UP2030'S FINAL EVENT
We’re delighted to have taken part in the final event of the Horizon Europe project UP2030, held on 3 November 2025 in Barcelona: Cities in Action: Shaping Just, Resilient & Climate-Neutral Urban Planning.
The event brought together 47 partners from across Europe and beyond, each contributing unique insights and a shared ambition: closing the gap between climate policy and real implementation.
Throughout the day, cities from the UP2030 consortium showcased how they are turning climate-neutral visions into actionable pathways:
» Budapest & Belfast demonstrated how participation and engagement tools are helping residents co-create their urban futures.
» Rotterdam & Münster compared local and strategic approaches to building climate-resilient neighbourhoods.
» Granollers & Milan highlighted co-created prototypes connecting climate planning and public-space design.
» Lisbon, Thessaloniki & Rio de Janeiro invited participants into an interactive, learning-through-play experience exploring real-world challenges.
» Zagreb & Istanbul shared innovations from solar mapping and micromobility to school-based urban farming — examples of how small ideas can scale into meaningful transformation.
We were especially proud to support the hands-on workshop on “Co-creating more inclusive and fair planning through participatory approaches”, led by Delft University of Technology. This discussion reinforced a crucial message: inclusive processes are essential for just, resilient, and climate-neutral cities.
Other workshops throughout the day tackled a wide range of urgent urban challenges — from digital tools for accelerating building decarbonisation to scaling local pilots, strengthening data governance, and designing blue-green infrastructure for enhanced climate resilience.
Beyond the sessions, we valued the engaging conversations, the chance to reconnect with colleagues from across Europe, and of course, the inspiring Barcelona setting and wonderful shared meals that sparked new ideas and collaborations.
A big thank-you to all partners for the energy, expertise, and commitment you bring to this mission. We’re excited to continue contributing to a future where climate-neutral planning translates into real impact for people and places.