Barcelona and London mayors share urban strategies on housing and climate

The mayors of Barcelona and London, Jaume Collboni and Sadiq Khan, met this Tuesday at the Bloomberg CityLab 2026 forum in Madrid to exchange views on housing, climate change, and urban transformation, stressing that cities must cooperate rather than compete.

The two leaders praised each other's policies and agreed to strengthen collaboration between Barcelona and London, including technical meetings on the transformation of La Rambla and Oxford Street.

Collboni said cities have a "duty" to address housing and climate challenges, even without full powers, citing rent controls and restrictions on short-term rentals.

Khan called Barcelona a "beacon" to draw inspiration from, highlighting its response to tourism pressure, cost of living, and climate adaptation.

He added that both cities face similar challenges in redesigning major commercial streets and said London can learn from Barcelona's transformation of La Rambla into a more pedestrian-friendly space.

The CityLab forum, organized by Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Aspen Institute, gathered global mayors and policymakers to discuss solutions to urban challenges.