On a global basis cities are growing and changing so fast that many authorities are struggling to cope. More people can mean more economic activity and wealth, but it can also mean added strain on energy, water, health, transport and housing facilities. All this, in turn, puts pressure on the environment, and more widely on climate change.

This is why the European Union has launched a three-year programme to promote international urban cooperation. Europe’s cities want to link up, build and share knowledge and solutions with other cities and regions, and in this first phase the IUC (an EU body for International Urban Cooperation) will boost sectoral, transversal and international urban cooperation and exchange with key city partners in Asia and the Americas.

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