Albacete is a mid-sized city in southeast Spain and the economic hub of its province. Its economy is driven by the agro-food sector, advanced services (aerospace, ITC, consultancy), and a growing innovation ecosystem. The city hosts a major trade fair attracting over 1M visitors annually. Main urban challenges include social inclusion, affordable housing, circular economy transition, and digital innovation. CEEI Albacete coordinates efforts in internationalization and sustainable urban innovation.

Albuquerque is the largest city in New Mexico. The economy has evolved from mining and resource extraction, to rail, to high-tech and the creative economy today.

Demographics are about 50% Hispanic/Latino and 4% Native American, compared to 19% and 0.5% nationally. Only 38% of Albuquerque residents are White, compared to more than 58% nationwide.

The median household income is lower than the national average, at $65,604 versus $78,538. The poverty rate is 16%, compared to 12.4% nationally.

Educational attainment is lower than the national average, with about 12.4% of adults over age 25 possessing a bachelor’s degree, compared to 16.2% nationally.

In spite of being at a transportation crossroads and the presence of federal employers and higher education institutions, the city has struggled to attract major employers and investors. It also struggles with crime and homelessness. Demographic shifts and an aging population have contributed to a housing shortage.

Alicante, in southeast Spain, is the country’s tenth-largest city and a dynamic hub generating 23% of provincial GDP and hosting 18% of its enterprises. While services, logistics, and real estate drive its economy, it is rapidly diversifying into ICT, renewable energy, and life sciences. The city is investing in digitalisation, smart city solutions, and industrial expansion, adding over 2M m² of industrial zones. Globally recognized for water conservation, Aguas de Alicante manages the full water cycle with advanced reuse, digital monitoring, and living labs, building on its leadership in the EU B-WaterSmart project. Addressing challenges like youth employment, housing, and climate resilience, Alicante positions itself as a Mediterranean leader in innovation and sustainable water management, with Alicante Futura driving training, entrepreneurship, and smart specialization, and ALIA attracting and supporting international investment.

The City of Atlanta has experienced tremendous economic growth and development in the last several decades, including significant public investment in Atlantic Station and the Atlanta Beltline. The city has emerged as a regional hub attracting tech companies, fintech, and regional headquarters. This economic development has created fundamental affordability pressures in a city that was previously affordable and displacement concerns as legacy residents are unable to afford the prices of new development. Additionally the city is experiencing uneven development with the portions of the city where the remaining affordable housing exists underinvested and isolated from the new jobs and amenities.

Austin, a suburban city in a humid subtropical climate, is marked by a diverse economic and cultural landscape and a rapidly diversifying population. However, fast-paced in-migration has intensified housing costs and inequality, straining affordability and equity. In addition to economic shifts, the city faces mounting environmental challenges, including extreme heat, a flash flood–drought cycle, and increasing threat of wildfire. Vulnerable populations—such as low-income residents, renters, outdoor workers, and the unhoused—are disproportionately exposed to heat, flooding, wildfire smoke, and declining air quality. In many ways, Austin’s climate and landscape resemble those of southern Europe, underscoring the need for shared adaptation strategies. While we have made great advances in mitigating the impacts of climate change, we can learn a lot from similar cities in Southern Europe.

AMB is committed to implementing the green and digital transition to overcome socioeconomic and urban development challenges. Vulnerable districts deserve special attention to improve fragmentation due to transport infrastructure, high unemployment, low income, and social exclusion. To address these challenges, AMB h created tools such as the Urban Vulnerability Index and has launched the Integrated Action Plan IMPULS Besòs, a Sustainable Urban Development Strategy aligned with Article 11 of the ERDF/Cohesion Fund, promoting regeneration, social cohesion, and sustainability. The AMB Climate Plan also supports climate change by cutting emissions, enhancing green infrastructure, boosting energy efficiency, and building resilience. This integrated approach fosters a just green transition. Simultaneously, AMB drives digital transformation to promote inclusion, smart infrastructure, open data, and better digital public services, ensuring tech supports equity and institutional capacity.

