An agreement has been reached for a loan of 175 million euros to fund urban regeneration projects and climate action in the city. As part of the EIB Forum, the deal will provide support for sustainable mobility, green spaces, public infrastructures and planning to achieve a climate-neutral city.

The loan will fund key projects in the Municipal Investment Plan (PIM) 2024-2027, such as the regeneration of urban areas, the creation of green spaces, the adoption of flood protection measures and the improvement of sustainable mobility infrastructures for public buildings such as schools, municipal markets, sports facilities etc.

The investment programme will provide support for the execution of the city’s urban development strategies, including the Climate Plan, with the aim of a more sustainable, resilient and inclusive Barcelona. The initiative therefore supports Barcelona’s ambition of becoming a carbon-neutral city by 2050.

The programme also gives priority to social integration and inclusion, paying particular attention to the needs of women to improve their access to urban infrastructures and services. This focus is in line with the EIB gender equality plan and shows how an inclusive urban design can foster economic opportunities.

Barcelona has made a commitment to being climate neutral by 2050 as part of the EU Mission: Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities. This loan makes Barcelona the first city in the Spanish state and one of the first in Europe to receive support from the EIB as part of this programme.

During the EIB Forum, the Mayor of Barcelona also took part in the panel “Investing in a more sustainable and secure Europe”, which addressed challenges and solutions linked to housing.

The EIB has had a key role in funding urban development all over Europe, with an investment of more than 150,000 million euros in the last eight years to build better cities, in areas such as eco-friendly transport, energy efficiency, affordable housing, education and healthcare.