The 8th European Conference on Sustainable Cities & Towns, the flagship conference on local sustainable development in Europe, is taking place from 27-29 April 2016 in Bilbao, Basque Country.

It will be hosted by ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, the Basque Government, Bizkaia County Council and Bilbao City Council, with the involvement of Udalsarea 21 - Basque Network of Municipalities for Sustainability, in partnership with other international networks and organisations, amongst which ACR+.

This conference will bring together local and regional government representatives, European and international institutions, multilateral organisations, members of the research community, business leaders, and civil society. It will build on the legacy of the previous conferences and demonstrate the urgent need for actions by local governments in shaping Europe’s future. The 2016 conference will allow participants to capitalise on the growing momentum for actions that transform cities into truly sustainable areas. The Sustainable Development Goals and the results of COP 21 in Paris will be reflected in the discussions, as well as the emerging Urban Agenda for Europe and the upcoming UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development HABITAT III.