53 pilot cities to test climate transition pathways as part of the EU Cities Mission

The Mission Platform of the EU Mission for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities has invited 53 cities from across twenty-one European Union and Horizon 2020 Associated Countries to take part in its Pilot Cities Programme. These Pilot Cities will experiment with new ways to rapidly decarbonise over the course of a two-year programme. The 53 cities were selected from more than 100 applications and will receive between €0.5 million and €1.5 million from a total of €32 million in grants from NetZeroCities, a Horizon 2020 project, which is managing the Mission Platform.

Cities that were not selected as Pilot Cities at this stage will have many other ways to engage with the Cities Mission, for example through a twinning and teaming programme that will start shortly. Further Pilot Calls are also being planned.

Background

NetZeroCities is a project consortium consisting of 33 partners from 27 European countries, managing the EU Cities Mission platform. The project supports the 112 European cities known as the Mission Cities in drastically reducing their greenhouse gas emissions to achieve climate neutrality. The EU Cities Mission supports the European Green Dealin building a low-carbon, climate-resilient future through research and innovation.

The Commission launched the Mission for 100 climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030 in September 2021 with the adoption of a Communication on EU missions. As well as the Cities Mission, there are four other EU missionscovering global challenges in the areas of adaptation to climate change, restoring our ocean and waters, healthy soils and cancer.

More information

Net Zero Cities press release

EU Mission: Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities

Source: European Commission | Research and Innovation (https://bit.ly/3mvE3N5)