The secretariats of the Cool Neighbourhoods (Interreg North-West Europe) and Cool Cities (Interreg North Sea Region) projects formally announce their Joint Mid-Term Conference, scheduled for 12 March 2026 in Middelburg, Netherlands.
This significant event will convene two leading European projects that are focused on mitigating urban heat stress, implementing nature-based solutions, and improving the liveability of urban areas. The conference will serve as a critical platform for disseminating the progress and interim findings of both initiatives.
Conference Objectives and Thematic Focus
As European cities increasingly confront the impacts of climate change, inter-regional and cross-programme collaboration is imperative. The conference agenda is structured to address this need by:
- Presenting key findings and substantive results from the various pilot sites operating within both projects.
- Demonstrating the application of newly developed tools, including the Neighbourhood Heat Stress Action Plans (NHSAPs) and the Liveability Index.
- Facilitating structured knowledge exchange and capacity building among practitioners, policymakers, urban planners, and researchers.
A central component of the conference will be the presentation of pilot interventions. Among the nine pilot projects conducted under the Cool Neighbourhoods framework is the green wall installation in the schoolyard of the Differdange-Centre-School. This initiative, a joint effort by the Syndicat PRO-SUD and the Municipality of Differdange, serves as a practical example of implementing nature-based solutions to enhance local climate resilience. The outcomes of this and other pilot projects will be a primary focus of discussion.
Agenda and Expected Outcomes
The program will include detailed presentations on pilot project evaluations, panel discussions on participatory governance and effective citizen engagement, and a showcase of best practices from both the Cool Neighbourhoods and Cool Cities projects.
This event will function not only as a review of progress to date but also as a strategic launch for the second phase of both projects. It aims to fortify the linkages between urban innovation and climate adaptation strategies at the neighbourhood level. We invite relevant stakeholders to attend and contribute to the ongoing development of a pan-European network of climate-resilient cities and neighbourhoods. Further details regarding registration will be released in due course.