Birmingham is the seat of Jefferson County and serves as the economic and cultural heart of central Alabama. Once a major industrial centre built on steel and manufacturing, it has diversified its economy toward healthcare, education, finance, and technology, supported by institutions such as the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The city has a vibrant cultural life and continues to invest in downtown revitalisation, public spaces, and innovation-led development to attract new residents and businesses.

While Birmingham is experiencing ongoing challenges related to equitable growth, housing, and infrastructure renewal, it is also working to enhance sustainability, mobility, and community resilience. Efforts to strengthen neighbourhoods, expand access to opportunities, and address social disparities are central to its current development strategies, positioning the city to balance historic preservation with inclusive and sustainable urban progress.

The city has an active outdoor lifestyle, strong environmental policies, and a vibrant mix of small businesses alongside major employers. However, issues such as income inequality, housing affordability, and transportation remain ongoing challenges. A large regional development challenge is trying to balance a desire for open spaces and nature with more dense housing and growth needed to support the local economy.

Debrecen, as a post-socialist city, has prioritized urban and economic development to boost competitiveness. Its FDI strategy has attracted new multinational companies, resulting in €12 billion in investments in the last eight years. This has reshaped the economy. The transformation has also driven significant social changes, including the creation of 20,000 new jobs by 2024. A considerable population increase is expected by 2030. The city’s thriving economy, driven by predominantly greenfield investments, raises the question of how to achieve economic growth in the most environmentally friendly manner. The scale of industrial expansion raises concerns about its impact on employment, housing, environmental sustainability, migration, and urban services. Debrecen is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Transforming the linear economy into a circular economy is essential for a climate-resilient, inclusive, and future-ready city.

Dublin has a diverse population which has increased by 7% since 2016.It has a thriving city centre, and employment has hit a record high in 2025.There are some sections of the population who continue to experience poverty,and housing shortages continue to be a predominant issue.Dublin City’s Development Plan sets out an array of strategies and policies to support sustainable neighbourhoods,with a vision of placemaking based around local neighbourhood development and community infrastructures and amenities.There is less car usage in Dublin and continued improvements to the walking and cycling infrastructure are making active travel more appealing.Challenges include increasing the resilience of the city to the effects of climate change,and achieving the balance between providing for compact growth,appropriate densification and placemaking yet ensuring innovative and sensitive development that respects the city’s unique character and enhances its natural and heritage assets.

As state capital of North Rhine-Westphalia, Düsseldorf is well connected in Germany’s economically strongest and demographically densest metropolitan area Rhein-Ruhr. Its population has been growing for the last 20 years and is expected to continue growing. Düsseldorf has over 650.000 inhabitants and is the 7th biggest German city but is relatively small in regards to its area of 217 km2. The city’s urban strategy (Raumwerk D) is characterised by an integrated approach to sustainable urban development that focuses on climate adaptation, sustainable mobility, resilient neighborhoods, and inclusive urban growth. The city aligns its planning and measures with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Leipzig Charter. In 2019, the Council decided on the ambitious goal to make Düsseldorf climate-neutral by 2035, and to decrease CO2 emissions to 2 tonnes per capita per year by expanding green power, retrofitting buildings, supporting solar use and inner-city funding programmes.

The City of Edmonton is a major urban centre and the capital of the Province of Alberta, Canada, poised for significant growth towards a population of two million people. The City’s strategic vision is laid out in “The City Plan,” which is a dynamic and flexible document designed to guide this growth in a sustainable and inclusive manner.

Edmonton’s socio-economic context is characterized by a vibrant and diverse population and a robust economy. The City functions as a key regional hub for transportation, services, housing, and infrastructure. It is also a significant center for manufacturing, logistics, and distribution. The City’s goal is to be a leader in innovation, creativity, and technology — attracting skills, talent, and investment.

