Innovative Actions under EUI: transferring knowledge and solutions among cities, how does it work in practice?

Urban regeneration projects across Europe are working to tackle some of the most pressing climate and social challenges cities face today. But how do cities share innovative solutions, ensuring that what works in one place can be replicated in others? This is the focus of the Transfer Component of the European Urban initiative, a programme that encourages cities to not only develop and implement sustainable solutions locally but also transfer them to other cities, creating a ripple effect of positive change.

The European Urban Initiative, which supports these actions, emphasizes that urban authorities implementing innovative projects should not only focus on local impact. They should also be ready to share their experiences with other cities across Europe. This means offering insights on what worked, what haven’t worked so well, detailing the resources required (human, financial, and technical), and explaining potential challenges. By doing so, these solutions can be adapted and replicated elsewhere, helping to build a more sustainable future for cities everywhere. 

One such example is the Natur-W project, in which the city of Lorca in Spain has identified three other cities—Sligo (Ireland), Fyli (Greece), and Mantova (Italy)—that could benefit from replicating their solutions. These cities are participating in the transfer process, adapting Lorca’s innovative ideas to their local contexts. Here’s a look at the three cities involved in the transfer process and the unique challenges they face:

SLIGO

Located in Ireland, Sligo is focusing on decarbonizing key areas of the city while considering adaptation measures related to health and biodiversity. As part of Ireland’s national plan for climate neutrality, each city was tasked with selecting a pilot area for carbon neutrality efforts. In Sligo, the city is exploring how to transform an old prison into a community garden—a concept that has already sparked interest. While they haven’t formally started the project, the city plans to begin by mapping stakeholders and creating a community of learning around climate action. The city’s efforts will include collaboration with internal stakeholders, such as biodiversity and environmental officers, to help develop the capacity and processes needed to integrate climate action into the city’s ongoing plans. The transfer process will help Sligo further build its understanding of how innovative solutions from Lorca could be adapted to its own context.

FYLI

The climate action team in Fyli, Greece, is dealing with a wide range of challenges, from the aftermath of a devastating wildfire to water management issues exacerbated by ongoing droughts. Additionally, the integration of the Gipsy community is a key component of their regeneration efforts, which also aim to address social inclusion. The city is working on a multifaceted approach that balances both climate change mitigation and social regeneration, a challenge that will be addressed through the knowledge transfer process.

MANTOVA

Mantova, Italy, is grappling with both environmental and socio-economic issues. The city is tackling hydraulic risks, extreme weather events, and depopulation. As part of its climate action plan, Mantova is working on integrating smart infrastructure, including a digital twin of the city centre that would support digital transition of the city. Mantova also has a rich cultural heritage, including UNESCO-listed sites like the Palazzo Ducale. However, the challenge lies in balancing sustainability efforts with the need to preserve this heritage. The transfer process will help Mantova to further understand how to deal with sustainable water management and adapt solutions for climate resilience and sustainability while navigating these complex cultural and environmental factors.

The transfer process is not just about copying and pasting solutions. It’s about understanding local challenges, analysing the feasibility of applying innovative solutions, and piloting one of these solutions during the project’s duration. Cities involved in the transfer process will refine their understanding of their own unique problems while exploring how to adapt solutions that have worked elsewhere. To support this process, two experts are on hand. The Innovative Action Expert helps the cities understanding the different aspects Lorca’s solutions that could be transferred, while the Transfer Expert guides the Transfer cities in figuring out what part of the solutions they may want/are able to implement in their specific locations. The transfer process typically begins with an on-site visit. This allows the experts to meet with local authorities, understand the unique urban context, and start mapping out the steps for feasibility testing and transfer. The first site visit for this project took place in Lorca in February 2025, and it marked the beginning of a collaborative effort to adapt the city’s climate and regeneration solutions for use in other urban areas.

More specifically partners spent together two full days that included more formal interactions and presentations of Natur-W project partners, deep-dive into Natur-W actual progress and visit to Barrios Altos where the solutions are going to be implemented.

During these days, moderated by Amaia Celaya Alvarez the Transfer expert assigned to Natur-W, Mantova, Fyli and Sligo got a better understanding around the key components of Lorca’s solutions such as:

1. the integrated water management system,
2. the urban forest
3. the Green Wall Insulation System
4. the stakeholder’s engagement and community co-design process (see the article for more information)

Based on these, transfer cities also started to reflect upon what elements can actually be adapted and replicated in their cities, considering their social, climate and economic challenges and contexts. Moreover, transfer cities benefitted during the visit of a small workshop around the IUCN Global Standard for Nature-based solutions developed by NBSCLIMATE, one of the project partners of Natur-W. The workshop focused on providing a general introduction to concepts related to the design, evaluation and continuous improvement of NBS with practical examples using the case study of the NatUR-W project. NBSCLIMATE presented the eight criteria of the Global Standard, illustrating how to apply them to real-life NBS, taking into account potential challenges and opportunities, assisting Transfer Cities in finding common grounds between Natur-W components and other urban NBS, and honing their skills in designing, implementing, and evaluating impactful NBS projects. At last, it is remarkable to note the added value the transfer partners  are bringing to the Natur-W project and to the city of Lorca itself that was enriched by the exchange of experiences and ideas related to common challenges and situations that diverse cities are facing. Transfer partners are a key component for the project success since they allow the City of Lorca to share their proposed innovative solutions, giving the opportunity to test them in different contexts and to check their adaptability. In the long term, as well, the possible implementation of Natur-W solutions in other contexts will serve to monitor performance and scalability potential potentially broadening the impact of the project beyond the boundaries of the city of Lorca.

The collaboration between these cities is an essential part of the broader effort to create sustainable, resilient urban areas across Europe, to strengthen collaboration and to support the overall aim of the European Urban Initiative. By learning from each other’s experiences, sharing solutions, and adapting strategies to local contexts, these cities can make meaningful progress in tackling climate change and regenerating urban spaces for social inclusion and cohesion. As the project progresses, it will be crucial to see how each city adapts and applies Lorca’s innovative solutions to its own unique challenges. Moreover, the solution developed in Lorca through the Natur-W project demonstrates strong potential for transfer beyond the three transfer cities. Its focus on nature-based urban regeneration, community involvement, and climate resilience addresses challenges that are common to many medium-sized cities across Europe. Urban areas facing similar issues—such as managing flood risks, revitalizing neglected green spaces, or fostering civic engagement in sustainability and cities in southern and eastern Europe, where climate-related vulnerabilities are intensifying, could find the Lorca model especially relevant. Furthermore, municipalities with limited financial and technical resources may be drawn to Lorca’s approach, as it emphasizes practical, scalable interventions and strong local partnerships. The adaptable nature of the solution makes it a promising model for replication in diverse urban contexts across the continent.