Summer course
citiES 2030

Santander

14, 15, 16 July 2025

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The fourth edition of the citiES 2030 Summer Course will be held from July 14 to 16, 2025, as part of the Summer Course Program of the Menéndez Pelayo International University in Santander.

The summer course has established itself as the annual meeting that, since 2022, has been the backbone of the ecosystem of actors linked to the Mission of Cities in Spain. It is a key opportunity for strategic debate, knowledge exchange and networking between the participating Spanish cities, the different administrations (European, national, regional, local), the private sector, the third sector, academia and citizens.

In previous editions we have addressed key aspects to address barriers to urban decarbonization, strengthening multi-stakeholder collaboration and working on building roadmaps and investment plans within the framework of the Climate Agreements.

The 2025 edition, under the title. Making Mission: climate transition and competitiveness in Spanish citiesThe 2025 edition, under the title Making Mission: Climate Transition and Competitiveness in Spanish Cities, will delve deeper into implementation, addressing aspects such as the promotion of Climate Agreements, the scaling of solutions, the viability of financial models and the alignment between the decarbonization of cities and competitiveness.

We are waiting for you!

Download the updated program:

Welcome and Official Opening

Speakers

Elena Pita, Director General of the Spanish Office for Climate Change— Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge.

Opening Dialogue. Cities and Regions in Transition: Aligning Climate Policy, Science, Innovation, and the Urban Agenda to Accelerate Urban and Regional Transformation.

Speakers

Elena Pita, Director General of the Spanish Office for Climate Change—Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge.
Elisa Rivera, Director General of Planning, Coordination, and Knowledge Transfer—Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities.
María Teresa Verdú Martínez, Director General of Urban Planning and Architecture—Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning.

Moderator: Ignacio Torres, Deputy Director of Biodiversity and Climate Change at the Biodiversity Foundation—Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge.

Coastal Adaptation from a Multiscale Perspective and Opportunities Arising from the Digital Twin of the Spanish Coast

Speakers

Íñigo Losada, professor of hydraulic engineering at the University of Cantabria and director of research at the Institute of Environmental Hydraulics.

Tools and Resources for Funding Missions

European Union Multiannual Financial Framework 2028–2034

Pirita Lindholm, director of the European Regions Research and Innovation Network (ERRIN).

Tools and Resources for Funding Missions

José Moisés Martín, Director General of the Center for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI).

Co-Governance of the Cities Mission: A Shared Strategy and Roadmap for the Next Cycle

A space for joint reflection among the cities in the platform on the status of implementation of the Climate Agreements, the challenges identified in the second iteration, emerging needs, and the platform’s strategic and methodological priorities for the coming period. The goal is to collaboratively develop a shared vision of the Mission’s governance model in Spain and the priorities for collective action to continue making progress during 2026–2027 toward climate neutrality by 2030.

Workshop on funding for missions as part of the European Pathways2Resilience project

The session will focus on the fundamentals of adaptation financing, addressing current barriers and methodologies for improving the economic viability of projects.

Facilitated by: Tecnalia and Climate-KIC.