Strong Swedish presence in Vilnius at the Cities Mission conference
The Vilnius conference confirmed that the pace is accelerating - more and more cities are mobilizing the power of local climate leadership to reach climate neutrality by 2030.
Climate Neutral Umeå 2030 is part of Viable Cities' initiative Climate Neutral Cities 2030. Here you will find the latest news about Umeå municipality.
The Vilnius conference confirmed that the pace is accelerating - more and more cities are mobilizing the power of local climate leadership to reach climate neutrality by 2030.
Resilient and sustainable food systems are an important part of achieving climate-neutral and climate-adapted cities and communities. How can we move from research to transition? How do we collaborate to build knowledge and understanding of the system together, and create a common vision? And how can cities contribute to food production?
Welcome to Umeå and Changemakers for Impact: Transforming Cities, a meeting place for changemakers who are passionate about creating beautiful, inclusive and sustainable cities.
48 Swedish municipalities, representing more than half of Sweden's population, are now joining forces for the climate transition from local to global level. During the European Viable Cities Day, the highest political leadership from the municipalities, directors general from government agencies and other Swedish and international key actors gather to strengthen the mobilization for the climate across national borders.
48 of Sweden's 290 municipalities are joining forces to tackle the climate crisis. It is now clear which cities, together with Viable Cities and six government agencies , will join forces in the next phase for climate-neutral and sustainable cities. This is also part of a growing global mobilization for climate transition in cities, where the EU is taking the lead and Swedish cities are pioneers.
A central strategy in Umeå's work is to mobilize and strengthen partnerships and collaboration between partners, based on the Umeå Climate Roadmap's focus areas. Over 60 partners are part of Umeå's climate roadmap and collaborate and learn from each other to strengthen local climate work. With the municipality at the forefront, Umeå has developed a handbook on how to lead an effective climate transition, started an economic association to increase knowledge for circular construction and establish Byggåterbruket, and organized a construction recycling festival for students and staff.
Resilient and sustainable food systems are an important part of achieving climate-neutral and climate-adapted cities and communities. How can we move from research to transition? How do we collaborate to build knowledge and understanding of the system together, and create a common vision? And how can cities contribute to food production?
Anders Wijkman, Club of Rome, will be the new Chairman for Viable Cities, it was announced at the program's annual general meeting today. Annika Jacobson, Climate General of the City of Stockholm, has been appointed Vice Chairman.
Today, 20 more cities were awarded the EU Mission Label - a confirmation from the EU's 100 climate-neutral cities by 2030 (Cities Mission) that the city's plans for the local transition journey are ambitious and on the right track - including three Swedish ones: Gävle, Gothenburg and Umeå.
The fourteen Swedish and Spanish cities among 112 European Cities Mission cities have created a joint declaration for the EU Cities Mission - Development Declaration for the Cities Mission: Upscaling the EU Cities Mission - European cities and platforms joining hands. The aim is to strengthen and develop the work of the Mission, accelerate the pace of the transition and support cities in their important work towards climate neutrality by 2030.
Already ten years ago, the journey towards the strategic innovation program Viable Cities began. To further accelerate the transition and strengthen Viable Cities' presence across Sweden, Viable Cities' new office and meeting place in Umeå was inaugurated this week.
The EU Cities Mission to deliver 100 climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030 include seven Swedish cities; Gothenburg, Gävle, Helsingborg, Lund, Malmö, Stockholm and Umeå. The seven Swedish Mission Cities have formed a joint Development Statement, which solidifies the Swedish cities' support of the visions of the Spanish Mission Cities, as well as stresses the need for a common strategy on "scaling as the new normal" when working towards climate neutral and sustainable cities. The statement was presented at the 1st Swedish Cities Mission Forum in Umeå, Sweden, on May 29th 2024.
The room was full of warmth and energy during the Stockholm Spring School on April 24-26. This was appreciated by the participants, as the city did not show its most welcoming weather to the representatives from cities all over Europe. People from around 25 of the 112 mission cities in Europe were present at the NetZeroCities Spring School, organized by Politecnico di Milano (Polimi) and Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), in Stockholm. Previous editions of the Seasonal School have taken place in Spain, Italy and Hungary.
Just transition means greening the economy in a way that is as fair and inclusive as possible for all concerned, creating decent work opportunities and leaving no one behind. It means meeting climate targets by ensuring that all of society - all communities, all workers, all social groups - are involved in the climate transition.
Many higher education institutions are already actively contributing to climate transition of cities, but an acceleration is needed! This applies not least to working with students as agents of change as part of both education and research. Here the cities can contribute with relevant questions, recommendations and test environments. How is your institution doing? Use the checklist!
