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New pilot projects to explore the challenges of metropolisation

The recent outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic reminds us of the importance of cooperation and collaboration when aiming to build metropolitan communities that are green, inclusive, prosperous, resilient and safe. Through our Pilot Projects, we connect metropolitan leaders from different regions so that they can learn from each other’s experiences on specific issues and develop solutions to common problems.

This year marks the third time the event has been organised, and the 2021-2023 call for pilot projects has received a total of 15 project proposals. After being evaluated by our jury members, the proposals were submitted to the Metropolis Board of Directors for approval. The five pilot projects chosen for the 2021-2023 period are as follows:

  • "Shared experiences in Sustainable Mobility and Social Inclusion during Covid-19" will see Bogotá, Madrid and Seoul exchange ideas on how to develop strategies to integrate social inclusion in metropolitan mobility governance.
  • "Metropolitan areas dialogue on green infrastructure: overcoming challenges and enhancing benefits" will tackle planning green infrastructure as a nature-based solution to improve well-being and resilience in metropolitan areas, with exchanges between Mexico City and the metropolitan areas of Barcelona and Valle de Aburrá.
  • "Towards better indicators for mobility and improved metropolitan governance" will initiate and promote practical experiences and share knowledge on metropolitan transport governance and inclusive, sustainable and safe mobility strategies, with a discussion between key local and metropolitan actors from Gauteng, Dakar, Maputo and the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (AMB).
  • "Assessing the wellbeing and quality of people's living environment to improve urban planning" will see Montréal, Brussels and Barcelona work on a common reference framework for cities and their partners to measure well-being and the quality of the living environment in an objective and subjective way in order to increase the effectiveness of urban planning.
  • "Healthcare Strategies for Metropolitan Public Health", a proposal by Guangzhou, Madrid and Montevideo, will focus on improving capacities for epidemic prevention and control.

In addition to these 5 projects, 2 other projects were selected by the Board of Directors to be placed on a ‘reserve list’ of projects to be funded at the end of 2021 or beginning of 2022, if the association’s financial circumstances allow.

Those two projects are "Development of a reference framework for municipal policies on living together" presented by Montréal, Douala and Rabat and "Co-creation of a sustainable model of metropolitan management of urban solid waste" submitted by Rosario, Belo Horizonte, Torino and Rio de Janeiro.

 


For more information on these projects, please get in touch with Guillaume Berret, Project Officer for Pilot Projects & International Calls for Projects.