İzmir’s climate experience to be shared across Europe

İzmir’s experience in responding to climate change is set to become part of a broader European exchange. The city’s metropolitan municipality has joined the CLI-MET project, which brings together universities and metropolitan authorities to develop new climate policies and practical approaches.

The project is led by the University of Palermo and supported through the Erasmus+ KA220-HED partnership program. Its aim is to strengthen the role of metropolitan areas in climate mitigation and adaptation. Participants will assess the climate risks facing cities, compare their experience and develop ways for local governments to apply climate policies more effectively.

İzmir will host the project’s first stakeholder workshop from Sept. 28 to 30, 2026, at the Historic Gasworks Factory. Academics, specialists, public officials and local stakeholders will meet across a three-day program. The opening day will feature seminars and panels on climate policy. On the second day, four working groups will focus on climate risks and spatial planning, coordination between water, energy and mobility, social vulnerability and community resilience, and governance and institutional coordination.

The final day will take participants into the city to examine local applications. The visit will include the Kadifekale community garden and seed greenhouse, followed by a route through Agora, Havra Street and Kemeraltı. Experiences from the Helsinki Metropolitan Area and the Lviv Metropolitan Agglomeration will also be shared through the METREX network.

International training programs will take place in Palermo, Dortmund and Madrid. Palermo will host the first session from Nov. 11 to 17, 2026, followed by Dortmund in 2027 and Madrid in 2028. The sessions will cover sustainable cities, European Union climate policies, the circular economy, urban transformation, social policy and climate adaptation.