Today, the City of Stockholm was one of ten European cities awarded the EU Mission Label for its work to accelerate the transition to a climate-neutral and sustainable city.
The Mission Label is a confirmation from the EU Mission for 100 Climate Neutral Cities by 2030 (Cities Mission) that the city's plans for the local transition journey are ambitious and on track. Cities that receive a Mission Label can use it to demonstrate the EU's confidence in their plans to achieve climate neutrality, for example when approaching public and private funders.
- The fact that Stockholm is one of the first ten cities to receive EU approval is a fantastic acknowledgement that the city is truly at the forefront of the climate transition. Stockholm's plan for the city to be climate positive by 2030 shows how the city continues to accelerate its climate transition. The fact that the EU has now approved it provides the conditions for moving forward even faster, including through the possibility of increased funding for the important initiatives that remain.
- Björn Hugosson, Climate Manager, City of Stockholm
During EU Regions Week, European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic announced today the first ten cities to receive the Mission Label: Cluj-Napoca, Klagenfurt, Madrid, Mannheim, Sönderborg, Stockholm, Valencia, Valladolid, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Zaragoza. He expressed gratitude for the cities' focus on mobilizing for the mission despite the uncertain world situation.
- You are making your cities, and the whole EU, a better place. And you are showing that Europe can be a climate neutral economy by 2050. Yes, we can actually do it 20 years earlier.
- Maros Sefcovic
Facilitating financing
The City of Stockholm is one of 23 cities in Sweden and 112 cities across Europe mobilizing around the mission of climate neutral cities by 2030. Inspired by the Viable Cities national Climate City Contract 2030, the EU has developed a Climate City Contract (CCC). A Climate City Contract describes the city's commitments to climate neutrality, and includes an action plan as well as an investment plan.
The European Commission has now reviewed Stockholm's Climate City Contract with the support of experts from the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Joint Research Center (JRC). The positive outcome of the review, which has given Stockholm a Mission Label, will facilitate access to sources of funding, including within the EU, and not least private investment.
Growing number of pioneer cities
The European Commission is supporting a growing number of cities through NetZeroCities, a platform for implementing the European Mission on Climate Neutral Cities. Viable Cities participates in the platform as one of more than 30 international partners with expertise in urban climate change, such as Climate-KIC, ICLEI and Eurocities.
The platform offers practical advice and funding programs, including a €32 million pilot program combined with a program linking two or more cities to support accelerated learning about transition. A new call for pilot cities for transition actions with a budget of €20 million is currently open for applications.
- Viable Cities works in Sweden and the EU to develop tools and processes that support the transition to climate-neutral and sustainable cities that can make a bigger difference faster. By supporting cities to build capacity for transition together with many actors, we can realize the ambitious plans for the climate transition, says Olga Kordas, Program Manager Viable Cities.
Background
In April 2022, 112 European cities were selected and started developing Climate City Contracts with the support of the Net Zero Cities mission platform.
These cities aim to become climate neutral by 2030 by working in new innovative cross-sectoral ways, through citizen engagement, and involving business, academia, public authorities and civil society who can contribute to the transition. Cities will also act as pioneers to enable many more people to make the transition faster.
The ten cities that have now received the Mission Label
Besides Stockholm, the following cities have received the Mission Label on October 12, 2023: Cluj-Napoca (Romania), Klagenfurt (Austria), Madrid (Spain), Mannheim (Germany), Sönderborg (Denmark), Valencia (Spain), Valladolid (Spain), Vitoria-Gasteiz (Spain) and Zaragoza (Spain).
