Guimarães debates blue economy and smart cities in Brussels

The Executive Director of the Landscape Laboratory attended the 3rd Forum of the ‘Restoring Oceans and Water’ Mission and the Intelligent Cities Challenge.

Guimarães continues to promote the city’s sustainability strategy at European level, having attended the 3rd Forum of the ‘Restoring Oceans and Water’ Mission last week, as part of the European Ocean Days, and the Intelligent Cities Challenge in Brussels. Carlos Ribeiro, executive director of the Landscape Laboratory, was the municipality’s representative at both events, where topics such as ocean protection and climate neutrality were discussed.

The challenges and opportunities of sustainable ocean management
As a signatory city, Guimarães was present at the 3rd Forum of the ‘Restoring Oceans and Water’ Mission. The event brought together key stakeholders with the aim of presenting the progress made to date, as well as concrete examples of innovative solutions developed and implemented as part of the initiative and other activities.

Throughout the Forum, representatives of the different cities involved in the project also shared solutions for the prevention and elimination of marine pollution and ways to ensure EU, national, regional, local and private co-investment to achieve the 2030 goals. In addition, one of the main themes was the Mission’s role in defining the future European Oceans Pact, which will advocate a regenerative approach to the blue economy, supporting the preservation of marine ecosystems and biodiversity.

The role of the creative industries in raising climate awareness
At the Intelligent Cities Challenge Final Conference, Carlos Ribeiro took part in a round table with the cities of Cluj-Napoca (Romania) and Catanzaro (Italy) on the Local Green Deals signed by Guimarães in the area of Culture and Creative Industries, which define metrics and objectives to accelerate climate neutrality. In this context, Guimarães was in favour of using culture as a tool for the green transition, involving the community, associations and companies.

Throughout the event, there were several speeches by representatives of the European Commission, who addressed topics such as: the need for a solid strategy for green technologies, in order to tackle geopolitical challenges, slow economic growth and the loss of competitiveness in Europe; the Clean Industrial Deal, as a concrete step towards reconciling economic prosperity with decarbonisation; the importance of qualifying the workforce for the green transition; and the role of cities, which are responsible for implementing 70% of EU policies.

Also noteworthy was the speech by the European Commission’s Director-General for the Environment, Patrick Child, who stressed the need for partnerships between cities and industries to boost decarbonisation and attract private investment, particularly in the transport, construction and energy sectors.

In parallel, panel discussions explored the role of cities in promoting sustainability through culture, tourism and the built environment, with experts from different countries highlighting, through practical examples, the contribution of the Cultural and Creative Industries to citizen involvement, innovation and climate awareness.

Participation in these international social and environmental events reinforces the municipality’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, solidifying Guimarães’ position as European Green Capital 2026.