New cities joining the Pilot Cities Programme 

Twenty-five cities committed to become climate neutral by 2030 as part of the EU Cities Mission are on course to receive further EU support for ambitious climate-related projects, aimed at accelerating progress towards their 2030 goal. They have just joined the Pilot Cities Programme, part of NetZeroCities led by EIT Climate-KIC, offering cities financial and substantial support to develop sustainable solutions. 

Through Horizon Europe, the EU’s key research and innovation programme, the cities from across the EU and in associated countries of Horizon Europe will benefit from over 14 million Euros in total to become ‘Pilot Cities’, acting as innovation hubs as they test solutions for rapid decarbonisation. 

The selected cities are: Helsinki, Tampere (Finland); Munich, Dortmund, Heidelberg, Leipzig, Dresden (Germany); Brussels, Antwerp (Belgium); Gabrovo (Bulgaria); Reykjavik (Iceland); Sønderborg (Denmark); Angers Loire Métropole, Bordeaux Métropole, Communauté Urbaine de Dunkerque, City of Paris (France); Dublin, Cork (Ireland); Athens, Trikala, Kalamata, Thessaloniki (Greece), Elbasan (Albania), Izmir (Turkey), and Gothenburg (Sweden). 

The grants, awarded in packages of 500,000-600,000, 1 Million, or 1.5 Million Euros, will support Pilot Cities’ exploratory activities across 21 projects (with some cities having submitted joint proposals) and a broad range of themes, from emissions sources like transport, mobility, and industry, and the means of change, such as governance, social innovation, and data and digitalisation. 

Dublin City Council is delighted to have received funding through the EU Climate Neutral and Smart Cities Mission to undertake a pilot programme together with Cork City Council that will allow us to activate 7,500 staff across both our cities to achieve climate neutrality by working collaboratively with citizens, business, and academia to test innovative solutions that improve life for all. We are looking forward to sharing the knowledge and experience we gain over the next two years with cities across Europe and beyond,” said Richard Shakespeare, Chief Executive, Dublin City Council 

Pilot Cities will also receive direct support from city experts and have opportunities to learn from other cities over the course of the two-year programme delivered by NetZeroCities, the consortium set up to support cities in the EU Cities Mission. 

The results and learning from Pilot Cities’ work will be shared in turn with other cities who are not part of the EU Cities Mission and have been selected to participate in a ‘twinning’ programme. Twin Cities will work with Pilot Cities to learn and collaborate on shared problems, multiplying the impact of the programme and hastening European cities’ efforts to become climate neutral. 

These awards are the third and final batch given to Mission Cities to join the Pilot Cities Programme, bringing the total number of Pilot Cities to 104. They follow 26 awards given in January 2024, and 53 from the first cohort who started their programme activities in the summer of 2023. 

 More information on the Pilot Cities Programme can be found here

 
Location
Articles you may be interested in
In The News
For cities to become climate-resilient, they need to invest in capability buil...

As cities grapple with transforming and adapting to meet...

For cities to become climate-resilient, they need to invest in capability building
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC signs declaration ‘EU Green Deal: from local to global’

All around the globe, cities and regions are driving...

EIT Climate-KIC signs declaration ‘EU Green Deal: from local to global’
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC organises first Festival of Circular Economy and Bioeconomy in...

Running from November 28 to December 2, the activities...

EIT Climate-KIC organises first Festival of Circular Economy and Bioeconomy in Santander
In The News
What does climate action look like for the Culture and Creative Sector Industr...

The Culture and Creative Sector Industries (CCSI) can play...

What does climate action look like for the Culture and Creative Sector Industries?
In The News
Collaboration and knowledge sharing is key to unlocking capital for climate ne...

In order to reach net zero by 2030, or...

Collaboration and knowledge sharing is key to unlocking capital for climate neutrality
In The News
Gipuzkoa shapes the green future with local actors

Gipuzkoa is taking action towards sustainability through collaboration with...

Gipuzkoa shapes the green future with local actors
In The News
How can we enable African climate innovation to thrive?  

Much of the discussion around COP27 this year has...

