Chihuahua has been incorporated into the European Union’s International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) 2025-2027 program, an initiative that seeks to strengthen cooperation between cities and regions on different continents in the areas of innovation, sustainability, and the circular economy.
The announcement was made by the Secretariat of Innovation and Economic Development (SIDE) and the public-private platform Chihuahua Green, which promotes an inclusive development model focused on industrial decarbonization and the transition to a circular economy. The initiative has offices in Chihuahua City, Ciudad Juárez, and Cuauhtémoc, from where it promotes projects in collaboration with businesses, academia, and civil society.
With this designation, the state joins a group of Latin American regions already participating in the program, such as Tierra del Fuego, Mendoza, and Tucumán (Argentina); Paraná (Brazil); the Santiago Metropolitan Region and Magallanes (Chile); Amazonas and Valle del Cauca (Colombia); Yucatán (Mexico); and Loreto and Tacna (Peru).
Chihuahua’s participation in the IURC will focus on four strategic areas: Energy transition and clean energy; Industrial modernization with innovative and efficient processes; Circular and competitive agribusiness; Circular economy and industrial decarbonization.
The program offers selected territories the possibility of exchanging best practices with leading regions in Europe, as well as the opportunity to develop pilot projects with initial funding. In addition, it provides a framework for international cooperation that gives greater visibility to local advances in sustainability, mobility, and urban development.
The IURC has been implemented in different parts of the world as a tool to connect cities and regions facing similar challenges in terms of urbanization, energy transition, or resource management. In Europe, several previous experiences have led to the adoption of replicable solutions, such as sustainable mobility plans, energy efficiency strategies, and waste management systems based on the circular economy.
In the case of Chihuahua, the expectation is that collaboration with European partners will accelerate local projects related to industrial innovation and clean energy, while generating opportunities for investment and technical cooperation.
According to the promoters of Chihuahua Green, the model developed in the state is distinguished by integrating the private sector, government, and academia into a joint working scheme that has begun to attract attention in other Latin American countries.
Joining the IURC 2025-2027 represents an international platform for Chihuahua that seeks to convert local actions into replicable projects, with the aim of strengthening regional competitiveness and contributing to improving the quality of life of the population.
