The 10th European Conference on Sustainable Cities & Towns was hosted by ICLEI Europe and the City of Aalborg from 1–3 October 2024.

Marking 30 years since the launch of the Aalborg Charter (1994) and following the path of the Aalborg Commitments (2004),  the conference brought together nearly 500 participants from 163 cities and 33 countries, including 30 Mayors and Deputy Mayors, reaffirming the commitment of local leaders to drive Europe’s sustainability transition.

Aalborg2024 took place at a critical juncture for Europe, with a new European Commission taking shape. It offered a timely space for cities and towns to reflect on the movement’s evolution, address urgent global challenges, and define the next steps needed for a just, inclusive and climate-neutral Europe.

The conference resulted in the launch of the Aalborg Conditions, a forward-looking political call that builds on three decades of local action. It outlines three essential shifts required at the national and EU level: shared governance, integrated finance, and a socially fair transition to accelerate the pace of change and unlock the full potential of cities and towns.

Aalborg2024 continued the legacy of the European Sustainable Cities & Towns conferences, following the most recent editions in Mannheim (Germany, 2020) and the Basque Country (Spain, 2016), and reaffirmed the role of local governments as key actors in delivering the European Green Deal and global sustainability agendas.