How can we enable African climate innovation to thrive?  
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC and partners publish recommendations to include systemic lands...

The European Green Deal represents a unique opportunity for...

EIT Climate-KIC and partners publish recommendations to include systemic landscape thinking into EU policies to achieve the Green Deal
In The News
The challenges of building a resilient farmers’ community in Africa

Audrey S-Darko is a researcher and a farmer from...

The challenges of building a resilient farmers’ community in Africa
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC joins business and civil society to call on governments to uph...

As the official COP27 outcomes are being drafted this...

EIT Climate-KIC joins business and civil society to call on governments to uphold commitments to 1.5
In The News
Climate innovation: “The purpose is people, everything else is just the mean...

Massamba Thioye is leading the UN climate change Global...

Climate innovation: “The purpose is people, everything else is just the means”
In The News
Become a European Climate Leader

The Climate-KIC International Foundation is looking for a Supervisory...

Become a European Climate Leader
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC launches open-access database to map start-up ecosystem, now w...

Climate start-ups supported by EIT Climate-KIC are now worth...

EIT Climate-KIC launches open-access database to map start-up ecosystem, now worth €11.8 billion in combined enterprise value
In The News
Slovenia higher education reform aims to create a supportive environment for s...

Slovenia’s ministry of higher education is gearing up for...

Slovenia higher education reform aims to create a supportive environment for students and teachers
In The News
Co-designing the future of coal regions

EIT Climate-KIC launches the Post Coal Future Lab initiative...

Co-designing the future of coal regions
In The News
Bringing in business is key to achieving systems transformation on the climate...

“What does it mean to enable businesses to deal...

Bringing in business is key to achieving systems transformation on the climate crisis
In The News
What will it take to build the New European Bauhaus?

“Beautiful, Sustainable, Together”. These are the values – and...

What will it take to build the New European Bauhaus?
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC selects five partners in Global South to implement gender main...

The intersection of climate and innovation remains a male-dominated...

EIT Climate-KIC selects five partners in Global South to implement gender mainstreaming into entrepreneurship
In The News
Citizens inspire a car-free Leuven

A broad survey, possible solutions displayed on screens, inspirational...

Citizens inspire a car-free Leuven
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC accelerates climate tech solutions for a net-zero Africa 

Climate-focused start-up teams in developing countries face distinct challenges...

EIT Climate-KIC accelerates climate tech solutions for a net-zero Africa 
In The News
New European Bauhaus Hackathons will reward most innovative solutions

EIT Community New European Bauhaus partners will be hosting...

New European Bauhaus Hackathons will reward most innovative solutions
In The News
Slovenia takes a pivotal turn towards circularity

Slovenia has decided to actively combat climate change by...

Slovenia takes a pivotal turn towards circularity
In The News
Innovative climate projects part of EIT Community New European Bauhaus initiat...

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) has...

Innovative climate projects part of EIT Community New European Bauhaus initiative
In The News
A new air and climate plan for Milan

The City Council of Milan approved the Air and...

A new air and climate plan for Milan
In The News
Meet the three EIT Climate-KIC innovators nominated for EIT Awards

Three innovators from EIT Climate-KIC’s community have been nominated...

Meet the three EIT Climate-KIC innovators nominated for EIT Awards
In The News
100 European cities take up the challenge to become carbon neutral by 2030

On Monday 13 June, the representatives of the 100...

100 European cities take up the challenge to become carbon neutral by 2030
In The News
The role of cities and regions in transforming wood value chains

Climate smart forest economies It’s a crucial decade for...

The role of cities and regions in transforming wood value chains
In The News
Glasgow City Region pioneering forest economy innovation to drive climate acti...

Scotland’s largest city region is actively tackling climate change...

Glasgow City Region pioneering forest economy innovation to drive climate action
In The News
Forging sustainable timber construction in Europe

EIT Climate-KIC and Built by Nature, announce an initiative...

Forging sustainable timber construction in Europe
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC launches new Circularity Thinking training programme

EIT Climate-KIC is launching Circularity Thinking courses to tackle...

EIT Climate-KIC launches new Circularity Thinking training programme