp/form/11205_zoq_402/index.do?_ga=2.97500191.1236293257.1635726388-1052567314.1597197804 English-Japanese interpretation will be available via Zoom.   For cities to meet the challenge of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050, one policy pillar is to promote a renovation wave in buildings, which the EU sees as a...

The event, about “Financing green infrastructure for sustainable cities and regions”, was the first of a series of 20 and brought together international experts from WRI, AECID, and GIZ, that introduced green finance instruments to cities and regions interested in sustainable development, while highlighting the need to shift towards better investment strategies in green infrastructure. Space The full agenda of the event is available here Space Download the presentations here Space Read the highlights from the event here

In this first session, we will bring together a cohort of IURC cities to share solutions and learn from one another on innovative, sustainable ecosystems & strategic sectors mostly as they relate to urban/neighborhood regeneration and social inclusion. The City Leader for the Cluster is the City of Baltimore (Baltimore Development Corporation). The 1.5-hour session will include: « A presentation from Colin Tarbert, President & CEO of the Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC), on Baltimore Together: A Platform for Inclusive Prosperity...

Thursday, 11 November 2021 2:00 - 3:00 pm IST / 9:30 - 10:30 CET   As part of the IURC Asia and Australasia programme, we invite you to our interactive discussion series on Post COVID-19 and Inclusive Recovery. IURC recognises the need to deliberate on the implications of COVID, by carrying out a series of regular discussion events on different urban topics (1. Mobility; 2. Health; 3. Economy; 4. Education; 5. Environment; 6. Gender). The objective is to discuss urban...

BACKGROUND Since the fundamental reforms in 1980s, China has experience remarkable transition through a combined process of industrialization and urbanization. The urban population has grown from about 200 million or 20% in 1980 to nearly 800 million or 60% in 2020. That is about 1.5 times the total population of the EU. The growth was largely relying on labor, land, raw materials, and other cost-effective resources to participate in global supply chain. To transform to a sustainable pathway, Chinese government...

BACKGROUND In the past 40 years, China´s urban population has grown from about 200 million or 20% in 1980 to nearly 800 million or 60% in 2020. That is about 1.5 times the total population of the EU. Urban development process in China is profoundly different from the urban development process in EU. For this reason, urbanization in China and associated transition tendency is a very relevant topic for EU-China urban and regional development cooperation. The Zoom-in China is part...

This inaugural webinar organised by LIFE Initiative For Environment (LIFE) will introduce the audiences to the principles of circular economy from a global perspective, the circular economy journey in Malaysia and its potential and impact beyond waste management. The webinar is open to the public and NGOs intended to serve communities by developing long-term environmental and sustainable development projects in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals 2030. When: Nov 27, 2021 (Sat) 10:00 AM Kuala Lumpur (04:00 AM CET)...

Food markets have been among the most affected vendors during the Covid-19 pandemic. These markets have social and cultural importance, as well as holding a lot of potential for sustainability and local economy and innovation. Together with the Inter-American Development Bank, our International Urban and Regional Development Programme will host a webinar on The Future of Food Markets in Latin America, including some best practices from European IURC Cities Madrid and Rotterdam. We look forward to welcoming you to the...

Publication by EU Commission, DG Environment

BACKGROUND This thematic cluster webinar is a part of International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) Asia & Australasia, which aims to further urban and regional cooperation in the fields of sustainable urban development and innovation between EU and non-EU cities. Within the thematic network “Ecological Transition & Green Deal,” this webinar will narrow in on two main topics related to current global issues. The effects of climate change are becoming more pronounced around the world. From the unprecedented, deadly flooding...

In the context of the IURC project, the coordinators of the selected European and Korean pilot cities are invited to join a kick-off event on Thursday, 30 September 2021, 17:00-18:00 KST (10:00-11:00 CEST). Agenda • Welcome by Patrick Polacsek, Delegation of the European Union to Korea (5 min) • Introduction by DG REGIO (10 min) • Comments by the IURC team • City Presentations (5 slides): Rotterdam, Dublin, Sofia, Busan, Seoul, Sejong (30 min) • Q&A, discussion on next steps,...

