LIPOR welcomes International Delegation under the IURC-LAC Programme

As part of the IURC-LAC (International Urban and Regional Cooperation between the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean) programme, LIPOR welcomed an international delegation from 21 to 24 July, comprising representatives from the regions of Chihuahua (Mexico), Hunedoara (Romania) and Valle del Cauca (Colombia).

The IURC is a European Union-funded programme that fosters cooperation between cities and regions on sustainable urban development by promoting knowledge exchange and the sharing of best practices. Together with the Region of Chihuahua, LIPOR co-leads the Community of Practice for a Green and Just Transition, a working group bringing together representatives from the Greater Porto Region (Portugal), Chihuahua (Mexico), Hunedoara (Romania) and Valle del Cauca (Colombia).

During the welcome session, LIPOR's CEO, Joaquim Gonçalves, highlighted the importance of international cooperation and knowledge sharing as key drivers for accelerating the green transition and promoting sustainable solutions tailored to the specific realities of each region and country.

Throughout the technical week, participants had the opportunity to gain first-hand insight into LIPOR's integrated waste management model through technical visits to its facilities and a series of thematic sessions. The programme included visits to the Automatic Packaging Sorting Unit, Organic Recovery Plant, Waste-to-Energy Plant, Adventure Park, Horta da Formiga and the Sorting Centre, enabling participants to explore LIPOR's initiatives in waste recovery, environmental education, biodiversity and community engagement.

The thematic sessions focused on:

Developing stakeholder engagement strategies, using LIPOR's experience as a case study and source of inspiration, through a collaborative workshop aimed at identifying approaches that could be adapted to the different regional contexts represented.

A technical session on sustainability and the circular economy, exploring the principles, strategies and benefits of these models as drivers of the green transition and the sustainable modernisation of territories.

This initiative further strengthened LIPOR's position as a leading international partner in promoting the circular economy and sustainability. It also reinforced cooperation between European and Latin American regions, contributing to the development of solutions tailored to the specific green transition challenges faced by each region.

It is also worth highlighting that, in 2025, international specialised technical consulting services accounted for 28% of the turnover of the Innovation, Research and Development area.