The City of Stockholm and the Municipality of Lund are mobilizing actors in an innovative initiative to accelerate the transition to climate-neutral cities. The cities are placing particular focus on transport and mobility. They are each receiving SEK 20 million from the Swedish Energy Agency and Vinnova under the Viable Cities innovation program.
Achieving climate neutrality by 2030 will require bold action that affects many perspectives, not only technological solutions but also infrastructure, policies, business models and behavioral patterns. It requires innovation in a broad sense and a transformation of how cities and societies function, i.e. systemic change.
The Swedish Energy Agency, Vinnova and the other government agencies within Climate City Contract 2030 are therefore investing, through the strategic innovation program Viable Cities, in implementing so-called system demonstrators in the City of Stockholm and Lund Municipality. Testing innovative solutions in a real-world environment will help address structural challenges within a system. The initiative will play an essential role in the cities' ability to accelerate the transition to become climate neutral by 2030.
Vinnova looks forward to sharing the insights in Lund and Stockholm. There is great interest in this initiative, also internationally. In particular, I hope to see clear examples of how digitalization is a key to the climate transition in cities.
- Darja Isaksson, Director General Vinnova
The initiative is expected to provide insights and lessons in areas such as policy change, investment, infrastructure, behavior change, technology development and business models.
We need to rethink and work with systemic change to achieve climate-neutral cities by 2030. By learning from good concrete examples such as Stockholm and Lund, we can accelerate the transition for many more cities in Sweden, but also globally. System demonstrators are an important tool in our work.
- Robert Andrén, Director General of the Swedish Energy Agency
Viable Cities, national authorities and, not least, cities are mobilizing together with a wide range of actors to accelerate the local transition journey to climate-neutral and sustainable communities. Mobilization is taking place at several levels simultaneously - local, regional, national and international.
Lund focuses on mobility and a new energy protocol
To reduce emissions in Lund, 25 organizations will implement over 40 mobility and energy measures. Mobility actions include cycling, shared mobility, parking and freight transportation. The energy measures include an open and independent protocol for digital control of energy resources, so that energy can be easily shared between neighbors in energy communities and electricity power can be released for, among other things, electrification of transport.
Stockholm is investing in a zero-emission and efficient transport system
In connection with the introduction of environmental zones in central Stockholm, the City of Stockholm will test solutions in a real environment for an efficient and emission-free transport system. This will be achieved through, among other things, reduced car travel, electrified transport and work vehicles, and a more attractive urban environment. The city will test, among other things, electrified contracting, framework agreements for fossil-free transport, a new policy to enable night-time deliveries, and a co-loading hub.
Focus on scaling up
The initiative will showcase possible radical actions that can be scaled up and help create the 'new normal' in key areas to make the transition happen in practice. The measures tested should be scalable in the city but also nationally and internationally. A key will be to mobilize and engage key stakeholders who can bring lessons learned to future efforts.
We hope that this initiative can lead the way and create benefits for all cities in Viable Cities as well as globally. Procurement through buyer networks can be a key enabler, taking insights from Stockholm and Lund's work on board in many actors' upcoming investments for faster transition.
- Olga Kordas, Program Manager of Viable Cities
More information
The work on Climate City Contract 2030 involves six national government agencies: the Swedish Energy Agency, Vinnova, Formas, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth and the Swedish Transport Administration. Within Climate City Contract 2030, the authorities undertake, among other things, to develop coordinated funding initiatives, of which System Demonstrators is an example.
