The IUC programme has already established more than 80 city and 20 regional pairings across the globe. These partnerships are cooperating to find sustainable solutions to pressing development challenges. Through their cooperative work, they are accelerating climate action and leading the local-level implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and of the New/EU Urban Agenda. As IUC, we are delighted to offer a last opportunity for all our cities and regions around the world to showcase and exchange about their experiences.

Therefore, the 4th (and final) IUC City-to-City event will be an opportunity to reflect on the progress made by the programme as a whole, and especially from its cities and regions. This conference not only provides an opportunity to celebrate successes, but also to understand challenges faced and collectively discover solutions to overcome them. It also serves as an appropriate moment to gather all those involved in IUC in a single venue, even if a virtual one, and congratulate them all for their work and effort, especially in light of the particular difficulties encountered during this extraordinary year.

European and international representatives, including local and subnational authorities, will present their experiences, detailing innovative examples of local sustainable development and climate action. Interactive group discussions and networking opportunities will give participants the chance to exchange with one another, particularly by diving more deeply into two main thematic spheres:

- During the morning, we will discuss urban development through the lens of the special challenges faced globally during the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent efforts to jump-start a Green Recovery which still maintains progress towards sustainability. In particular, the role of emerging smart digitalisation, a changing urban environment and funding a green recovery will be touched on via dedicated sessions.

- During the afternoon, all will have the possibility to discuss long-term strategies on climate neutrality and related governance challenges. Clearly this is a long-term trend which must not be decelerated despite current recovery efforts, but rather must be accelerated simultaneously. Special sessions will focus on the role of multi-level dialogues in climate action, the challenges of a just energy transition and of integrated climate action, including a particular emphasis on linkages to adaptation and resilient biodiversity.

Now more than ever, the environmental, financial, socio-economic and climate challenges require cities and regions to commit to innovative, progressive and sustainable responses. This final IUC City-to-City event promises to be a valuable forum to discuss these important issues on a global scale.