Today, on European Viable Cities Day, we celebrate that 48 Swedish municipalities are mobilizing for climate-neutral cities by 2030, with a good life for everyone within the planet's limits. At the same time, Climate City Contract is celebrating its fifth anniversary.
Umeå Municipality has been involved since the beginning.
“By signing Climate City Contract , we are taking another step in our joint journey towards climate neutrality. We know that the transition will not happen in isolation, but when we act together,” says Hans Lindberg (S), Chairman of the Municipal Council Chairman Umeå Municipality.
The first contracts were signed by nine municipalities in 2020, four government agencies Viable Cities. Today, five years later, the highest political leadership in 48 Swedish municipalities is involved in the Climate City Contract process, together with six government agencies the Swedish Energy Agency, Vinnova, Formas, the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth, the Swedish Transport Administration, and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency) and Viable Cities. In this work, cities and government agencies, together with Viable Cities, are accelerating the transition to climate-neutral and sustainable cities and communities in practice.
Having the climate contract as the backbone of the transition work is very important in order to maintain a forward-moving process when there are so many other pressing issues in our city right now. It becomes an important indicator that we are moving in the right direction, both within our own organization and in the local, regional, and national contexts. As a working method, you could say that the climate contract is an important piece of the puzzle that makes it easier to incorporate more and more transition initiatives. Putting the puzzle together makes the work and the way forward clear, says Johan Abrahamsson (M), Chairman of the Municipal Council Chairman Mariestad.
Johan Kuylenstierna, Director General of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, is of the same opinion.
“The climate contract is proof that collaboration between government agencies municipalities creates synergies and greater shared knowledge and understanding, which is so important for climate change. By using nature as a solution to several different societal challenges, we are also showing that climate issues and biodiversity are closely linked,” he says.
A new development to further accelerate progress is joint commitments between cities. The ambition is for several cities to work together in concrete ways to pave the way for many more in a number of areas.
– In Örnsköldsvik, we believe in the power of collaboration to accelerate climate change. By building networks and sharing knowledge with other cities, we create solutions that make a difference – not only locally, but globally. The next step is to translate our shared ambitions into concrete actions that have an impact here and now, but also for the future," says Anna-Britta Åkerlind (C), Chairman of the Municipal Council Chairman Örnsköldsvik.
It is becoming increasingly clear that cities' efforts are crucial to climate change mitigation worldwide. The EU recently launched its Policy Agenda for Cities. This fall, Sweden and the entire EU joined CHAMP (The Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnerships for Climate Action), a global platform that aims to bridge the gap between the national and local levels in order to drive climate change mitigation. And at COP30, the recent climate conference in Brazil, the crucial importance of cities for rapid and effective climate change was highlighted. Viable Cities was an early mover in Europe in focusing on the importance of practical capacity for climate change at the local level in order to achieve climate goals at all levels.
– It is clear that many eyes are on us right now. It is fantastic to see that "our" Swedish cities are now working together to accelerate climate change and inspire others far beyond Sweden's borders. Cities in Sweden and Europe are also increasingly affected by the consequences of climate change. I am incredibly proud that 48 Swedish cities are celebrating our joint mobilization today, and that all of them are prepared to further accelerate the transition through joint commitments between cities, says Olga Kordas, Viable Cities program manager.
The Swedish Energy Agency sees collaboration between government agencies, cities, business citizens as key to mobilizing efforts and accelerating the transition to climate-neutral cities in Sweden, Europe, and globally. One strength of the Climate Contracts is that we interact at several levels in society, on issues relating to financing, policy development, innovation, and learning. This gives us a good foundation for working toward a faster transition, says Caroline Asserup, Director General of the Swedish Energy Agency.
Vinnova Director General Darja Isaksson agrees:
“The work on Climate City Contract is a shining example of how what we are doing in Sweden to connect cities, government agencies, business citizens toward a common mission can also be scaled up to the EU level. It is clear that we are inspiring the EU and the work within the European Cities mission. Vinnova is proud to be part of this work," says Darja Isaksson, Director General of Vinnova.
European Viable Cities Day is a day when we celebrate Swedish cities' pioneering work for the mission and at the same time link it to the European and global mobilization for climate-neutral and sustainable cities. Since its inception, Viable Cities' work has been part of the European mobilization for the transition to climate-neutral cities, with Europe also being the continent where global warming is occurring most rapidly. New this year is Sweden's participation in CHAMP, where the government has given Viable Cities a coordinating role.
They are participating in the Climate Neutral Cities 2030 initiative.
Alvesta, Arvika, Avesta, Boden, Borlänge, Borås, Enköping, Eskilstuna, Falkenberg, Falköping, Gävle, Gothenburg, Gotland, Härryda, Håbo, Helsingborg, Höganäs, Höör, Järfälla, Kalmar, Karlskrona, Karlstad, Kristianstad, Kristinehamn, Landskrona, Linköping, Lomma, Luleå, Lund, Malmö, Mariestad, Mjölby, Mörbylånga, Nacka, Sandviken, Skellefteå, Stockholm, Sundsvall, Tomelilla, Trollhättan, Umeå, Ulricehamn, Uppsala, Värmdö, Växjö, Örebro, Örnsköldsvik, Östersund
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About Viable Cities
Viable Cities is a strategic innovation program focused on climate-neutral and sustainable cities. In the program's Climate Neutral Cities 2030 initiative, and with the Climate City Contract tool, 48 cities and six government agencies are working government agencies accelerate climate change. The program has over 150 member organizations from business, academia, civil society public sector. Viable Cities is supported by a joint initiative of Vinnova, the Swedish Energy Agency, and Formas.
Links:
- Quotesfrom the highest political leadership in 48 municipalities and six directors-general, which are free to use in the story about Climate City Contract and European Viable Cities Day.
- Broadcasting liveevents on YouTube
- Further reading about theClimate Neutral Cities 2030 initiative
- Further reading onClimate City Contract
- Blog with status reports from cities, including numerous examples of initiatives