In line with this growth and vision, Edmonton faces several prominent urban development challenges that are relevant to the EU Cities Gateway – North America (EUCG-NA) program:

Affordable/Attainable Housing: The City aims to eliminate chronic or episodic homelessness and ensure that no one is in core housing need. A key target is to reduce average household expenditures on housing and transportation to less than 35%. The City Plan outlines directions to streamline the provision of affordable housing and increase access to resources for the urban Indigenous population. This is a core focus area for the city and aligns directly with the EUCG-NA thematic cluster on Affordable/Attainable Housing and Innovative Living Spaces.

Circular Economy: Edmonton is committed to achieving a total community-wide carbon budget of 135 megatonnes and net zero per-person greenhouse gas emissions by the time it reaches a population of two million. The City is working to transform waste management with a new focus on rethinking, redesigning, reducing, and reusing over processing and disposal. The City’s previous cooperation with Riga, Latvia, included a focus on circular economy solutions. This commitment to reducing waste and emissions is central to the program’s Circular Economy cluster.

Digitalization and Urban Innovation: The City seeks to continuously improve its competitiveness and foster innovation. The City Plan includes directions to support new and emerging sectors and to connect data, technology and social innovation to foster creativity and productivity. It is focused on being a creative and entrepreneurial hub where technology and talent can converge. This directly corresponds with the EUCG-NA’s Digitalization and Urban Innovation thematic cluster.

Nature-based Solutions: The City Plan’s “Greener as We Grow” initiative includes ambitious stretch targets such as planting two million new urban trees and protecting, restoring, and enhancing a system of conserved natural areas. The City has learned from past partnerships, like with Riga, about the importance of green streets and incorporating nature-based solutions into urban planning. The Plan also details strategies for managing stormwater runoff and improving water quality through urban design. These efforts are a direct fit for the EUCG-NA’s Nature-based Solutions cluster.

Edmonton’s proactive stance on these challenges demonstrates its readiness to engage in international collaboration and its desire to learn from peer cities to build a more sustainable and climate-resilient future for its residents.

Fort Worth is one of the fastest-growing large U.S. cities, with a diverse economy spanning aerospace/defense, logistics, healthcare, energy, and higher education. A young and diverse population, strong job growth, and strategic assets such as DFW International Airport and AllianceTexas position the city as a dynamic hub within the Dallas–Fort Worth metro region.

Urban/regional challenges
Key issues include managing rapid growth and land use, ensuring housing affordability, improving multimodal mobility while reducing freight-related impacts, strengthening climate resilience and infrastructure, addressing air quality and emissions, and promoting more inclusive, equitable growth.

Relevance to EUCG-NA
Fort Worth seeks collaboration, within the context of urban innovation and data analytics, on sustainable growth models, transit-oriented development, affordable and low-carbon housing, clean freight and mobility solutions, nature-based climate adaptation, and equitable planning tools.

Guelph is one of Canada’s fastest growing communities. Guelph has a diverse economy anchored by a broad manufacturing sector including being home to businesses in advance manufacturing, life sciences,
agri-innovation and ICT, and a large public sector including schools, hospitals and municipal administration. Guelph benefits from a well-educated workforce and excellent research infrastructure.

Guelph currently faces several challenges on the urban development front some of the prominent challenges being lack of affordable rental housing, funding gap needed to address the City’s aging infrastructure
and to implement climate mitigation and adaptation actions, and labor shortage including skilled workers being in short supply.

Halifax is the capital of Nova Scotia and the largest and most prosperous economic centre in Atlantic Canada, with a population of 503,037 and over 200 urban, suburban, and rural communities spanning 5,475 square kilometres.

As a coastal city and a Canadian hub for transportation, defence, and security, Halifax stands on the frontlines of climate change, confronting its profound economic, geopolitical, and social impacts. Rising sea levels, devastating wildfires, record-breaking floods, and post-tropical storms have brought urgent challenges to our communities and economy.

