Event banner

Mutual Learning Event on “Unleashing a Research Agenda for the ‘EU Mission on 100 climate-neutral and smart cities’ – the role of research in the implementation of the Mission”

The NetZeroCities project, in which ERRIN is a partner, is organising a Mutual Learning Event on 'Unleashing a Research Agenda for the ‘EU Mission on 100 climate-neutral and smart cities – the role of research in the implementation of the Mission'. The event will take place on 18 February, 2025, 13:00–16:00, at the ERRIN offices (Rue du Luxembourg 3, Brussels) and online. 

The session is targeted at practitioners who have a good understanding of the EU Cities Mission in general, as well as the conditions for researchers to engage with it. 


This collaborative gathering is part of a series of events and actions aimed at 'Unleashing a Research Agenda for the EU Mission on 100 Climate Neutral and Smart Cities'. The series of events started in Valencia in June 2024 and will continue in May 2025 in Vilnius at the Cities Conference. The event is tailored for European Commission representatives, researchers, research institutions and networks and practitioners from the EU, regional and local levels committed to tackling urban climate challenges through systemic and innovative solutions.  

This half-day event provides a dynamic platform to:  

  • Highlight the importance of research for the EU Missions. 
  • Share and discuss the results of the event in Valencia, where we began shaping a research agenda for climate-neutral cities.   
  • Collaborate with a network of universities, research institutions, policy makers and practitioners actively driving the Cities Mission forward.  
  • Explore cutting-edge research methods and lessons learned from key European case studies, best practices, approaches, methods and tools that accelerate climate transition efforts.  

Since the launch of the Cities Mission in 2021, 53 of the 112 Mission Cities have been awarded Mission Labels, recognising their successful completion of the Climate City Contract process. This marks the transition into the Mission's implementation phase. Research institutions hold several key competencies and responsibilities supporting cities in implementing the Cities Mission and achieving climate neutrality.  

Given the interactive format of the event we encourage participants to actively contribute to the discussions, which will focus on predefined topics shared in advance. The insights gained during the event will inform the work of NetZeroCities and be shared with the European Commission. 

Please find the draft agenda attached. This is a hybrid workshop that will take place in Brussels and online. The event is free of charge. All travel-related expenses must be covered by the sending institution.   

To ensure balanced participation across stakeholder groups and maintain geographical diversity, we will confirm your participation after the registration deadline of 31 January 2025 COB. You will receive a confirmation email once your registration has been processed.  

You can register for the event via this link.  

We look forward to your participation.