46% of EU Cities Fail Air Quality Standards

Local authorities implement vehicle access regulations

Local authorities in the EU are increasingly implementing urban vehicle access regulations, including low- and zero-emission zones, to address traffic congestion and air pollution. Cities such as Brussels, Zagreb, and Utrecht are converting streets previously dominated by cars into safer, greener public spaces.

Wastewater treatment standards missed by 13 cities

Thirteen towns and cities failed to meet EU environmental standards regarding wastewater treatment infrastructure, according to independent.ie on 5 November 2026.

City leaders express concerns over EU budget exclusion

City leaders informed European Commission Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto that they feel excluded from preparations for the upcoming EU budget, according to eurocities.eu on 14 October 2026.

European Commission publishes Sustainable Tourism Strategy

The European Commission published the EU Sustainable Tourism Strategy in November 2026 to address the environmental footprint of tourism in Europe. This strategy focuses on the environment, socioeconomic resilience, and the digitalisation of tourism. It identifies climate impacts, such as drought, as a key challenge for the tourism sector.

Economic data highlights tourism sustainability

The European Commission released a set of harmonised indicators regarding tourism sustainability in July 2026. Europe accounted for approximately 38% of global sport tourism revenues in 2022.

Cycle tourism in Europe generates 2,295 million trips per year, with an annual value of EUR 44 billion.

Mariupol displacement crisis continues

Mariupol has remained under temporary Russian occupation since May 2022, with its government operating from Ukrainian-controlled territory. More than 200,000 residents are currently displaced across Ukraine and abroad.

Research commissioned by the city in 2024 found that 85% of displaced people identified housing as their primary difficulty. Among these residents, 55% are at risk of poverty and 30% are unemployed.

I'Mariupol network provides humanitarian aid

The I’Mariupol network, established by the city administration, includes 45 centres across 22 Ukrainian cities. The network currently supports approximately 70,000 displaced families from Mariupol, according to Eurocities.

Over 6,000 families have applied for social housing through the network.

Five former university dormitories in Dnipro, Kyiv, and Chernivtsi have been renovated to house nearly 1,300 residents. Further renovations of housing facilities are currently underway in Kropyvnytskyi and Zaporizhzhia.

Bila Tserkva housing project nears completion

The 'My Home.Ukraine' initiative is currently developing a housing project in Bila Tserkva designed to provide 1,187 apartments for nearly 3,300 residents.

Regarding the project, Ryabykin said, "Today marks the beginning of a process that should culminate in an important result".

Boichenko added, "People are the driving force behind recovery, which is why our priority is the construction of large-scale social housing and the verification of damages in international registries for future reparations".

International collaboration is central to the development, with expertise provided by the French city of Le Havre for the neighbourhood design. Mariupol is also working with Switzerland, Denmark, and France, while the International Organization for Migration and the French government provide support for renovations.

Cities including Vilnius, Warsaw, Gdansk, and Wroclaw are sharing reconstruction experience, while Utrecht is providing technical expertise on water management, construction waste recycling, and sustainable construction.

Bila Tserkva is the first of six projects intended to provide housing for approximately 10,500 people.

Construction of the Bila Tserkva housing project is expected to be completed in 2027.