Halifax has a diverse and dynamic economy driven by a strong post-secondary and innovation ecosystem, and growing sectors including IT, life sciences, cleantech, financial services, ocean tech, aerospace and defence, and transportation and logistics. At the same time, Halifax faces pressing development and climate-related challenges, including rapid population growth and housing pressures, reliance on carbon-intensive energy systems, and escalating climate risks.

In response, Halifax has adopted HalifACT: Acting on Climate Together, one of Canada’s most ambitious municipal climate action plans, and People. Planet. Prosperity, Halifax’s Inclusive Economic Growth Strategy, which directly links climate action to equitable, sustainable economic growth and quality of life outcomes.

Heidelberg is a university city and international hub with strong science and research sectors, a diverse economy, and high global connectivity. Its strategic focus is on advancing digitalisation and urban innovation, leveraging both academic and entrepreneurial innovation to drive sustainable transformation. Key challenges include managing urban growth while preserving cultural heritage, achieving climate neutrality, and bridging the gap between research and practical implementation in municipal governance.

To address these challenges, Heidelberg recently established anUnit for Innovation and Science Cooperation to serve as a core hub for innovation, integrating stakeholders from within the administration as well as external partners from science, business, and civil society.

Accelerating urban transformation requires openness to adopt and adapt proven ideas and frameworks, e.g. Test in Tallinn, which allows real-world testing of innovative solutions in an urban environment.

Jacksonville is a riverfront city along the St. Johns River in North Florida, 25 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. Established in 1822, it has a rich heritage rooted in Indigenous Timucua culture, colonial Spanish and British influence, and its rise as a trade hub in the American South. Today Jacksonville is one of the fastest growing cities in the Southeast and the largest city by land area in the contiguous United States. The consolidated city-county of Duval has nearly 1,000,000 residents with a median age of 36. The population is 54 percent White, 30 percent Black, 10 percent Hispanic or Latino, and 5 percent Asian and other groups, reflecting a diverse metropolitan region.

The local economy is anchored in logistics, healthcare, financial services, military and civilian defense, and advanced manufacturing. Median household income in Duval County is about $69,400, compared to $75,000 nationally, with 14.6 percent of residents living below the poverty line; further, a recent study by the University of North Florida found that nearly 25% of Jacksonville renters are severely cost-burdened, paying 50% or more of their income towards housing. Housing affordability is an urgent challenge: home values have increased by more than 60 percent since 2019, outpacing median housing income growth, with the median value now around $367,500. According to a 2024 Comprehensive Housing Market Analys Jacksonville Florida by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and Research, “Homeownership in the HMA [Housing Market Analysis] has become less affordable during the past 4 years, with average home prices increasing faster than average incomes.” At the same time, Florida homeowners face the highest insurance premiums in the United States, averaging $5,735 per year, more than double the national average, with many Jacksonville households experiencing premium increases of 50 percent or more.

These trends disproportionately affect working families, seniors, and first-time buyers Downtown Jacksonville faces unique development challenges as compared to suburban growth areas. Urban projects carry higher costs due to site constraints, infrastructure requirements, and the presence of historic structures that require preservation or adaptive reuse. The market for downtown residential living remains relatively unproven and requires stable rent levels that are difficult to achieve without incentives. Decades of urban renewal disrupted the original street grid, creating fragmented blocks that need to be reconnected for walkability and vitality. At the same time, the city must maximize its signature riverfront by balancing public access, open space, and private development to attract residents and visitors. The Northbank community redevelopment area remains heavily distressed, yet billions of dollars in public and private investment are now underway, positioning downtown for long-term renewal. Jacksonville’s consolidated city-county government, created in 1968, provides a broad and stable tax base but requires careful allocation of resources across a diverse region. This combination of scale, economic momentum, and redevelopment opportunity positions Jacksonville as a strong partner for international cooperation.

