The City of Phoenix has been selected to join the European Union Cities Gateway North America Program, a transatlantic initiative that connects cities from the U.S., Canada, and Europe to tackle shared environmental and urban challenges.
Running from 2025 through 2028, the EU-funded program promotes cooperation on sustainability and climate action by pairing cities to exchange ideas and develop pilot projects. Phoenix will join the program’s circular economy cluster, which focuses on reusing, recycling, and repurposing materials to reduce waste and conserve resources.
Mayor Kate Gallego praised the selection, noting that Phoenix’s commitment to innovation and sustainability continues to gain international recognition. “Phoenix is home to creative entrepreneurs, academics, and businesses who are turning waste into resources by creating new products from materials once destined for the landfill,” Gallego said. “Through this collaborative initiative, we’re proud to share strategies to strengthen local economies and make our cities more sustainable.”
As part of the program, Phoenix will engage in peer-to-peer exchanges, design collaborative pilot projects, and participate in site visits and international events to share progress and insights. These efforts will support the city’s ongoing Zero Waste and Circular Economy initiatives led by the Public Works Department.
Public Works Director Felipe Moreno said the partnership builds on Phoenix’s long-standing leadership in waste diversion and sustainability. “We are honored to be part of the EU Cities Gateway Program and look forward to collaborating with other forward-thinking cities,” he said.
Phoenix joins an international cohort that includes Boulder, Colorado; Guelph, Ontario; the Greater Porto Region, Portugal; Albacete, Spain; and Riga, Latvia—all working together to create more resilient and resource-efficient communities across the Atlantic.
