Urban Leaders Discuss City Planning Challenges and Initiatives at MIPIM Conference

At the MIPIM real estate conference in Cannes, France, Monocle interviewed several mayors and deputy mayors about urban development issues. The discussions, edited for clarity, covered challenges, projects, and strategies for improving city life. Silvia Salis, mayor of Genoa, highlighted the city's aging population and efforts to retain youth through student housing and cultural events. Tom Copley, London's deputy mayor for housing, noted impacts from construction costs, Brexit, and regulatory delays, with housing targets of 52,000 to 88,000 homes annually. Carlos Moedas, mayor of Lisbon, emphasized social welfare investments, including a health plan for seniors and municipal housing comprising 12% of the city's residences. Piia Elo, mayor of Turku, aims for carbon neutrality by 2029 with a new tramway. Roberto Gualtieri, mayor of Rome, is investing in public transport and planting a million trees. Raffaele Laudani, deputy mayor of Bologna, discussed the City of Knowledge project around a supercomputer for AI. Common themes included affordable housing, youth engagement, sustainability, and balancing economic growth with social welfare. The event underscored shared urban priorities across European cities.