Case study: Slovenia

Savinjsko–Šaleška, with ~60,000 residents, includes Velenje, an industrial city undergoing sustainability transitions. It is part of the EU Mission for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities, facing complex trade-offs between decarbonisation, service access, and social equity.

Koroška, with ~70,000 residents, is geographically and economically more isolated, with many commuting to Austria. It has experienced population decline, service loss, and youth outmigration, reflecting a broader rural crisis in peripheral Europe.

Both regions are characterised by small cities and dispersed rural settlements, with post-socialist planning legacies and declining local services. Despite accessible kindergartens and primary schools, other services—like healthcare, banking, and postal offices—are increasingly centralised, pushing residents toward car dependency.

T-PATH-UP15 will support the two Regional Development Agencies with refinement of regional Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) and local SUMPs already adopted across most municipalities, bringing in a stronger youth and cross-sectoral perspective. By working with municipal governments, regional agencies, and civic organisations, the project will look for improvements to revitalise local services, reduce car dependency, enhance spatial equity with a special focus on the younger population.