Climate City Contract is constantly evolving. A major change initiated in 2025 is Joint Commitments between Cities.
“When several cities join forces, whether in terms of monitoring, governance, procurement, or mobility, the opportunities to accelerate the transition increase,” says Olga Kordas, program manager at Viable Cities.
For the cities participating in the Climate Neutral Cities 2030 initiative, the climate contract is a politically agreed document that has been drawn up in collaboration with many different stakeholders and reflects a long-term transition process. Together, they set goals, plan measures, and prioritize investments in order to achieve climate targets more quickly and create a better place for people to live and work.
The contract is updated annually with new, more ambitious targets and sharper implementation. It is signed by Chairman of the Municipal Council, Viable Cities, and six national government agencies, which are working together to accelerate climate change.
At the same time, the contract is undergoing continuous development as a tool and driver for local climate change. This development is a joint effort between cities, government agencies Viable Cities. As a result, this year's contract, version 2025/2026, once again looks different. Joint commitments between cities are now being introduced (see below).
These commitments reinforce the commitments between cities, government agencies Viable Cities already outlined in Climate City Contract .
"When several cities work together purposefully, the opportunities to accelerate climate change mitigation increase," says Charlotte Gustafsson Brynielsson, who coordinates the Climate City Contract process.
"By several cities joining forces, clearer signals are sent to the market, while decision-makers gain greater security and legitimacy to take bold steps," she says.
Joint commitments between cities give concrete expression to the power of numbers: they strengthen learning between them, make results more comparable, and create better conditions for government agencies other actors to contribute.
Below is an overview of the ten joint commitments between cities introduced in Climate City Contract , version 2025/2026. All cities will work on the first three. Of the others, they can choose which ones they want to focus on right now. They can choose a commitment because they are strong in that area and want to share their knowledge, but they can also choose the commitment because they have a strong drive to develop their work in that area.
The work began in 2025 and will continue in 2026.
1 Governance and management
We are committed to establishing/strengthening governance and leadership that enables systemic climate change and efficient resource utilization.
2 Climate analyses and climate calculations
We undertake to strengthen our ability to manage and monitor climate change and contribute to joint national capacity through data collection, climate analyses, and calculations.
3 Finance and invest
We commit to redirecting resources, building joint investment portfolios, and influencing climate investment norms to finance the climate transition.
4 Social sustainability and fairness
We are committed to integrating social sustainability and equity considerations into all processes to ensure that the climate transition is inclusive, fair, and sustainable in the long term.
5 Digitalization for climate change
We are committed to deepening and coordinating digital transformation as an enabler of climate change in order to strengthen local capabilities and shared national capacity.
6 Procurement and purchasing
We are committed to developing procurement and purchasing as strategic tools in climate change through governance, requirements, and collaboration.
7 Supplementary and compensatory measures
We are committed to working on supplementary and compensatory measures that contribute to reducing climate impact, in addition to direct emission reductions.
8 Climate transition and climate adaptation
We are committed to strengthening climate transition by coordinating it with climate adaptation and preparedness to build long-term resilience.
9 Civic engagement and participation
We are committed to strengthening civic engagement and participation as integral parts of climate change mitigation through methods of dialogue, co-creation, and influence.
10 Communication for change
We are committed to coordinating and strengthening climate communication that supports the transition work internally and externally and contributes to changing norms.
