Author: Barbara Jarkiewicz Stories from Pilot Cities: Klagenfurt, Gozo and Vilnius are part of the 112 cities participating in the EU Mission to deliver 100 climate-neutral and smart cities, and the Pilot Cities Programme – a component of the Mission that focuses on exploring and testing pathways to rapid decarbonisation over a two-year period. ‘How are we going to finance the transition?’ is the question echoing the corridors of town halls and policy meetings across Europe. Climate targets are set. Plans are drawn. But turning vision into reality often comes down to one of the key [...]

Author: Elisa Abrantes Stories from Pilot Cities: Umeå is one of the 112 cities participating in the EU Mission to deliver 100 climate-neutral and smart cities, and the Pilot Cities Programme – a component of the Mission that focuses on exploring and testing pathways to rapid decarbonisation over a two-year period. In the northern Swedish city of Umeå, where dark winters stand in contrast with almost around-the-clock daytime in the summer months, the climate transition is well underway. But it needs to go faster. The city is ramping up the speed through the North Star project, [...]

Author: Elisa Abrantes Stories from Pilot Cities: Drammen is a participant in the Pilot Cities Programme, an EU grant funded programme which focuses on exploring and testing pathways to rapid decarbonisation over a two-year period as part of the EU Mission to deliver 100 climate-neutral and smart cities.  Encased in nature and situated at the junction of the Drams River and Drams Fjord, the warmest city in Norway has set its sights on reaching climate neutrality by 2030.  Once dominated by industry and struggling with pollution, the port and river city of Drammen has built a strong [...]

Author: Elisa Abrantes Stories from Pilot Cities: Lahti is one of the 112 cities participating in the EU Mission to deliver 100 climate-neutral and smart cities, and the Pilot Cities Programme – a component of the Mission that focuses on exploring and testing pathways to rapid decarbonisation over a two-year period.   On the banks of Lake Vesijärvi, once one of Finland's most polluted lakes, the city of Lahti is responding to the environmental damage. By 1979, the city stopped discharging domestic and industrial wastewater into the lake, kicking off decades of conservation work to reverse the [...]

Author: Barbara Jarkiewicz Stories from Pilot Cities: Malmö is one of the 112 cities participating in the EU Mission to deliver 100 climate-neutral and smart cities, and the Pilot Cities Programme – a component of the Mission that focuses on exploring and testing pathways to rapid decarbonisation over a two-year period.   Malmö, a Swedish city renowned for its ambition and innovation, is racing towards climate neutrality with unwavering commitment. The city's success stems from a systemic approach that embraces collaboration with various stakeholders, shaping innovative policies and fostering holistic thinking to drive sustainability forward. This article [...]

Author: Elisa Abrantes Stories from Pilot Cities: Leuven is one of the 112 cities participating in the EU Mission to deliver 100 climate-neutral and smart cities, and the Pilot Cities Programme – a component of the Mission that focuses on exploring and testing pathways to rapid decarbonisation over a two-year period.   Leuven, a Belgian city of around 100,000 inhabitants, is no stranger to groundbreaking ideas. As home to the Big Bang Theory and KU Leuven, which celebrates its 600th this year and has been recognised as Europe's most innovative university, it’s no wonder its rich history of [...]

Author: Barbara Jarkiewicz Stories from Pilot Cities: Cluj-Napoca is a participant in the Pilot Cities Programme, an EU grant-funded programme that focuses on exploring and testing pathways to rapid decarbonisation over a two-year period. "We are doing it for them, so we need to do it together.” - says Liviu Purtator from Cluj-Napoca City Hall. Involving citizens is one of the key elements in successfully driving climate transition in cities and in Romania the city of Cluj-Napoca has implemented impactful activities to bring citizens on board to build a net-zero city together. [...]

Author: Elisa Abrantes Stories from Pilot Cities: Uppsala is a participant in the Pilot Cities Programme, an EU grant-funded programme that focuses on exploring and testing pathways to rapid decarbonisation over a two-year period. Demolition for innovation: Uppsala is building back greener  What can tearing down a building teach us about circularity? In Uppsala, Sweden, they are showing that lessons from practical experience are invaluable.   The city administration is using demolition and renovation projects as real-world laboratories to explore circular construction methods. From steel to concrete, the building blocks that make up the city will be [...]

Author: Elisa Abrantes Stories from Pilot Cities: Limassol is one of the 112 cities participating in the EU Mission to deliver 100 climate-neutral and smart cities, and the Pilot Cities Programme – a component of the Mission that focuses on exploring and testing pathways to rapid decarbonisation over a two-year period.   Changing attitudes to beat the heat in Limassol The Mediterranean island of Cyprus marks the EU's eastern extreme, so far east that it sits geographically in West Asia. Where scorching summers are becoming the new norm, the country’s second largest city, Limassol, is increasingly confronted [...]

Author: Barbara Jarkiewicz Stories from Pilot Cities: Velenje is one of the 112 cities participating in the EU Mission to deliver 100 climate-neutral and smart cities and the Pilot Cities Programme – a component of the Mission that focuses on exploring and testing pathways to rapid decarbonisation over a two-year period.  Once built around coal mining, Velenje—one of Slovenia's sunniest and greenest cities—is transforming to achieve climate neutrality. The city has committed to phasing out coal by 2033 but will have to reconcile its industrial heritage with the demands of a sustainable future. Read here about how it is testing [...]