Current market dynamics in EU reveal a gap between supply - existing N1 vehicles, and demand - evolving needs of urban logistics and climate targets. In 2023, 1.2M new LCV registrations were diesel-powered, and only 108,200 battery-electric. Last-mile logistics, the least efficient and most complex part of the supply chain, presents significant opportunities for improvements at vehicle and operations levels. Dynamic requirements and increasing environmental impact require innovative solutions from the automotive industry, both from high volume OEMs and new entrants. S2Z aims to capitalize on the benefits of both vehicle platforms in the N1 segment - represented by IVECO’s eDaily multi-purpose platform, and Alke’s ATX design-for-purpose platform, ultimately contributing to “Shifting to zero-emission logistics through right-sized, mission-focused, N1 e-LCVs”. To achieve this vision, S2Z proposes a 4-step user- and mission-centric design approach placing end-users and their needs at the core of all project activities. To this end, S2Z involves 5 LSPs & mobility operators as partners: Gruber, DHL, Diakinisis, Clem, DPD. As a result, we will co-develop and shape at least 6 novel N1 concepts with enhanced and safe functionalities leading to tighter market fit, particularly in the segments of e-commerce, returns and cold deliveries. Innovative concepts, from modular cargo bodies to vehicle control strategies with optimized tyres & brakes, as well as dual transport of people & freight, will be physically prototyped and tested in real-life operations in 6 pilot sites (BE, GR, IT, 2 x NO, PL). S2Z brings a multidisciplinar consortium of 30 partners from 10 countries to cover the complete automotive and logistics value chains, complemented by policymakers to effectively ensure our route to market: overcoming barriers for the adoption of S2Z eLCVs, reducing operational costs and environmental impact in scalable urban & sub-urban operations.

"The main objective of the Let'S Move project was to promote sustainable, healthy and safe mobility in primary schools participating in the project. Likewise, other objectives pursued by the project were to change the perception of the school community about transport in the city, promoting changes in daily transportation habits to schools, improving the quality of life of students, through improvement of their health, safety and social relations, encourage the use of foreign languages and the use of ICT in schools through the eTwinning platform and integrate project activities in the different subjects of the curriculum.In the Let'S Move project, initially 15 schools participated, with a total of 6,463 students from Spain, France, Poland and Croatia. As a result of the withdrawal of the French partner by judicial liquidation in May 2017, three French schools withdrew from the project, leaving only one French school in the last year of the project. Thus, the project was completed with the participation of 12 educational centers and 5,127 students. If we take into account the entire educational community (students, teachers, fathers and mothers) and the town halls (political authorities, municipal technicians and police) the project has involved more than 15,000 peopleIn this way we can conclude that the benefits and impacts achieved during the project on the participants and the organizations involved have been:-Increase of sustainable trips to school by around 15% by changing travel by car to trips on foot and by bicycle. Indirect increase of the rest of the daily trips in sustainable mode.-Reduction of transport energy consumption to school by around 15%.-Reduction of the amount of CO2 emissions due to school trips by around 15%.-Increase the air quality of the cities involved.-Help fight against childhood obesity and sedentary life. Children health improvement by exercising daily at around 15%.-Change the perception of people about the autonomy of children, and increase awareness about walking and cycling as modes of transport.-Increase in the road safety of the city, especially in the school environment, reducing the risk of accidents and increasing the perception of safety of citizens.-Increased security at the entrance of the school, reducing the situations of danger.-Introduction of long-term measures in the urban design of the city that favor sustainable displacements.-Revitalization of urban space.-Establish a common strategy between transportation and health related to the introduction of physical activities in the daily routine.-Education in health, sustainability and road safety. Awareness has been raised about walking and cycling as a means of transport in the cities of the European Union, especially when going to schools.-Increase in the level of digital competence in schools, through activities and the etwinning platform.-Increase of foreign language skills of students, translation of some documents in English.-Improve the communication skills of students.-Increase the level of geometry, geography and map reading in the students' competences.-Active participation of students in society.- Greater understanding and capacity to respond to social, linguistic and cultural diversity.-Replication of activities, campaigns and good practices on sustainable mobility and healthy habits in other schools (the Let'S Move Project has been implemented in 7 more schools in Sueca and 9 schools in Algemesí (Spain).For achieving these objectives, the following activities will be carried out during the project:-Management activities (project partners meetings, Advisory Committees meetings in each region).-Design and implementation of 45 school safety routes.-Implementation of security measures such as painting pedestrian crossings, increasing the visibility of crossings to increase the safety of school routes. Reduction of architectural barriers in the cities.- Campaigns, games and activities to promote healthy, safe and sustainable mobility.- Implementation of e-Walking bus using new technologies.- E-Twinning activities connecting the participant schools from different countries.- Dissemination activities for promoting the project and its replicability in other schools across EU countries.-Production of a ""Methodological Guide on Health, Safety and Sustainable Mobility in School Centers"" in Spanish, English, French, Croatian and Polish, with the purpose of helping to implement this type of projects in other schools and municipalities.-Conference ""Challenges for a healthy, safe and sustainable mobility in the schools"" in which around 100 people participated."

