EU #MissionCities Archives - Page 3 of 5

Warm energy at icy Stockholm Spring School

Clea Prieto2024-05-07T07:46:39+02:00May 3rd, 2024|

There was a lot of warm energy in the room at Stockholm Spring School on 24–26 April. This was much appreciated since the city did not show its most welcoming weather to the visiting representatives from all around Europe. At the NetZeroCities Spring School, organised by Politecnico di Milano (Polimi) and Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), representatives from about 25 of the 112 Mission Cities were present. Earlier editions of the Seasonal School have taken place in Spain, Italy and Hungary. The Spring School took place at KTH, the Royal Institute of Technology hosted by [...]

Rivne: A beacon of sustainability in a time of turmoil 

Clea Prieto2024-07-17T14:09:50+02:00April 29th, 2024|

Author: Barbara Jarkiewicz In the midst of the turmoil caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, lies Rivne — a city with a bold vision for a sustainable future. Despite the shadow of war and the nation's ongoing struggle for stability, Rivne has taken a courageous step forward on the eve of the EU accession by committing to the EU Cities Mission’ and joining the Pilot Cities Programme run by NetZeroCities. These initiatives aim to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, an unprecedented initiative in Ukraine that reflects the city’s determination to take ambitious action on climate. [...]

9 Mission Cities among the 20 New European Bauhaus Awards winners and runners-up

Clea Prieto2025-02-06T15:28:38+01:00April 25th, 2024|

The New European Bauhaus (NEB) awards, revealed earlier in April, spotlight 20 winning and runner-up projects that exemplify the initiative's core values: sustainability, inclusivity, and a focus on the younger generation. This prize garners innovative ideas to benefit of local communities and society as a whole. Organized into four distinct categories aligned with the thematic axes of transformation guiding the NEB, the awards recognise both established 'Champions' and promising 'Rising Stars. Notably, among the distinguished winners, 9 Mission Cities participating in the Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission stood out, underscoring their commitment to implementing innovative urban development initiatives that reflect the [...]

More European cities reach milestone on Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission

Ella Morgan2024-03-25T17:32:19+01:00March 25th, 2024|

At a ceremony in Brussels, 23 cities – all part of the EU Cities Mission – received a ‘Mission Label’, following the submission of their Climate City Contract or CCC, which defines the city’s climate commitments, action plan, and investment strategy to become climate neutral by 2030. Detailed CCC documents also include input from citizens and stakeholders – a key part of the process of engagement that continues after submission, as the city advances towards its climate goals and the CCC is developed further. The labels are a recognition of the city’s plans by the European Commission, which it is hoped [...]

Mission Cities’ Policy Brief: Tackling Circular Economy Challenges

Ella Morgan2024-03-04T18:13:14+01:00March 4th, 2024|

With cities at the forefront of climate neutrality solutions, their experiences hold valuable lessons for national authorities and EU decision-makers in the framework of the European Green Deal. A first Policy Lab, facilitated by NetZeroCities, gathered representatives from 21 Mission Cities to explore the intricacies of circular economy practices, with a particular focus on circular construction and reducing plastic waste. The insights gathered from Mission Cities Oslo, Helsinki, and Stockholm, alongside contributions from eighteen additional Mission Cities, have culminated in the production of a first Mission Cities’ Policy Brief. This document presents a comprehensive set of policy recommendations aimed at EU decision-makers and [...]

Stockholm and Sønderborg – big and small Nordic Mission Label cities show the power of collaboration in climate action

Ella Morgan2024-03-01T14:50:53+01:00March 1st, 2024|

Author: Alan MacKenzie “It's important to be humble and understand that there are always great challenges ahead of you”, Björn Hugosson, Stockholm’s chief climate officer, says. Since 1990, the city has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by two-thirds, alongside a growing population and economy. But even with more than 30 years of climate action behind them, the city is still being challenged – and challenging itself – to do better. Following the award of one of the first ten ‘Mission Labels’ from the EU, which recognises the strength of the city's plans to reach climate neutrality by the end of [...]

Innovation and learning hubs for climate-neutrality: what’s next for the cities in the Pilot Cities Programme?

Clea Prieto2025-02-10T14:22:21+01:00February 8th, 2024|

Author: Elisa Abrantes The Pilot Cities programme is set to scale up with a second cohort of 26 European cities. This brings the total number of participating municipalities to 79, all of which are working to develop innovative solutions for rapid decarbonisation. The third and final call to join the PCP is now open and will soon increase this number even further. The goal of generating groundbreaking solutions is matched by a robust focus on learning within the Pilot Cities Programme. Particular emphasis is placed on collective learning entailing the pooling of diverse perspectives to create shared understandings. This collaborative [...]

European cities test innovative pathways to climate neutrality in the Pilot Cities Programme

Clea Prieto2024-03-08T13:46:02+01:00December 20th, 2023|

Author: Elisa Abrantes Over 50 European cities are just short of a quarter of the way through their two-year Pilot City Programme experience, and more EU Mission Cities recently applied to be part of the second cohort, to accelerate their efforts to achieve climate neutrality. Cities that are part of the programme receive an EU grant and support from the NetZeroCities platform over a two-year period to test innovative pathways to climate neutrality, aimed at overcoming entrenched and systemic barriers to change in their context. The Pilot Cities Programme is the main way in which [...]

The Art of Smart

Clea Prieto2024-02-20T09:53:48+01:00December 18th, 2023|

Author: Alan MacKenzie The EU Cities Mission aims to make over 100 cities both climate-neutral and smart by 2030 – but what is a “smart city” and how does it help its climate goals? On Sweden’s southwest coast, the city of Helsingborg sees itself “as an enabler of innovation, rather than the innovators ourselves,” says Åsa Bjering, the programme manager for the city’s department of ‘Innovation and Green Transformation’. The distinction is important. A 2020 European Capital of Innovation Awards finalist, Helsingborg is well known for its forward thinking, and Bjering’s department brings together [...]

Budapest Winter School: Engaging Cities in Climate Action

Clea Prieto2023-12-05T08:48:48+01:00December 5th, 2023|

Representatives from 19 Mission Cities will go into 2024 with renewed purpose and refreshed skills following a successful NetZeroCities Winter School in Budapest in late November. The 29 participants celebrated the opportunity to collaborate and share learning with contemporaries from across Europe, eager to transform their cities into models of sustainability and resilience. “The event was very informative, stimulating, and interactive. It deepened my understanding of the EU Cities Mission and process. I’m grateful for the organisation of such a meaningful event”, said one participant. Another said: “It was great to make contact with other cities and learn about the different [...]

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