A Mission on 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030

One of the five EU Missions is the Mission on 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030 (Cities Mission), which aims to support 112 European cities in their systemic transformation towards climate neutrality by 2030. The mission aims to create a bottom-up approach towards achieving climate neutrality supported by a Climate City Contract, which requires the participation of the entire local ecosystem and support from all governance levels.

The task of the first Mission Board, consisting of 15 experts, was to develop the research and innovation activities that would contribute to the Mission. The final report of the Mission Board was handed over to the European Commission in September 2020, and the Mission was launched in September 2021 when the Implementation Plan was published. In April 2022, the 112 selected Mission Cities were announced, of which 71 cities come from ERRIN member regions, and a new Mission Board started its work in autumn 2022.

Copenhagen

ERRIN input to the Cities Mission


 

2019

Led by the Smart Cities Working Group, ERRIN took an active role in shaping the Cities Mission since the start of its development process. ERRIN provided its first input to the Mission Board members before the discussion paper highlighting the Mission Board's proposals was published at the end of 2019.

2020

In January 2020, the key elements of the Mission were further discussed in a Smart Cities Working Group meeting dedicated to the subject. The Smart Cities, Transport, Energy and Climate Change Working Group leaders continued to work on an ERRIN contribution and invited the wider ERRIN membership to share their feedback on the Mission. This work resulted in an ERRIN contribution, which provided recommendations in relation to the ambitions, financing, selection process and set-up of the Mission and which made practical suggestions on its implementation. After the release of the interim report of the Mission Board in June 2020, ERRIN developed an input document to the interim report and the Green Deal call 1.2 on socially innovative cities. The final report of the Mission Board was handed over to the European Commission at the European Research & Innovation Days in September 2020.

2021

The Smart Cities Working Group continued the policy dialogue with the Mission Manager and the Mission Secretariat, and organised a WG meeting to discuss the state of play of the Mission's Implementation Plan with the European Commission in April 2021. Following this dialogue, ERRIN developed an input document on the Mission's Implementation Plan. The comments focused on the specific objectives of the Mission and its added value, and highlighted some key elements related to the Mission implementation process - the Expressions of Interest and the Climate City Contract. Following a Smart Cities Working Group meeting on the Implementation Plan and the call for Expressions of Interest in November 2021, the Smart Cities Working Group leaders developed a letter on cities' concerns focusing on the Climate City Contract and the selection criteria and evaluation process around the Expressions of Interest, which was shared with the Mission Manager and the Mission Secretariat. 

In 2021, two ERRIN projects that support the implementation of the Cities Mission kicked off - the NetZeroCities and MOSAIC projects. Through these projects, ERRIN will support its members in the implementation of the Mission on the ground. 

2022

The Smart Cities Working Group continued following the Cities Mission in 2022 by organising meetings focusing on funding opportunities to support the Mission objectives and continuing the dialogues with the Mission Secretariat. In May 2022, ERRIN provided its messages for the Horizon Europe Missions Work Programme 2023-2024, where several recommendations concerning the funding for the Cities Mission were highlighted, such as the need for a quadruple helix approach, the need for funding focusing on the investment plan and upscaling, and the need for further synergies between the Missions and towards other EU funding programmes. 

 

Latest Updates

  • By Heidi Johansson

23 new Mission Cities awarded the Mission Label

During a dedicated session at the EU Research & Innovation Days, 23 new cities part of the EU Mission on 100 climate-neutral and smart cities were awarded the Mission Label for their plans to achieve climate neutrality by 2030. ERRIN is pleased to see that 15 cities are located in ERRIN member regions.

  • By Silvia Ghiretti

Governance structures to implement the EU Missions: check the new Mission Data Platform

A new Mission Data Platform has recently been launched by TRAMI, the EU-funded project focusing on transnational cooperation on the Mission-approach and effective implementation of the EU Missions. This tool supports and links with ERRIN's work on multi-level governance in the Cities Mission within the NetZeroCities project.

  • By Gianpiero Petruzziello

26 additional cities selected to join the NetZeroCities Pilot Cities Programme

The NetZeroCities project, in which ERRIN is a partner, has selected 26 additional cities from 16 countries to take part in its Pilot Cities Programme. ERRIN is delighted to note that 12 cities from ERRIN member regions have been chosen, including Riga and Lyon, both supported by ERRIN’s NetZeroCities Climate Neutral Cities Advisors. 

  • By Heidi Johansson

Third NetZeroCities call for Pilot Cities now open!

NetZeroCities has opened its third and final call for cities to join the two-year Pilot Cities Programme. The call is open only to Mission Cities who are not yet part of the Pilot Cities Programme. The deadline for applications is 18 March 2024.

  • By Silvia Ghiretti

Exploring Synergies between European Partnerships and EU Missions – Mutual Learning Event

ERRIN and the TRAMI project are organising a Mutual Learning Event aiming to explore synergies between European Partnerships and EU Missions. The event will take place on Wednesday 7 February from 9:00 to 12:00 (CET) at the NCBR Brussels Office, Rue Belliard 40, Brussels.

  • By Gianpiero Petruzziello

MOSAIC wraps up a successful co-creation journey with EU cities

In a dynamic two-day event held on 21 and 22 November, MOSAIC, project in which ERRIN is a partner, successfully hosted its final event 'Co-creation in EU Missions'. City representatives, European Commission policy officers, researchers, private sector representatives and co-creation experts converged to delve the immense potential of co-creation in addressing complex challenges, particularly those posed by the Horizon EU Missions. Learn more and discover the MOSAIC resources available for cities.