??? Find out how you can drive climate action in your city!

Hello,

The world’s energy and industrial systems are undergoing a fundamental transformation, moving away from fossil fuels toward new, low-carbon alternatives. As a result, the challenge and the opportunity for city leaders isn’t just to reduce emissions—it’s to navigate disruptions in energy markets, supply chains, technologies, and investment flows that shape what’s possible at the local level.

Instead of asking, “How can we make this city carbon neutral?” cities should ask themselves, "What new infrastructural and institutional arrangements are needed in the region for the people and communities to continue to thrive in a world moving towards carbon neutrality?"

Our new report, Unlocking Urban Climate Transitions, explores this challenge through a case study of Gothenburg, Sweden. Drawing on insights from Carl Mossfeldt, who led the city’s Climate Transition Office, it argues that cities must move beyond incremental fixes and make strategic decisions in an era of deep uncertainty.?

To succeed, cities must overcome four key barriers:

• ?? Lock-ins:?Political and administrative processes risk becoming entrenched, reinforcing the status quo.
• ?? Capabilities:?New skills are needed to adapt to ever-evolving climate challenges.
• ?? Risk Sharing:?Alliances between levels of government and the private sector are required to manage transition risks.
• ?? Incentives: It’s easier to focus on smaller, easy changes instead of building new, system-wide solutions.

From our conversations with city leaders, we know that these challenges aren’t unique to Gothenburg. Cities worldwide face similar dilemmas but often lack the support, partnerships, and tools to navigate them effectively. Meeting this moment requires new governance approaches, financial models, and cross-sector collaboration that align long-term resilience with political and economic realities.

We hope this report sparks not just fresh thinking, but new ways of working.

Best wishes,

Josh Sorin

?? Connect with Josh on LinkedIn

?? Download the report

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