The city of Torino in northern Italy has been announced as the next host of the EU Cities Mission conference on 27-29 May 2026.  The programme is expected, however, to begin on 27 May with sessions outside of the main conference venue. More information will follow soon and we recommend that attendees await this before making travel plans.  Torino – one of 112 aiming to reach climate neutrality before 2030 – will welcome hundreds of counterparts across Europe, as well as representatives from European political and financial institutions, business, climate organisations and other experts.  This [...]

We’re excited to share three new online and in-person peer-learning opportunities! These opportunities are part of the EU Cities Mission, and are facilitated by the Mission Platform, currently managed by NetZeroCities. Twinning Learning Programme Online Discussion Groups (Cohort 2) Online Course: “Design your City’s Net Zero Strategy: Online Planning Lab” These peer-learning programmes are open to all cities from the EU and Horizon Europe  associated countries aiming for climate neutrality by 2050 or earlier, and that embrace the Cities Mission mindset. They have been designed for cities to share learnings, tackle challenges collaboratively, and benefit from the experience of over [...]

NetZeroCities, managing the Platform of the EU Cities Mission, is announcing a unique opportunity for cities across the EU and affiliated countries. Launching on 16 September 2025, the Online Planning Lab is a free, hands-on online course encapsulated by 6 modules designed to empower city representatives, policymakers, and urban change-makers with the knowledge and tools they need to drive systemic change. What is the Online Planning Lab? This isn't just another online programme. Built on a strong peer-to-peer foundation, the Planning Lab functions as a project-based “Mini-Lab”. If a city has a population above 50,000 inhabitants, this is their chance [...]

“Our slogan - the greenest city in the making - is not just a promise, but an honest acknowledgement that the journey is ongoing. We are not perfect, but we are determined.” Mayor Valdas Benkunskas may have been speaking for the city of Vilnius when he opened the EU Cities Mission Conference, but the sentiment will be shared far beyond the Lithuanian capital. Hundreds of cities across Europe also know this feeling – of embracing the vulnerability of ambition and accepting there will be wrong turns to any new destination. Dozens of these cities, either reaching [...]