NetZeroCitiesEU

?? What an exciting three days at the fifth edition of the NetZeroCitiesEU Seasonal School in Madrid, organised and hosted by consortium partners Politecnico di Milano and Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. NetZeroCities Seasonal Schools are in-person events tailored to guide #MissionCities in their pursuit of climate neutrality, now facilitating the robust support for the implementation phase of Climate City Contracts (CCCs). Day 1: Cities heard about the experiences of cities of Espoon kaupunki - Esbo stad - City of Espoo and Stadt Mannheim on their valuable learnings and challenges on partnerships and stakeholder engagement as well as how to ensure collaboration within the cities’ teams and a common vision between all city departments. Day 2: It was all about the importance of citizen engagement in climate plans with in-depth discussions taking place focusing on fostering alliances with civil society and internally within municipalities to drive positive change. Attendees heard from cities on their successes and key learnings, providing real deep-seated peer-to-peer learning. For instance, the city of Camara Municipal do Porto shared their solutions and action plan to overcome challenges relating to the implementation of their CCCs. Day 3: It was centred around the Capital Hub, methods to monitor and measure the progress of CCC implementation, and cities as problem-solvers. Cities shared their best practices on developing their Investment Plans, where they currently stand, and their approaches to financing their plans. City teams also navigated decarbonisation through a social simulation game where each of them endorsed a new role to drive change in a fictional city. ?? Just like a perfect Madrid paella, a successful climate transition needs the right chef, ingredients, and utensils. The pot? A solid economic model. The ingredients? City data inputs and a portfolio of investment projects. The chef? A dedicated transition team. And the heat to make it all come together? That's the stakeholder engagement! The three days were filled with collaboration and peer learnings, inspiring success stories, and the sharing of knowledge through brainstorming, workshops, and in-depth discussions. ??? As Mission Cities move forwards with the implementation phase of their CCCs, the lessons learned, and connections forged at the Seasonal School will be invaluable in achieving their climate goals. #EUMissions #HorizonEU CINEA - European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency EU Science, Research and Innovation Stadt Mannheim, #Ljubljana, Camara Municipal do Porto, Mesto Ko?ice, Stockholms stad, Espoon kaupunki - Esbo stad - City of Espoo, Ayuntamiento de Zaragoza, City of Kranj, Ayuntamiento de Vitoria-Gasteiz, #Warsaw, #Ioannina, Prim?ria Sectorului 2, #Pécs, Uppsala kommun, Ayuntamiento de Madrid, Camara Municipal de Lisboa, Ayuntamiento de Sevilla.

?? News from Ayuntamiento de Valladolid, last week the city brought together for the first time more than 150 stakeholders, 'Climate Mission Ambassadors', who are committed to joining the city on its journey to climate neutrality. As one of the #MissionCities who received the EU Mission Label as recognition of their commitment and work towards climate neutrality by 2030 and part of the #PilotCities Programme with 6 other Spanish Cities working in the Pilot Activity #URBANEW, Valladolid hosted a two day event dedicated to the city's climate stakeholders called 'Climate Mission Ambassadors'. Inaugurated by the Mayor of Valladolid,?Jesús Julio Carnero, with keynote speeches from Julio Lumbreras, coordinator of the Spanish National Platform, #citiES2030 as well as Kirsten Dunlop, CEO of Climate-KIC, the event comprised of in-depth discussions and roundtables on finance and the role of the private sector as well as the essential role that citizen engagement and communication plays in reaching climate ambitions. The event also included a concert and tree planting. "Valladolid's [climate journey] is a city mission, in which from the beginning we have sought the involvement of all of you to achieve our common goal, given that without your support it would not be possible to achieve the ambitious objective of reducing carbon emissions'' - Jesús Julio Carnero, Mayor of Valladolid. Congratulations to Valladolid for this fantastic achievement and we look forward to the road ahead ?? Read all about it here: https://lnkd.in/eGJPNYtY Cities like Valladolid are inspiring others with their success stories, share your city's stories with us in the comments! #EUMissions #HorizonEU

?? Coal Roots, Green Shoots: How Mestna ob?ina Velenje / Municipality of Velenje is balancing an industrial past with a clean future ? As one of the #MissionCities and part of the #PilotCities Programme working with #Ljubljana and #Kranj as a multi city Pilot Activity, Velenje is pioneering changes in governance structures and management at multiple levels, and holds the title of?European Green Leaf in 2024, a nod to its increased focus on sustainability. ? ??? The decarbonisation of Velenje's district heating system is one of the ways the city is working towards its climate goals. Not only is Velenje investing in the renovation of buildings and energy retrofitting, but they are also engaging their citizens along the journey through their Pilot Activity Up-SCALE, which enables citizens to track their energy consumption levels, encouraging behaviour change.?The city has also opened a one-stop-shop for their citizens to provide a hub for knowledge, initiatives, and more, putting them at the centre of the transition. ? Explore everything that Velenje is doing on their road to climate neutrality and how! https://lnkd.in/etHdD4qg Tell us about what your city is doing in the comments, we'd love to hear! ? #EUMissions #HorizonEU ? EU Science, Research and Innovation

