sustainability – International Urban and Regional Cooperation

Moving through Madrid: Field notes from the Advanced Cooperation Mission in Madrid

Madrid, Spain | 23–25 June 2026 The IURC programme held its Advanced Cooperation Mission in Madrid as part of the Community of Practice on sustainable mobility and urban transformation, bringing together representatives from Fortaleza (Brazil) and Umeå (Sweden) to explore how Madrid is rethinking its streets, corridors and transport infrastructure as part of a wider strategy for a more liveable, connected and green city. Over...

Meet the IURC LAC cities working on night-time economy

Across Europe and Latin America, cities are working together to unlock the potential of the night-time economy as a driver of more vibrant, inclusive and resilient urban environments. Through the IURC Latin America and the Caribbean programme, these cities collaborate within the Community of Practice on Night-time Economy to exchange knowledge, address shared challenges and explore innovative approaches to public...

When the border is a bridge: Field notes from the Advanced Cooperation Mission in the Rio Minho territory

Rio Minho (Portugal — Spain) | 29 June – 2 July The IURC programme held its first Advanced Cooperation Mission of the Agri-food Community of Practice (CoP 6) in the Rio Minho territory — a cross-border region straddling the Galicia–North Portugal frontier. Representatives from South Tyrol (Italy), Mendoza (Argentina), Tacna (Peru) and Loreto (Peru) joined the host body, the AECT/EGTC...

CoP 14 Webinar Highlights Multisectoral Strategies for Heat Resilience, Air Quality and Public Health

The International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) Community of Practice (CoP) 14 successfully hosted its third webinar, bringing together city representatives and experts to exchange practical solutions for addressing the growing challenges of extreme heat, air quality and public health. The webinar focused on how cities can strengthen climate resilience through integrated, multisectoral approaches, featuring experiences from Kawasaki (Japan), Pimpri...

Best Urban Practices from IURC LAC: Pla Viure in Barcelona

Barcelona faces a severe housing affordability crisis, with access to decent housing ranking as the top concern for 28.8% of residents. Decades of insufficient public housing investment left the city with one of the lowest social housing stocks among comparable European capitals, with historically only 20% of new developments allocated to affordable use. Pla Viure is Barcelona’s city council housing...

Best Urban Practices from IURC LAC: The Zoom Metropolitano project in Guadalajara

Zoom Metropolitano is a geographic information platform for the Metropolitan Area of Guadalajara (AMG), developed by Imeplan to make urban and territorial data accessible to both citizens and decision-makers without requiring specialized technical knowledge. Users can access more than 700 layers of verified, standardized, and up-to-date information, organized around metropolitan priorities: land-use planning, environmental sustainability, mobility, and resilience. Download

The city after dark in Buenos Aires: Field notes from the Advanced Cooperation Mission

Buenos Aires (Argentina) | 26 – 28 May The IURC programme held its Advanced Cooperation Mission in Buenos Aires as part of the Community of Practice on nighttime economy, bringing together representatives from Braga (Portugal) and Genoa (Italy) as European partners, and Salvador de Bahia (Brazil) from Latin America, hosted by the Government of the City of Buenos Aires. Over...

Best Regional Practices from IURC LAC: The Digital Innovation Lab in Mendoza

The Digital Innovation Lab is a public innovation and digital transformation initiative in Mendoza, Argentina. Its main purpose is to help companies — especially SMEs — adopt digital technologies and move toward Industry 5.0, combining digitalisation, sustainability, resilience, and human-centred innovation. Download

From Rome to Bologna on citizen participation: Field notes from the Advanced Cooperation Mission

Rome and Bologna (Italy) | 25— 28 May The IURC–LAC Community of Practice on citizen participation methodologies and nature-based solutions reunited in Italy for an intensive stretch of exchange between Latin American and European cities. Over the course of two visits — first in Rome and then in Bologna — delegations from Salvador de Bahia (Brazil) and Buenos Aires (Argentina),...

Affordable housing up close in Barcelona: Field notes from the Advanced Cooperation Mission

Barcelona (Spain) | 26 – 28 May The IURC programme held its Advanced Cooperation Mission in Barcelona, bringing together representatives from Cartagena (Colombia), Concepción (Chile), and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) to explore how Barcelona approaches the affordable housing crisis — from regulatory frameworks and land management to neighbourhood rehabilitation and large-scale urban development. Over three days, participants combined workshops, site...

Tag: sustainability