In May, ECCAR Policy & Advocacy Advisor Angelo Camufingo participated in the 2026 Annual Meeting of the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance (CNCA) in Rio de Janeiro. His participation formed part of the growing collaboration between ECCAR and CNCA, particularly in light of the newly established Environmental Justice City Lab, a joint initiative bringing together European city representatives working across anti-racism, social inclusion, climate, environment, and sustainability.
The Annual Meeting provided a valuable opportunity not only to connect with European and international city representatives, but also to deepen our understanding of how environmental and climate challenges intersect with questions of equity, inclusion, and anti-racism. Many of the conversations reinforced just how closely these policy areas are connected and why stronger collaboration across municipal departments is essential.
One example that emerged during the meeting was the relationship between environmental conditions, health, and structural racism. Environmental burdens such as air pollution, extreme heat, limited access to green space, or inadequate public transport are not distributed equally across cities. They often disproportionately affect neighbourhoods where housing is more affordable and where communities facing socioeconomic disadvantage are more likely to live. Because experiences of racism, as well as effects of migration and flight frequently contribute to these socioeconomic inequalities, they also shape who is more likely to be exposed to environmental burdens. At the same time, these same structural inequalities often influence access to healthcare, preventive services, and other resources that protect and improve health. The result is a reinforcing cycle in which environmental risks and social inequalities contribute to unequal health outcomes. By illustrating a broader reality, this example shows that environmental justice cannot be understood in isolation. It requires cities to recognize how environmental and climate challenges intersect with health, housing, mobility, education, poverty, anti-racism, and other dimensions of social inequality in order to develop more equitable local policies.
Alongside these broader discussions, some of the conversation during the Annual Meeting also offered some practical examples of how cities are already bringing environmental and social objectives together. For example, Amsterdam shared its work on reusing retired solar panels in social housing as a way of reducing energy poverty while supporting the energy transition.
Hosting the meeting in Rio de Janeiro also highlighted the importance of learning beyond European contexts. While local realities differ significantly, many of the underlying challenges are shared. Engaging with cities from different regions encourages new ways of thinking and helps identify approaches that can be thoughtfully adapted to European municipalities.
The conversations, presentations, and site visits throughout the Annual Meeting will help shape the ongoing development of the City Lab. Even sessions that did not explicitly focus on environmental justice offered valuable perspectives, helping us identify where stronger connections can be made between environmental and climate action, anti-racism, and social inclusion. These insights will directly support our efforts to strengthen knowledge exchange and interdisciplinary collaboration between cities participating in the City Lab.
We would like to sincerely thank CNCA for the opportunity to take part in this year's Annual Meeting. It was a privilege to learn from cities across the network, exchange ideas with colleagues from around the world, and continue building a partnership that we hope will create lasting value for both of our networks.
