Urban Environment

The EIB’s lending strategy for the urban environment seeks to:

• promote consolidation of cities and the general rationalisation of settlement patterns curtail sub-urbanisation pressures
• prevent sprawl
• reduce demand for the development of scarce land resources in outlying rural areas

EIB lending focuses on:

Sustainable Urban Transport

By promoting a shift from private to public transport and seeking to reduce congestion, urban transport projects not only aim to improve air quality and decrease noise nuisance, but also help to tackle climate change by enhancing energy efficiency and limiting CO2 emissions. EIB financing for sustainable urban transport is in line with the EU’s transport, environmental and energy policies and includes:

• construction, extension or rehabilitation of public transport infrastructures (metro, light rail or tramway systems)
• acquisition of rolling stock in major and medium-sized cities

To achieve a balance between the growing demand for mobility and the quality of the urban environment, limits are set on levels of new infrastructure built and long-term urban planning processes are implemented.

Sustainable Urban Renewal

These are usually:

• multi-sector oriented (encouraging mixed-use development to optimise land use)
• improve the physical environment
• stimulate economic development
• promote more sustainable urban communities

The Bank finances projects such as

• social housing
• development, renovation, modernisation and improvement schemes concerning districts, buildings and infrastructure
• preservation of the social, architectural and historical heritage of cities