With seven years left to achieve the mission of climate-neutral cities by 2030, radical implementation is required. In 23 Swedish pioneering cities, many efforts are currently underway to contribute to the transition in various ways. The European Viable Cities Day on 8 December celebrated successes to date and sharpened future climate action.
Among the first group of 53 cities from twenty-one countries selected to initiate climate action through the NetZeroCities Pilot Cities Programme are three of the Viable Cities Climate Neutral Cities 2030. Working individually and together, these cities will implement systemic and locally tailored innovative actions spanning multiple areas. The 53 cities have been selected from a wide range of over 100 applications.
The development of so-called system demonstrators is a way to enable system innovation with great power and mobilization to meet complex societal challenges. With system demonstrators, Vinnova and Viable Cities want to test and demonstrate the transformation of a system in a real environment, where space is created for experiments and where areas with great potential can be scaled up. Six projects have been granted funding for a design phase.
Gävle, Gothenburg, Helsingborg, Lund, Malmö, Stockholm and Umeå. It is now clear which Swedish municipalities will now be part of the EU's mission for climate-neutral cities in 2030 - Cities Mission. A total of 100 cities across Europe have been selected. But what does this mean for the cities that joined? And how can it contribute to the climate transition in all Swedish cities?
Gävle, Gothenburg, Helsingborg, Lund, Malmö, Stockholm and Umeå. These are the Swedish municipalities that are now part of the EU's mission for climate-neutral cities in 2030 - Cities Mission. A total of 100 cities have been selected out of 377 applicants. And seven of them are Swedish cities.
Achieving the mission of climate-neutral cities by 2030 requires a transformation of the entire social system. We need to work in completely new ways and find solutions that encompass all dimensions that affect our lives: from regulatory frameworks and business models to the behavior of all citizens.
Vinnova, Viable Cities and several cities are now developing a new tool to achieve this - system demonstrators. Anna Gemzell from Umeå municipality believes the tool can make a difference.
Climate and sustainability pioneers Umeå, Malmö and Stockholm are three of four nominees for the Swedish Architects' Award for the best plan of the year - the Plan Prize. The winner will be announced in April.
On Wednesday, a milestone event for the European climate transition in cities took place. For the first time, representatives from Swedish and Spanish cities met to exchange experiences on how to speed up the transition to climate neutral and sustainable cities through Climate City Contract.
Yesterday, the call for expressions of interest to become one of the 100 cities in Horizon Europe's Mission 100 Climate Neutral Cities closed. In total, 377 cities have submitted an application, representing 18% of the EU population. However, the countries from which the applications come are not specified.
Climate City Contract 2030 is revised every year, evolving and sharpening every year to accelerate the transition to climate-neutral, sustainable cities. The first version was signed in December 2020 by nine cities, four government agencies and the Viable Cities program. On 8 December...
23 cities and five government agencies are now working with Climate City Contract 2030 as a tool to achieve the mission - climate neutral and sustainable cities by 2030. During the European Viable Cities Day 2021, the work was manifested with a signing ceremony. European guests and representatives from all 23 cities and five government agencies shared how we can accelerate the climate transition together.
23 Swedish cities - representing 40% of Sweden's population - are now working together to accelerate the transition to climate-neutral and sustainable cities. Today, the top political leadership of all cities gathered for the launch of Phase 2 of the Climate Neutral Cities 2030 initiative.
The transition to a circular economy is an important piece of the puzzle in the work for climate-neutral and sustainable cities. Umeå municipality was the only Swedish municipality to participate in the OECD circular economy program and has signed the European Circular Cities Declaration. On the blog, Liv Öberg, project manager for the circular economy in Umeå, shares her thoughts on her work.
The last climate breakfast of the season was about circular economy. We were hosted by Liv Öberg, project manager in Umeå municipality. Umeå was the only Swedish municipality included in the OECD program for circular economy and has signed the European Circular Cities Declaration. She was joined by Stina Behrens, Barkarby Science, who drives innovation for sustainable urban development in Järfälla together with the municipality and other stakeholders.
We were looking for cities that want to take the lead on climate change. And many do. 30 cities from all over the country have applied to become part of the Climate Neutral Cities 2030 initiative. "We are so pleased with the great interest, and very curious about which cities we will work with in the coming years," says Olga Kordas, Program Manager Viable Cities.
To achieve the radical societal changes that the climate transition requires, we need to cooperate and learn from each other, both within the country and internationally. Climate Breakfast 11 was hosted by Nina Rismalm, North Sweden Cleantech; Östen Ekengren, Smart City Sweden, and Philip Näslund, Umeå Municipality.
