In North America and Europe, three-quarters of the population live in metropolitan regions, and this share of the population is projected to continue growing. Over the next century, as nations on both sides of the Atlantic reevaluate their strategies for development in the face of globalization, deindustrialization, and a complicated economic picture, issues like infrastructure, mobility, employment, and economic development take on renewed significance. Thus, the metropolitan built environment, its impact on the natural environment, and the resources available to citizens will be crucial for successfully meeting the complex challenges facing the transatlantic community. Because cities in North America and Europe face similar post-industrial policy challenges, they have the opportunity to learn from each other and to implement creative solutions to these challenges. Recognizing the necessity for communities to collaborate in designing effective approaches to local problems that have global implications, GMF’s Urban and Regional Policy program provides a framework for dialogue between individuals who make, influence, and implement urban and regional policy. The URP program works to provide local leaders with the tools and knowledge necessary to ensure that long-term, sustainable solutions rather than short-term fixes are applied to these systemic challenges. At the core of the URP program is the Transatlantic Cities Network, a durable structure for ongoing exchange among a select group of civic leaders representing 25 cities in the United States and Europe.

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