Larissa is the fifth-largest city in Greece, and an important economic, commercial, and agricultural center in the Thessaly region, with a strong presence in the primary sector as well as developing industrial and service activities. The city has experienced rapid urbanization over recent decades, putting pressure on its infrastructure and environment.
Among the main sustainable urban development challenges are managing urban sprawl and protecting environmentally sensitive areas surrounding the city, as well as integrating environmental criteria into spatial planning. Social cohesion, improvement of everyday life, energy efficiency in buildings and infrastructure, and urban mobility are among the priorities. Larissa combines an urban and agricultural profile, and its central position has already favored MICE. We aim to become a sustainable tourism and event destination, utilizing our significant cultural heritage, especially the Ancient Theater in the center of the city.

Laval, a French-speaking city, has experienced one of the fastest population growths in Québec in recent years (460,396 people lived there in 2024), after having long been considered a suburb of Montréal. The third largest city in Québec, which is also the second in terms of welcoming newly arrived persons (2021), now has a population density of 1,871 inhabitants per km², and people there still often live in single-family houses (44.8%).

While it once followed an urban development model based on single-family housing and dependence on cars, the City of Laval made a radical shift in territorial development in 2014 when it adopted its strategic vision Laval 2035: Urban by Nature.

Beyond the vision statement, one of Laval’s strengths lies in translating this ambition into action. The City not only implements its vision through several large-scale achievements but does so methodically, ensuring its success by first equipping itself with urban planning tools that help maintain direction regardless of economic or political fluctuations. The creation of a social-use trust to ensure the development of the strategic municipal site Carré Laval is a perfect example.

The main challenges for the City of Laval are therefore to maintain the pace of catching up in sustainable urban development. It also turns out that effectively planning land use is one of Laval’s strengths in adapting its territory to climate challenges. Creating “living environments” is not a dehumanized buzzword, but a guiding principle that places the people of Laval at the heart of developing public land-use policies: this is both a challenge—particularly in a context of ethnocultural diversity—and a strength, in view of the first milestones of success, which Laval wishes to share within the framework of this EUCG–NA programme.

Nanaimo is a city undergoing significant transformation, evolving from its roots as a small resource-based community into a vibrant, mid-sized professional urban centre. Its long, linear coastal layout and diverse topography contribute to higher costs for infrastructure and service delivery. As we embrace our growing role as a regional hub for transportation and logistics, we are increasingly challenged by issues such as infrastructure costs, and housing. To meet the demands of the emerging economy, we must attract and develop a skilled workforce—while also safeguarding the natural beauty of our waterfront and protecting the environment.

Parma is a city with a dynamic socio-economic profile, strongly characterized by gastronomic and cultural vocation. Strategically located in northern Italy, it combines a solid industrial tradition with innovation in the food processing sector. An innovative production fabric, a university system active in research, and a network of cultural events that strengthen the area’s attractiveness, complements this. The challenge the city is facing today is to rethink local food heritage from the perspective of sustainability and inclusiveness. Urban food policy is the tool to address critical issues such as food insecurity, malnutrition, biodiversity loss, climate change, food waste, and the disconnect between urban and rural areas. In this context, Parma UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy becomes an urban laboratory where institutions, communities, businesses and citizens collaborate to develop innovative and sustainable urban food system models.

Located in the heart of the Sonoran Desert, Phoenix, Arizona is the fifth-largest city in the United States and one of the fastest-growing urban centers in North America. With a population of over 1.6 million and a regional metro economy exceeding $280 billion, Phoenix is quickly becoming known not only for its dynamic economy but also for its bold approach to sustainability and innovation, evolving the city into a demonstration of resilient urban development, entrepreneurial ecosystem cultivation, and circular economy transformation.

The City’s socioeconomic context showcases its adaptability. While previously known for agriculture and mining, Phoenix is now increasingly seen as a hub for innovation, having transformed into a diversified economy centered around advanced manufacturing, aerospace, biosciences, renewable energy, logistics, innovation and technology, and circularity. Additionally, the City’s growth is reinforced by a collaborative ecosystem of research institutions, including Arizona State University, a global leader in sustainability and innovation—and a fast-expanding entrepreneurial landscape supported by public-private partnerships. Phoenix is currently investing in smart city technologies, green infrastructure, localized circular economy solutions and equitable digital access to ensure that economic development is inclusive and future-proof.

