Category: News from Asia & Australasia

IURC Cities Advance Climate Action through Nature-Based and Community-Driven Solutions

13 October 2025 – Online Deep Dive Session The International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) Asia & Australasia Thematic Network held its second Global Deep Dive on Climate Adaptation, focusing on Nature-Based Solutions (NbS), Financing Strategies, and Community Involvement. The session gathered experts and representatives from Adelaide (Australia), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), and the Cluj Metropolitan Area (Romania) to exchange practical experiences and inspire cross-regional learning. From Strategy to Implementation Opening...

IURC Cities from India, Malaysia and Italy Collaborate on Climate-Resilient Futures

9 October 2025 – Online Deep Dive Session The International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) Asia & Australasia Thematic Network hosted its first Global Deep Dive Session on Climate Adaptation, connecting experts and city leaders from India, Malaysia, and Italy to share experiences and practical solutions for strengthening urban resilience. The event marked another milestone in advancing city-to-city cooperation on climate action within the IURC...

IURC Asia & Australasia Cities Advance Climate Adaptation Efforts

7 October 2025 – Online session The International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) Asia & Australasia Thematic Network hosted an engaging session on Climate Adaptation in Urban Areas, showcasing initiatives from pilot cities Chennai (India), Sofia (Bulgaria), and Pimpri Chinchwad (India). The meeting brought together city practitioners, experts, and IURC partners to exchange experiences on building urban resilience through integrated adaptation measures. Adapting Cities for a...

IURC Asia & Australasia Launches First Thematic Cluster Breakout Session

More than 50 regional development experts joined the Region-to-Region Cooperation on Innovation webinar on 1 October 2025, marking the start of the IURC Asia & Australasia Thematic Network breakout sessions. Divided into four clusters—Industrial Modernisation, Agri-Food, Clean Energy, and Blue Economy—participants exchanged ideas on pilot actions, key stakeholders, and implementation methods to advance regional cooperation and innovation. Moderated by Pablo Gándara, Bruce Wilson, Paul Dalziel and Eva Vila, the session...

IURC Asia & Australasia Cities Exchange Circular Economy Solutions in Second Deep Dive Session

6 October 2025 – Online session The International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) Asia & Australasia (AA) Thematic Networkcontinued its Circular Economy cluster webinar series with the second Deep Dive Session on Circular Economy and Waste Management, bringing together 54 participants from Europe and Asia. The session highlighted innovative urban approaches from Hamburg (Germany), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Vicenza (Italy), and Melaka (Malaysia), showcasing the breadth of circular economy practices and the...

IURC AA Cities Take a Deep Dive into Circular Economy Waste and Water Solutions

On 2 October 2025, the International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) Asia & Australasia programme held its first Deep Dive Session on Circular Economy (Cluster 4), focusing on waste and water management strategies. The event brought together 50 participants from Europe and Asia and showcased how cities are pioneering new approaches to transform waste into resources and wastewater into energy, while strengthening international cooperation. Setting...

IURC2 Kicks Off in Japan: Advancing EU–Japan Sustainable Urban and Regional Cooperation

The IURC Japan Kick-off took place in a hybrid format on 2 October 2025 as part of the Kyoto Smart City Expo 2025, co-hosted by Kyoto Prefecture. The session marked the formal launch of the International Urban and Regional Cooperation Programme (IURC) Phase II in Japan, bringing together European and Japanese representatives to deepen city and regional collaboration across thematic clusters such as urban innovation, industrial...

IURC AA Launches Circular Economy Cluster with Global Introductory Webinar

On 1 October 2025, the International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) Asia & Australasia programme launched its Circular Economy Thematic Cluster (Cluster 4) with an introductory webinar attended by 59 participants from 17 cities in 10 countries. The session marked the beginning of a global exchange on how cities can rethink waste, food systems, and resource use while piloting innovative solutions to accelerate the...

IURC Asia & Australasia Regions Advance Cooperation on Clean Energy and Blue Economy

1 October 2025 – Online session The International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) Asia & Australasia Thematic Network hosted its third Region-to-Region Cooperation on Innovation webinar on Clean Energy and Blue Economy, bringing together 44 representatives from regional governments, research institutions, and development agencies across Europe and Asia. The event highlighted the growing momentum for cross-continental collaboration on hydrogen technology, renewable energy, industrial modernisation, and just transition strategies—key...

Final Deep Dive Discussion on Global Urban Innovation in EU and Asian Cities

The International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) Asia & Australasia programme concluded its Urban Innovation Deep Dive Webinar Series with a forward-looking session on start-ups, investments, and technologies. The event gathered 65 participants and highlighted six cities—Grenoble-Alpes, Warsaw, Leuven, Tallinn, Nagoya, and Kaohsiung—each presenting their unique strategies for fostering resilient and innovative urban economies. Grenoble-Alpes – Boosting Entrepreneurship Amélie Dupraz-Canard introduced the iVenture programme,...