Home is where the car is? Annual POLIS Conference 2026's Closing Plenary connects housing and sustanible mobility
The Annual POLIS Conference 2026's Closing Plenary will examine the critical relationship between where we live, how we travel, and how cities can create more sustainable futures.
The plenary will close out this year's conference after what will surely be two days of sharing knowledge, making connections, and discussing the big questions surrounding mobility, innovation, and sustainability in European cities.
Setting the stage: the connection between housing and sustainable mobility
Rawad Choubassi is a Director and Board Member at Systematica and a member of the scientific committee of Transform Transport, will deliver the keynote address. Through his work and expertise on the intersection of mobility research, planning, and engineering, he will illustrate through concrete cases how transport, housing, and urban planning are intricately linked—and how where you live and the sustainable mobility options available to you shape access to services.
A panel bringing experts and leaders together
The keynote will be followed by a panel featuring:
- Jeffrey Matthijs, Director, Way To Go
- Sorcha Edwards, Secretary General, Housing Europe
- Adam Bodor, Deputy CEO, BKK Budapest
- Giuliano Mingardo, Chair of the European Parking Association Scientific Committee
- Elise Moeskops, Deputy Mayor for Mobility & Public Space, City of Amsterdam
The panel will be moderated by Karen Vancluysen, Secretary General of POLIS and these panellists will bring perspectives from local government and the wider mobility sector to the discussion which will examine the critical relationship between where we live, how we travel, and how cities can create more sustainable futures.
And the winner is...
Following the plenary, the POLIS Award will be presented, recognising cities, regions, and transport authorities that have implemented innovative and impactful sustainable mobility initiatives. The winner will be selected for projects that improve urban transport, sustainability, safety, accessibility, and quality of life, and will take their place in the POLIS hall of fame alongside previous winners such as Groningen, Stockholm, and Madrid.
The fun never ends
For the first time ever, the POLIS-organised sessions will be followed by eight parallel sessions, including workshops and exhibitions from leading organisations and EU-funded projects. These will offer deeper insight into some of the most pressing challenges facing cities and regions today, while showcasing practical solutions and sharing knowledge from across Europe.
Join us at the Annual POLIS Conference 2026, taking place on 2-3 December in Brussels, Belgium, to explore the issues shaping the future of urban and regional mobility.