With its economic momentum, Phoenix does continue to face urban challenges such as income disparity, housing affordability, and climate vulnerability. As one of the hottest major U.S. cities, summer temperatures regularly exceed 110 degrees Fahrenheit exacerbating the urban heat island effect leading to increased energy demand for cooling and most directly impacting the health and well-being of already vulnerable populations. Phoenix is also facing significant water supply constraints worsened by prolonged drought and competing demands from agriculture and the growing urban population, making it a priority to ensure resilient sustainable water supply through enhancing reuse and recycling opportunities.

Aside from the expected heat and water challenges plaguing a desert city, urban sprawl and rapid population growth are also presenting Phoenix with additional challenges to address. Urban sprawl consumes desert land, strains infrastructure, increases transportation emissions and resource consumption. This drives the City’s focus on densification of downtown core to increase viability of walkable neighborhoods, establishment of an adaptive reuse program to encourage building reuse, and increased efforts for electrification and expansion of public transit. With rapid population growth, the City is also seeing significant increases in waste generation, minimal local end markets to support resource recovery, increased expenses to maintain recycling and organics programs all while battling against some of the lowest landfill tipping fees in the country resulting in circular waste management solutions being urgently needed but often times vastly more expensive and cost-prohibitive to many cities in the Metro Area.

The combined pressures of heat, drought, waste and growth place Phoenix at the forefront of climate vulnerability and reflect the urgent need for systems-level solutions. In response, the City has embraced forward-thinking policies that prioritize social equity, climate adaptation, and inclusive circular economic participation. For example, pioneering the investment in a circular economy transition through the establishment of the Resource Innovation Campus—the City’s 40-acre circular economy business park focused on attracting business and end markets to help reap the economic development benefits of attracting manufacturing processes and conversion technologies that transform waste into resources thus diverting it away from landfill. Or, becoming the first city government to establish an Office of Heat Response and Mitigation focused on coordinating programs and policies to help lower urban temperatures and protect public health. Phoenix is committed to building an equitable and climate-resilient future for its community.

Riga generates nearly half of GDP and most of the country’s business activity. It has a strategic location in the Baltic region. Connectivity, and education have supported growth in IT, logistics, and other sectors. It is among Europe’s greenest capitals, with many forests, parks, waters. Yet the city faces structural and environmental challenges.
One of Riga’s major socio-economic pressures stems from its aging housing stock, 85% of residents live in Soviet-era multi-apartment buildings, many energy-inefficient. An estimated 6,000 buildings require deep renovation, while over 26% of residents are at risk of energy poverty. These vulnerabilities are worsened by rising energy costs and geopolitical instability, underscoring the city’s dependence on imported fossil fuels. Riga’s highest CO₂ emissions come from housing and transport, together accounting for over 70%. While over 40% of centralized heating now uses renewables, a large share of heating, remains fossil-fuel-based.

City of Rijeka is the third largest city in Croatia with the population of 107.964 inhabitants. It is located on Kvarner bay, a inlet of the Adriatic Sea and situated on an area of 44 km². Rijeka is an industrial, administrative, cultural and university center of the region which serves about 250.000 inhabitants. Rijeka is a port city and was a former industrial center of the country, but in the process of transition a number of companies have shut down and a large number of job placements were lost. Therefore, besides traditional industries, Rijeka has focused on supporting innovative tech and creative industries for the future. From an economy largely based on heavy industry, it became a knowledge-based economy that embraces new technologies. Tourism and related services are also important contributors of the local economy.

