From 4–6 November 2025, UP2030 actively took part in the Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC) in Barcelona, joining city leaders, innovators, researchers and EU initiatives to discuss how we can make our cities more climate-resilient, inclusive and sustainable.

Across a dedicated booth at the European Commission stand and two key sessions, UP2030 shared tools, methods and real city experiences that are helping bridge the gap between climate ambition and on-the-ground action.

UP2030 at the European Commission Stand: EU for Resilient Green Cities

During SCEWC 2025, UP2030 hosted a project booth at the European Commission stand: “EU for resilient green cities”.

The booth served as a meeting point for city representatives, practitioners, and stakeholders interested in:

• Climate resilience and adaptation

• Inclusive climate action planning

• Practical tools and methods for implementation

Our team engaged with visitors, sharing insights from UP2030’s pilot cities and exchanging ideas on how to co-create sustainable urban solutions that work for both people and the planet.

We would also like to extend a special thank you to the project partners who were present at the stand and contributed to the conversations:
Buro Happold, METU-GÜNAM, GreenAdapt, UIC, TSPA, VUB & Maggioli.

Their expertise and presence helped showcase the breadth and collaborative nature of the UP2030 consortium.

Roundtable: Which Strategies and Tools Create Truly Climate-Resilient Cities?

One of the highlights of UP2030’s contribution to SCEWC 2025 was the roundtable on “Which Strategies and Tools Create Truly Climate Resilient Cities?”

Cristina Visconti, Co-Director of the UCCRN European Hub, introduced the Urban Design Climate Workshop and its implementation within two UP2030 pilot cities:

• Thessaloniki

• Rio de Janeiro

The workshop supports evidence-based climate action planning, helping cities to:

• Understand climate risks and impacts in specific neighbourhoods

• Explore spatial scenarios and design options

• Co-develop solutions with stakeholders

The session underscored the central role of cities in developing and testing innovative approaches to climate resilience, and showed how structured, participatory workshops can drive more informed and inclusive decision-making.

Bridging Implementation Gaps: From Pilots to Systemic Action

UP2030 also featured in the session “Bridging Implementation Gaps: Upscaling Pilots to Systemic Action”, moderated by Catalina Diaz from Fraunhofer IAO.

The session highlighted concrete work taking place in:

• Belfast

• Granollers

• The UP2030 Service Platform

Belfast City Council representatives Dr. Callie Persic and Niamh Mulrine shared the city’s engagement process, explaining how local communities are involved in shaping climate action at the neighbourhood level.

From Granollers, Dr. Montse Martinez Puentes and Judit Tarradellas Font presented the implementation of technical tools, demonstrating how data, modelling and digital solutions can support local decision-making and climate planning.

Finally, Elena Petsani from ICLEI Europe introduced the UP2030 Service Platform. This platform aims to offer integrated methods and support to cities that want to move from isolated pilots to scaled, systemic climate action, helping them to:

• Upscale successful solutions

• Share knowledge across cities

• Align local initiatives with broader climate goals

Inclusive Innovation: Delivering Effective Solutions in Cities and Communities

Another important highlight was the “Inclusive Innovation: Delivering Effective Solutions in Cities and Communities” session at SCEWC 2025.

Moderated by Matteo Satta, Project Coordinator of UP2030’s sister project Climaborough, the session brought together city representatives, businesses and EU officials to discuss how innovation can truly serve people and communities.

Key contributions included:

• Elodie Thirion, who underlined the EU’s commitment to inclusive innovation, ensuring that technological and policy advances are accessible and beneficial to diverse communities.

• Hervé Dupuy, who presented the 5G for Smart Communities initiative, supporting 47 projects with a €242.5 million budget, highlighting how connectivity can enable smarter, more responsive public services.

• Edgar Valverde Estrella, who stressed the importance of collaboration among stakeholders, from public authorities and businesses to citizens and civil society.

• Dr. Chrysi Laspidou, who introduced the ENHANCE project focusing on coastal management and resilience.

From the UP2030 side:

• Dr. Callie Persic focused on Belfast’s Net Zero Neighbourhood Framework, emphasising the central role of citizen engagement in designing fair and realistic pathways to net zero.

• Davide Miceli showcased Turin’s work on sustainable textile waste management within the Climaborough project, illustrating how circular economy solutions can be embedded at the urban level.

The session reinforced a key message:

Innovation in cities is only truly effective when it is co-designed with communities, not imposed on them.

Key Takeaways from SCEWC 2025 for UP2030

Across the booth, sessions and discussions, several themes consistently emerged for UP2030:

• Climate resilience is a shared endeavour – Cities, researchers, businesses and communities must work together to understand risks and design solutions.

• Tools and methods matter – From the Urban Design Climate Workshop to the UP2030 Service Platform, structured approaches can help cities move from vision to implementation.

• Scaling up is essential – Pilot projects are valuable, but the real challenge lies in turning successful experiments into systemic, city-wide action.

• Inclusion is non-negotiable – Effective climate and innovation strategies must engage residents, especially those most affected by climate impacts and inequality.

SCEWC 2025 was a valuable opportunity for UP2030 to share experiences, learn from peers, and strengthen collaborations with projects such as Climaborough and other EU initiatives.

UP2030 will continue to build on these exchanges, supporting cities in their journey towards climate-neutral, resilient and inclusive futures.