The launch of a new European journey to rethink how green spaces shape climate-resilient and inclusive cities.
From May 12 to 14, 2025, the town of Locorotondo—one of Italy’s most beautiful villages—hosted the kick-off meeting of the RealUrbanGreen project, co-funded by the Interreg Euro-MED Programme. Representatives of 9 partners from across Europe gathered to launch a shared mission: turning urban green spaces (UGS) into engines of climate adaptation, social wellbeing, and biodiversity restoration.
During the meeting, participants visited the local pilot site and explored how citizen engagement, nature-based solutions, and participatory science can help small and medium-sized communities across the Mediterranean region face complex challenges such as urban heat, air pollution, and soil degradation.
The project responds to a growing need: while UGS provide vital ecosystem services, their value is often underestimated, and their management is rarely inclusive. RealUrbanGreen addresses this gap with an innovative holistic model to co-design and co-implement healthier, more resilient green spaces—starting with eight pilot areas and aiming to inspire cities and towns throughout the Euro-MED area.
Locorotondo (during the KoM of RealUrbanGreen)
Representatives of the Consortium RealUrbanGreen
Locorotondo (during the KoM of RealUrbanGreen)
