Part of our RESEARCH Pillar

Peri-urban areas, where urban and rural landscapes meet, play a crucial role in the health and resilience of our cities. While often overlooked by traditional planning, these areas face fragmented governance and intense environmental pressures, including urban sprawl, industrial pollution and complex land-use conflicts.

SpurUP (Sustainable Peri-Urban framework for Climate Neutral development) aims to bridge that gap by advancing decarbonization, circular economy, and smart governance to manage industrial growth without sacrificing the environment.

Funded by Horizon Europe, the project brings together 34 partners from 11 EU countries to co-create and implement solutions that advance net-zero technologies and foster participatory governance to transform peri-urban regions into climate-neutral hubs, by addressing key challenges of peri-urban areas, including:

– industrial pressures & environmental health,

– fragmented governance,

– resource & infrastructure deficits,

– and environmental and social vulnerabilities.

The Institute of Urban Excellence contributes to the project’s governance and participation efforts by facilitating targeted stakeholder engagement, developing participatory governance frameworks and knowledge transfer strategies, and promoting the co-creation and uptake of digital tools through workshops and focus groups. Its involvement in the first implementation phase laid the foundation for effective collaboration, knowledge transfer, and long-term impact.