As a partner in the NetZeroCities project – the project selected to support cities as they drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions through climate action to achieve climate neutrality – ERRIN will work closely with its members to support them in achieving their climate neutrality goals.

This autumn marks the launch of the Horizon Europe Mission on Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities (Cities Mission) – the initiative that will help to deliver the objectives of the European Green Deal, notably a climate-neutral Europe by 2050. The Cities Mission has the ambitious aim to deliver at least 100 climate-neutral and smart European cities by 2030, while also paving the way for remaining European cities to become climate-neutral by 2050.

Over the past two years, ERRIN has actively contributed to shaping the Cities Mission - both through the participation in the Mission Assembly as well as through the development of several input papers and discussions with the European Commission. While ERRIN’s contributions have been led by the Smart Cities Working Group, a range of members from other working groups have also been actively involved in the process. The Mission’s preparatory process already generated strong interest among cities and regions across Europe, as it presents a unique and unprecedented approach to the goal of climate neutrality. This new demand-led approach brings together all key stakeholders within a city, as well as the respective national/regional governments and the European Commission to work towards the same goal.

NetZeroCities is a four-year project designed to help cities overcome structural, institutional and cultural barriers by providing innovative support and solutions that will help them achieve their net-zero goals in a socially-inclusive way. The project, which kicks off on 1 October, will tailor advanced capabilities related to systemic change, citizen engagement and democratic governance, capital and financial structuring and social innovation, to ensure cities have access to the best expertise available anywhere in the world. Recognising the need to develop specific strategies that are tailored to suit local and regional contexts, the project will collect new and existing tools, resources and expertise in a one-stop-shop platform accessible to all cities.

In addition, NetZeroCities will provide intensive support and dedicated services to up to 30 pilot cities to help drive rapid learning about how to achieve climate neutrality at the city scale.

The project is coordinated by EIT Climate-KIC and involves an additional 33 partners, bringing diverse expertise, representing a wide range of actors from 13 countries. ERRIN will contribute to several key project activities and will work closely with its members and other cities across Europe to help them achieve their climate neutrality goals.

More information on the NetZeroCities project will be available as the project gets underway, in particular through the Smart Cities WG and its activities. The ERRIN Secretariat contacts for the NetZeroCities project are: Pirita Lindholm (pirita.lindholm@errin.eu), Ryan Titley (ryan.titley@errin.eu), and Heidi Johansson (heidi.johansson@errin.eu). You can also read more in the attached press release and subscribe to the NetZeroCities mailing list here.