Provincial capital, government, and service centre for province. At level of city neighbourhoods there are efforts to embrace healthy community programming and sustainability initiatives.
Home to Memorial University with noted expertise in ocean and marine technologies, public engagement and award-winning technology start-up facilities.
A robust period of economic growth spurred by petroleum sector development is now facing significant fiscal constraints due to an aging population, impacted by public sector debt, compression in various industry segments and the effect of COVID 19. Managing response to climate change, and a need for infrastructure renewal in one of the oldest cities in North America and household fiscal pressures from anticipated electricity and energy cost escalation mean that there are opportunities to look to innovative approaches to everything from built heritage, local national environment and healthy community best practices.

Tampere, Finland, is a growing tech and innovation hub transitioning from its industrial roots. With a young, diverse population and strong academic institutions, the city fosters collaboration and sustainable growth. Tampere has committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2030. To achieve this, the city is reducing emissions from transport and buildings, expanding public transport, and promoting blue-green infrastructure. However, impacts on the city from interconnected crises of inflation, rising unemployment, and social disconnection of young people have led to challenges in upholding well-being and quality of life for all residents, including regarding housing affordability, circular economy implementation, and preserving biodiversity amid urban expansion. While smart city digitalisation initiatives offer promise, ensuring inclusivity, social participation, and data privacy remains essential. Tampere’s future hinges on balancing growth with environmental and social equity.

Toronto is one of the world’s most multicultural cities, with over 50% of its population born outside Canada and more than 180 languages and dialects spoken. As Canada’s largest city, it’s a major immigration hub, economic powerhouse, and the busiest city in North America under construction due to increased development activity, major infrastructure renewal and the implementation of higher order transit.

With a population over 3 million and growth projected to continue, the City faces significant pressure on its housing, infrastructure, mobility and social equity during urban intensification. Housing affordability has declined, pushing many residents – especially the low-income and marginalized communities – out of the market. Simultaneously, infrastructure including transit and road networks is under strain as urban mobility systems grow more complex due to construction activities.

Trier is a city in southwestern Germany in the Moselle wine region and is located not far from the Luxembourg border. The city is very international and lies in the heart of Europe. In addition to ten partner cities, Trier is part of the QuattroPole city network and the cross-border network EuRegio.
Trier was founded by the Romans and still has some well-preserved Roman monuments such as the Porta Nigra, the remains of Roman bathhouses, an amphitheater near the city center and a stone bridge over the Moselle River.
In order to meet its international responsibility in a globalized world, the city of Trier has drawn up an action plan that sets out concrete goals and measures for an ecologically sustainable, fair and internationally responsible Trier.
Trier is not only the oldest city in Germany, but also one of the youngest cities in Rhineland-Palatinate. This is because Trier has three universities and many young people who live and work here.

Umeå, northern Sweden’s largest and fastest-growing city, has a population of around 135,000 and aims to reach 200,000 by 2050. This ambitious growth presents significant opportunities—economically, socially, and culturally—but also complex urban challenges. The municipal strategy emphasizes high-density development to reduce car dependency and support efficient, affordable public transport as well as strong infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists. However, traffic is expected to increase, including from surrounding areas where low-density suburban expansion continues, while urban space becomes more contested among competing needs. In addition to mobility, Umeå must address the broader sustainability agenda. Achieving climate neutrality is a key goal, and circular construction has emerged as a strategic focus area where progress is already being made. These combined efforts will shape a resilient, inclusive, and climate-smart city for the future.

The City of Terrebonne, located in the metropolitan region of Montréal (Québec, Canada), is one of the municipalities experiencing the fastest population growth in Québec. This dynamism comes with major challenges in urban planning, sustainable mobility, waste management, and climate adaptation.

The territory of Terrebonne also hosts Québec’s largest engineered landfill site (Enviro Connexion Complex), which heightens the urgency to innovate in source reduction, circular economy practices, and industrial symbiosis. The city must reconcile its urban growth with the protection of natural environments and strengthen its resilience to climate change, in particular to flooding and extreme heat events.

These challenges justify Terrebonne’s participation in the EUCG-NA programme, in order to benefit from international exchanges and draw inspiration from proven European solutions to develop the Tera8 industrial ecopark and advance its shift toward ecological transition and a circular economy.