The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) as a part of the C40 Cities Network in collaboration with Government of Maharashtra, WRI, Climate Voices and Waatavaran will organise the Stakeholder Consultation on Sustainable Mobility on 3 September, 15:00-16:00 India time, to seek feedback and recommendations from organisations and sector experts for the development of the Mumbai Climate Action plan (MCAP). Representing the IURC Asia & Australasia project at the meeting will be Ms Prachi Merchant, a Senior Non-Key Expert based...

The EU-Korea Climate Action Project closes in October. Join this webinar to learn about the results of this cooperation on 16 September 2021, 8:00-11:00 CET. For registration and the agenda: https://next-ma.eu/landing/eu-ko-closing-event.

What is Malaysia’s view on climate change? What are corporate perspectives for net-zero emissions? What does civil society think about climate change and biodiversity loss? This virtual conference will generate new ideas for Malaysia to foster a nature-positive and net-zero economy, with high quality and resilient ecosystem services. Make your voice heard as we prepare for the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) and the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15). ********** Panel 3: Promoting and Developing Sustainable Cities There is vast scope...

Are you looking forward on the latest insights of district cooling system in Malaysia? You’re right on time! We are having an upcoming webinar titled “Exploring Potential of District Cooling System in Malaysia” on 2 Sept, Thursday, 2:00PM (UTC+8) Malaysia Time. This webinar is sponsored by Pendinginan Megajana Sdn Bhd and hosted by Asia Pacific Urban Energy Association (APUEA), in collaboration with ASEAN Super 8 - ASEAN TENAGA Energy. The key takeaways of the webinar: • Learn about the status...

The IURC programme will join the Malaysian Urban Forum 2021 as a knowledge partner with Pablo Gandara, the Team Leader of IURC Asia & Australasia, participating as a discussant in the "Consumer Behaviour Towards a Circular Pathway" roundtable on 8 September, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.  

Organised part of the cooperation between the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, the International Urban and Regional Cooperation programme (IURC), the South Asian chapter of the Global Covenant of Mayors, and the National Institute of Urban Affairs in India, the Mobilising Indian Cities for Race to Zero webinar encouraged Indian cities to join the global pledge to achieve net-zero GHG emissions and build an inclusive, sustainable and resilient future for all.

The IURC Asia & Australasia will organise a kick-off meeting for EU and Malaysian cities that will cooperate within the IURC programme. Joining the meeting will be representatives from Bologna and Imola NCI from Italy; Eixo Atlantico, Vila Nova and Maia from Portugal; and Seberang Perai, Georgetown and Malacca City from Malaysia. The cities will cooperate on several areas including circular economy and will be briefed on pilot projects and action plans that are expected to result from their cooperation.

Leveraging distinctive economic, physical, and leadership assets to grow and cultivate, innovation districts have been emerging in dozens of cities and metropolitan areas globally and helping transform distinct urban geographies into thriving boosters for sustainable development. Introduced by the city of Barcelona in 2000, the 22@district is a new strategy enabling the connection between the local and international communities by providing better integration and increasing the productivity of both communities. Today, this district is seen as the inspiration by more...

In the context of the Bangkok Design Week 2021 hosted by the Creative Economy Agency (CEA), the International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) programme of the European Union and we!park, a partner of the Green Bangkok 2030 initiative of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), will organise a series of activities aimed at advancing dialogue and multi-stakeholder cooperation on green urban development.   One of the activities planned for this event is an international online forum titled “New Green Possibilities”. The...

Green and Smart Building represents the perfect integration to support the development of sustainable cities. Low Carbon Smart Buildings are the positive catalyst towards sustainability and, even more than energy and technology solutions. The use of vertical green and roof garden offer a great opportunity to change the image of the city toward a nature-based solution for a clean healthy urban life. From the Roman Villa’s gardens to the Blood and Tissue Bank of Catalonia in Barcelona, design and technology are...

Thursday, 17 June 2021, 3:00-4:30 p.m. GMT+8 (9:00-10:30 a.m. CEST) Net Zero: 2050 Low Carbon Spatial Planning In this 4th session of the Low Carbon Cities Webinar, curated by the GTALCC Project under UNDP Malaysia and the Ministry of Environment and Water (KASA), we’ll be taking a look at on the the topic of Spatial Planning in the context of Achieving Net-Zero Emissions by the year 2050. Joining with us this 17th of June will be 5 experts, both local...