During the panel exchange, three guests introduced complementary perspectives on urban inequalities. Solène Molard from Eurocities highlighted the challenges connected to skills potential, affordable housing and inter-generational issues. Housing Europe’s Sorcha Edwards focused on supporting climate-neutral, affordable communities, and highlighted the key challenges around housing. Finally, Teresa Sordé from the Autonomous University of Barcelona introduced neighbourhood learning spaces, as a glue to unite generations and provide pathways to opportunities.

Participants actively engaged in an ‘opinion line’ exercise. Particularly lively discussions were sparked by the issue that significant gaps remain in the understanding of the factors behind poverty and exclusion – a statement shared by the majority of participants. A consensus emerged that significant proportions of the urban population remain invisible to data. As a result, and despite high levels of investment over time, significant gaps remain in the evidence of urban inequalities, which ultimately weaken the policy approach and implementation on the ground.

The session ended with final inputs from the JRC. Patrizia Sulis presented a comprehensive review of recent and relevant JRC work related to urban inequalities and housing affordability. Alessandro Rainoldi concluded the event highlighting how all topics presented were highly relevant for CoP-CITIES members and can be the focus of further research from the JRC.