ERC at the EU Week of Regions and Cities
7 - 10 October 2024
9.00 - 19.00 CET
Hybrid
Register here
Regions
Photo credit
European Commission

The 22nd edition of the EU Week of Regions and Cities will take place between 7 and 10 October in Brussels. 

At this annual event, cities and regions showcase their capacity to create growth and jobs, implement European Union cohesion policy, and prove the importance of the local and regional level for good European governance. 

The event organisers are the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) and the European Committee of the Regions. The European Research Council will bring pioneering science to the programme by organising three “EU Regions talks” under the theme “Smart and sustainable growth for regions” on 10 and 11 October as part of this year’s edition. 
 

ERC sessions at the EU Week of Regions and Cities 2024: 
 

Ensuring that green transitions benefit all Europeans


Wed 09/10/2024, 16.30 - 16.45 CET 

Urban greening projects can transform neighbourhoods. The groundbreaking EU-funded project 'Greenlulus' highlights the threat of social exclusion posed by green gentrification. Researchers have also put forward policy tools to ensure that every European is part of their city’s green transformation. 

Speaker: 

  • Francesc Baró, Assistant Professor, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)


Greener urban travel environments for everyone 


Wed 09/10/2024, 17.30 - 17.45 CET 

Green spaces are an integral part of healthy and livable urban environments. Their availability is a question of environmental justice and equity. While the benefits of urban green spaces are well documented, little is known about greenery in everyday urban travel environments. Funded by the European Research Council, the 'Green Travel' project is researching the well-being impacts of green urban travel environments. The project provides approaches on where to add greenery to advance equity. 

Speaker: 

  • Tuuli Toivonen, Professor of Geoinformatics at the University of Helsinki 
     

Bio-based architecture for sustainable living in cities 


Thu 10/10/2024, 09.30 - 09.45 CET 

The EU-funded project Eco Metabolistic Arc is a response to the large carbon footprint of the global construction sector in an era of climate change and increasing urbanisation. Professor Mette Thomsen and her team are exploring innovative ways to integrate renewable and carbon-neutral materials in architecture and looking at biomaterials to build a framework for sustainable architecture – from timber and bioplastics to living materials such as bacteria as a potential source of light. 

Speaker: 

  • Mette Ramsgaard Thomsen, Professor and head of the Center for IT and Architecture (CITA) of the Royal Danish Academy.