In an era defined by climate challenges, cities across Europe and beyond are stepping up with innovative prototypes that redefine urban living. In UP2030, the eleven pilot cities are leveraging their unique contexts to develop solutions that align with the broader goals of climate neutrality, resilience, and spatial justice. These efforts are not only tackling immediate environmental and social issues but also creating replicable frameworks to inspire global urban transformation.
This collection of city pathways highlights groundbreaking initiatives, including AI-driven decision-making tools, modular urban farms, neighbourhood climate adaptation strategies, and planning guidelines for low-carbon districts. The prototypes showcase various approaches, from engaging communities in co-design processes to integrating cutting-edge technologies like digital twins and machine learning, to address pressing challenges such as urban heat islands and equitable access to resources.
Below you can explore how cities like Belfast, Budapest, Granollers, Istanbul, Lisbon, Milan, Muenster, Rio de Janeiro, Rotterdam, Thessaloniki, and Zagreb are:
- Developing actionable frameworks for climate-neutral neighbourhoods.
- Enhancing resilience against climate vulnerabilities such as floods, extreme heat, and social inequities.
- Promoting inclusivity and equity in urban interventions.
- Scaling innovative tools and methodologies for broader adoption.
Each city's link offers a deep dive into its specific initiatives and contributions to a sustainable, adaptable, and inclusive global urban future. These pathways are more than localized solutions. They represent a strategic shift toward building sustainable, adaptable, and inclusive cities worldwide. By enabling a quantum leap from a “business as usual” project-by-project decarbonization approach to a vision-driven, strategy-based approach anchored on sound projects and renewed policy development, these initiatives pave the way for transformative urban change. By reading through the examples, you’ll gain insight into the bold visions shaping tomorrow’s urban environments and the practical steps being taken today to make those visions a reality.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. This project has received funding from the Horizon Innovation Actions under the grant agreement n° 101096405.