#MissionCities are committed to reaching climate neutrality by 2030 ?? ? The Climate City Contract, the core instrument of the EU Cities Mission, helps them maintain momentum in this journey, driving transformative change at the city scale. It is designed as a dynamic and evolving process, allowing cities to adapt their climate strategies in response to new challenges and opportunities. ?? So far, 53 cities have been awarded the EU Mission Label in recognition of their plans to achieve climate neutrality. Receiving this award is a key milestone for Mission Cities but it is merely a step in a much larger journey, that requires continuous citizen and stakeholder engagement and strong political leadership. ?? Discover how the EU Cities Mission supports cities from the design of their Climate City Contract to the implementation of transformative actions at local scale: https://lnkd.in/dF758Xvn Learn all about the CCC: https://lnkd.in/dukUJNBC #HorizonEU #EUMissions EU Science, Research and Innovation

?? Citizen participation is crucial to achieving climate neutrality in cities, want to know why and how? Anthony Zacharzewski, President of Democratic Society, one of the NetZeroCitiesEU consortium partners, was interviewed for the Climate-KIC podcast series 'How Could We?', sharing powerful insights into how inclusive citizen participation plays a vital role in not only reaching climate goals but also ensuring that communities across Europe are actively involved in shaping their cities’ climate-neutral futures. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for meaningful participation, but consistent, long-term engagement is essential. Hear from Anthony who takes a deep dive into citizen engagement and why it is key for a sustainable future. ???Listen to the full episode: Spotify:?https://bit.ly/3YnvyEk Youtube:?https://bit.ly/3BGMQUi Amazon:?https://amzn.to/488lMcA Apple?Podcasts:?https://bit.ly/4f4Mmpb #MissionCities #EUMissions #HorizonEU

New blog post: How Barcelona City Council is a city transforming ?? Lilybell Evergreen, Demos Helsinki had the opportunity to explore this vibrant city and learn about its innovative approach to creating a more livable future. From stunning green urban spaces to pedestrian and cycle-friendly paths, Barcelona is inspiring cities in Europe through community engagement, leadership, and perseverance. ??? Read the full blog post: https://lnkd.in/dhurm9vS #MissionCities #EUMissions #HorizonEU

?? Liberec is powering change through energy communities! As one of the #MissionCities and #PilotCities, Liberec is embracing community-led energy solutions by establishing its first energy community. The city is not only reducing its emissions but also empowering its citizens, putting them at the centre in driving change. Cities like Liberec are creating a new kind of relationship with its citizens, fostering trust and openness to innovation through initiatives such as these to build a climate-neutral future for all. ?? Read our article to learn all about energy communities, their benefits, and how Liberec are doing it! https://lnkd.in/dGxhwwrZ What initiatives is your city doing? Tell us in the comments! #EUMissions #HorizonEU

?? Mark your calendars for the ?ód? Climate Summit 2025! ??? 20 May 2025 ?? ?ód?, Poland As one of the #MissionCities, ?ód??is striving towards climate neutrality whilst also being a hub for knowledge sharing and networking for all stakeholders through their 3rd edition of the ?ód? Climate Summit. This event gathers many leaders of change from the world of politics, local government, science, and business, having convened many representatives of European, national, and local organisations, in particular Patrick Child, Mission Manager, Deputy Director General, DG Environment, European Commission in previous editions, the upcoming Summit expects to create a truly atmospheric day! ? Stay tuned for the full agenda, interested participants are asked to register their interest of participation by emailing: wks[@]uml.lodz.pl Note that the event will be followed by the international Urban Future conference in ?ód? 21-23 May 2025: https://lnkd.in/dVjTYX6b #EUMissions #HorizonEU

??? We have some exciting news for European Cities: The Mission Platform managed by NetZeroCitiesEU is now extending part of its online support to all EU and #HorizonEU cities eager to reach climate neutrality!?? ?? Whether your city is just starting out or already making strides towards sustainability, you can benefit from some of the support, tools, services, and resources we provide!? ? ??This is an invaluable opportunity to learn from #MissionCities, drawing on their experiences and strategies to shape local approaches for climate neutrality. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/ezgM7vGQ #EUMissions EU Science, Research and Innovation

?? 'Unlocking the true potential of European cities' a must-read! “Cities have been and will remain leading lights for governments responding to the climate emergency,” says Thomas Osdoba, NetZeroCitiesEU Programme Director This article by the Financial Times spotlights how cities are at the forefront of climate change and are crucial to achieving climate neutrality, showcasing the role of the EU Cities Mission and NetZeroCities in supporting cities to collaborate and innovate for a climate-neutral future. ?? In the article, NetZeroCities Programme Director, Thomas Osdoba and Mayor of Malm? stad, Katrin Stjernfeldt Jammeh are interviewed, illustrating how #MissionCities like Malm? are using best practices like collaboration to harness their decarbonisation goals with the support of the EU Cities Mission and NetZeroCities. “We’re inspired to see how the Mission Cities embrace the challenges of their high ambition and acceleration towards climate neutrality. For us at NetZeroCities, being of service and helping them is its own reward” says Thomas Osdoba. Read the full article and share your thoughts in the comments below! https://lnkd.in/etFiY2az #EUMissions #HorizonEU CINEA - European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency EU Science, Research and Innovation