The SLEEPING BEAUTY project aims to rejuvenate neglected urban, peri-urban, and rural spaces across Europe through the integration of Nature-based Solutions (NBS) and the core values of the New European Bauhaus (NEB). By addressing diverse climatic contexts, this initiative promotes sustainable, inclusive, and resilient communities. The project leverages NBS to enhance biodiversity, foster natural beauty, and provide multifunctional public spaces, aligning with NEB’s principles of sustainability, beauty, and inclusiveness. SLEEPING BEAUTY seeks to transform underutilized and overlooked spaces into vibrant, biodiverse areas that reconnect people with nature. This holistic, co-creative approach combines innovative design and artistic interventions, encouraging collaboration among citizens, experts, and local stakeholders. These efforts will help reshape public spaces, strengthen community ties, and foster a shared sense for caretaking of environment. By emphasizing the creative re-use and revitalization of spaces, the project will demonstrate how integrating NEB and NBS can lead to improved well-being, enhanced biodiversity, and more resilient and beautiful communities. The project’s six pilot sites will serve as showcases for replicating and scaling NBS-NEB solutions across Europe, contributing to a systemic shift in how we design, interact with, and maintain public spaces in close connection with nature and cultural heritage. The initiative promotes long-term societal transformation, focusing on strengthening human-nature relationships, cultural identity, and collective action to address pressing societal challenges like climate change. SLEEPING BEAUTY’s unique blend of artistic co-creation, sustainable spatial planning and innovation will push beyond traditional NBS approaches, setting a new gold standard for innovative, inclusive, and aesthetically compelling public spaces enabled by NEB-NBS and a new Natur-Baukultur.

The frontrunner cities of Manchester (UK), Valencia (Spain), Wroclaw (Poland) and Wuhan (China) and the Fellow cities Brest(France), Zadar (Croatia) and Modena (Italy) are currently inhabited by 12.7 million people and sit at the heart of wider metropolitan areas which are home to 17.8 million people. All cities already experience flooding and heat stress, with projections for these issues to increase due to climate change and ongoing development. Working in complex, resource-constrained urban environments, the municipalities for each city have committed to delivering joined-up, cost-effective, smart solutions to address these and other urban challenges. They recognise that the cities of the future will need to achieve more with less resources and deliver genuine sustainable development that realises a broad range of social, economic and environmental objectives. Each city believes that nature-based solutions (NBS) are a critical part of this approach. GROW GREEN brings the partner cities together on the basis of these similarities but also their differences. Across the 6 European and 1 Chinese City they represent the range of different cities that are found across the world, and the different climate risks that they face. The cities will demonstrate a replicable approach for the development and implementation of city NBS strategies. The outcome will be more than simply demonstrating a methodology that works in the partner cities. GROW GREEN will provide the platform for a step change in the way that NBS are embedded in the long-term planning, development, operation and management of cities around the world. The project outputs will be promoted directly to replication cities globally to encourage them to develop and implement NBS strategies and action. These channels have been designed to create global demand for NBS and to promote European NBS products and services to meet this demand.