Our work
We provide global leadership and advocacy to build a case for the importance of sound metropolitan governance. Our programmes give metropolitan communities tools and insights to make better decisions taking into consideration an intersectional perspective.
How we drive impact
Action to advance global Agendas
World Metropolitan Day
Every 14 October, World Metropolitan Day commemorates the adoption of the Montreal Declaration on Metropolitan Areas by providing a global forum that brings together metropolises from all over the world to promote collective action to create resilience, advance social justice and develop better public services for all our urban spaces.
Advancing gender equality
We prioritize the incorporation of gender equality at the center of urban and metropolitan policies and advocate for the inclusion of gender equality in global agendas. This includes a wide variety of themes: from governance and leadership to public space and mobility, support of care policies and systems, or reducing gender-based inequality
Guangzhou Award
The Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation is co-sponsored by the City of Guangzhou, Metropolis and UCLG. It aims to recognize innovation in improving social, economic and environmental sustainability in cities and regions and, in so doing, to advance the prosperity and quality of life of their citizens.
The Pattis Family Foundation Global Cities Book Award
Metropolis hosts the Pattis Family Foundation Global Cities Book Award, a literary prize that celebrates books aiming to contribute to a better understanding of the role cities play in addressing present and future global challenges. We want to elevate the voices of authors around the world that help us comprehend the diversity of urban realities
Knowledge for Metropolitan Governance
USE - Urban Sustainability Exchange
This online platform is dedicated to promoting sustainable urban development. You will find case studies with a detailed description including background, challenges, lessons learned, impacts and an assessment of the transferability potential to another location as well as contact details of the experts involved.
Metro Futures
The need to future-proof metropolitan areas is increasingly urgent, but this cannot be done without data. With the support of the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (AMB), Metropolis has created Metro Futures, an interactive data platform which enables cities to benchmark their performance and make data-driven decisions to navigate an evolving urban landscape
Relevant Publications
For decades, Metropolis has been dedicated to producing, in collaboration with international organizations and leading experts, a repository of theoretical and practical knowledge on metropolitan governance. These include peer-reviewed reports, research papers, policy briefs and comparative studies that provide urban leaders with the necessary resources to navigate present and future challenges
Emergency Governance Initiative
In-depth analysis of the governance implications of emergency response and recovery strategies of our urban territories. Jointly with UCLG and LSE Cities, Metropolis aims to gather insights on how to build institutional capacities for more effective urban and territorial responses to complex emergencies and the governance of grand challenges.
Exchange and Collaboration
Solutions Labs
Solutions Labs bring cities together around a common metropolitan challenge. Each lab connects renowned topic experts with participants, leverage the experiences of the participating city, and complement them with external expertise and relevant examples.
City Managers Community
This community is an exclusive space for senior public officials who are in charge of the day-to-day management of pressing issues in major cities and metropolitan areas to learn from each other’s experiences and knowledge. It is an initiative founded by the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona
Local and Regional Action
Metropolis triggers cooperation among multiple stakeholders such as local and regional governments, international organizations, civil society, the academia and private sector to advance sustainable development at the local and regional scale.
Pilot Projects
Spaces to explore and exchange on the challenges of metropolization from a cross-sectoral approach (local governments, private and academic sectors, grassroots communities, …). Through the pilot projects, we provided funding to support capacity development and the exchange of knowledge and practices in metropolitan management.