Industry and business have a very important role in the transition to the climate-neutral and sustainable cities and communities of the future. In the Viable Business Hub, several major industries in Umeå and the surrounding area, together with various social actors, have been gathering for a year to develop the sustainable industrial environments of the future.
Today, December 11, 2020, is a big day for the climate transition in cities. The first climate contracts in Europe have now been signed by the political leadership of nine Swedish cities as well as by the Directors-General of four government agencies and Viable Cities. "Swedish cities are now taking the lead in Europe," says Allan Larsson, Chairman of the Board of Viable Cities.
How do you work long-term and systematically with innovation? Vinnova and Viable Cities are now launching a project to develop skills, methods and tools for innovation management for climate-neutral and sustainable cities. Climate Breakfast 5 was hosted by Glenn Gran from Vinnova, Lisa Olsson, City of Helsingborg and Ellen Grahn, Umeå Municipality.
Digital tools can be used in many different ways to accelerate the climate transition. During Transition Lab Forum 4, a workshop entitled "Digital tools for transition in practical climate work" was held to provide an insight into what tools exist, how they can be used and why.
Several Swedish cities are working on the transition to climate-neutral cities in 2030 within the framework of Viable Cities. During Climate Breakfast 2, Umeå, Uppsala and Malmö shared their experiences from the work of visualizing the climate transition based on some development projects where different tools have been used.
"It always seems impossible until it is done." Maria Vassilakou, EU mission board on climate neutral cities, quoted Nelson Mandela when she attended Transition Lab Forum 3, September 16-17.
She was one of many speakers who, over two days, gave strength and inspiration to continue working on the mission: Climate Neutral Cities 2030.
Achieving the profound climate transition we need requires cooperation between all members of society at a level never seen before. Citizen engagement and local Climate City Contract is the theme of the Viable Cities Transition Lab Forum 3, on September 16-17 (press release).
Within the framework of Viable Cities, eight cities are now inspiring and inspiring other cities, in Sweden and around the world, so that as many as possible reach climate neutrality by 2030.
On Thursday, April 23, eight Swedish cities will take a big step forward to accelerate the climate transition - Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö, Lund, Växjö, Uppsala, Umeå and Enköping. They want to lead, test and experiment to become climate neutral by 2030.
On 11 December 2019, Viable Cities and the European Commission organized the European Viable Cities Day for the second year in a row. This is the same day that the European Commission's Chairman Ursula von der Leyen presented The European Green Deal.
Climate-neutral cities in 2030 were the focus of Viable Cities' participation during Almedalen Week 2019. A theme that was very topical. During the week, 3,700 events were held, bringing together 42,000 participants from a wide range of interest areas in society. Sustainability...
The climate challenge is a critical issue where cities have a key role to play. From Lund in the south to Umeå in the north, nine cities are now receiving funding for projects that can accelerate the climate transition. The aim is to become climate neutral by 2030. The funding...
This year, Viable Cities is participating with its own events and as a co-organizer in others and in some cases as a speaker. Among other things, a seminar focusing on climate-neutral cities will be held on Monday, July 1 at 16.15 with the directors general of Vinnova,...
In cooperation with the European Commission's Representation in Sweden, Viable Cities organized the European Viable Cities Day on 11 December in connection with Nobel Day. The theme was Research and innovation for Carbon Neutral Cities and a round table discussion was held with Jean-Eric Pacquet, Director General of the European Commission...
Barcelona Smart City Expo World Congress is the world's leading event for cities, that provides a unique meeting spot for smart city sectors and an innovative platform for urban action worldwide. In 2018, the event intends to reflect on what...
Can digitalization help growing Swedish cities take the lead in becoming climate neutral? Monday 2/7 at 16.00 - 17.00 Teaterskeppet (Lilla Matsalen), Visby hamn, Visby Digitalization is a powerful enabler of innovation. Things like artificial intelligence, blockchain technology and the sharing economy are opening...
Documentation from member meeting and workshop for the call for proposals April 16, 2018 - Viable Cities' first member meeting and workshop for the call for proposals Viable Cities has had its first member meeting on April 16. During the meeting, the board that has so far served as an interim board for...
Viable Cities has had its first general meeting on April 16. During the meeting, the board that has so far acted as an interim board for Viable Cities was elected and Chairman Allan Larsson was given continued confidence until the next AGM. After the AGM, a workshop was held with a...
Interested in sharing and sustainability in cities? Don't miss the launch of Sharing Cities Sweden, a strategic project within the Viable Cities strategic innovation programme. The event will take place in Lund on 23 April. Speakers include Professor Oksana Mont, of the...
