100 cities from across the 27 member states of the European Union plus additional 12 other cities from associated countries have decided to take part in the EU’s mission for 100 climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030.
The mission is financed trough the Horizon Europe programme for research and innovation and it will receive 360 million euro which will cover the period from 2022 to 2023 to start the research and innovations. The research and innovation path aims toward the development and increasing of clean mobility, energy efficiency and lowering the CO2 emissions in urban areas which consist of 75% of the living spaces of European citizens.
Additional funding will be possible with the assistance of the mission platform NetZeroCities which provides networking opportunities for exchange of practices, know how and support between participating cities in the innovation and research process and also in the engagement of citizens.
This mission might be a novelty for the programme Horizon Europe but nevertheless it supports the European Commission’s priorities such as Green Deal, Europe fit for the Digital Age, An Economy that works for people, Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and the New European Bauhaus.
The initiative for participation in the mission began in the end of 2021 where 377 cities applied for participation. They were evaluated by independent experts and by the Commission’s additional criteria on geographical balance and diverse cities in terms of size, impact and innovative ideas. The 100 chosen cities represent 12% of the EU population today.
In the next steps of the programme, the cities will develop climate city contracts which have to include an overall plan and strategy for climate neutrality across sectors such as energy, buildings and waste management, transport. The process is expected to involve the engagement of citizens, research organizations in the private sector as well as national and regional authorities in close cooperation with the EU.
For more information: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_2591 , https://netzerocities.eu/
