Zaragoza participates as the only Spanish city in the Urban Future Dialogues of the World Economic Forum in Geneva
Zaragoza was present at the Urban Future Dialogues, a prestigious public-private collaboration forum promoted by the World Economic Forum, held in Geneva, Switzerland. The Aragonese capital was represented by Blanca Solans, Minister of Finance and European Funds, who concluded an intense three-day international agenda that included her participation in the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.
The event took place on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, in Geneva and included the participation of Minister Blanca Solans, accompanied by Elena Navarro, Director-General for European Funds. This special forum is aimed at municipal representatives and business executives, with the goal of exploring collaboration between local and regional governments and the private sector to promote innovation and sustainable development.
The meeting’s motto was «Driving public-private collaboration for future-ready cities» and it featured interactive sessions addressing urgent global challenges: climate resilience, sustainable access to financing, and innovative approaches to construction and engineering.
The event was attended by mayors and municipal leaders from cities around the world, including representatives from countries such as Brazil, Italy, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Thailand, and Sierra Leone, as well as executives from multinational companies like KPMG, Deloitte, Siemens, Technogym, and the director of the World Economic Forum.
Three-day international agenda
Forum of Mayors of the UNECE
On Monday, Zaragoza participated as an invited city in the fourth session of the Forum of Mayors, dedicated to climate financing mechanisms. Blanca Solans highlighted that the City Council regards green taxation as a strategic lever for social and environmental transformation, channeling resources towards specific projects such as the Adapta tu Patio initiative and the renovation of municipal buildings and educational centers.
According to the 2025 Municipal Budget, of the total investments in the creation and improvement of municipal assets and strategic projects, the impact on climate objectives reaches 36.5 million euros (29.5%), while the impact on environmental objectives amounts to 40.6 million euros (32.8%).
The minister emphasized the need for a solid institutional commitment and a global financing pact that ensures a sustainable framework for local entities.
High-level institutional meetings
On Tuesday, October 7, the municipal delegation held meetings with Tatiana Molcean, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), and with Marcos Gómez Martínez, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Spain to the United Nations Office in Geneva.
Commitment to climate action in Zaragoza
Zaragoza’s presence at these international forums reinforces the city’s commitment to climate action, the exchange of good practices, and the raising of funds for transformative projects. The city is working to achieve its goal of being climate-neutral and smart by 2030, consolidating its position as a key player in urban innovation and sustainability.
