The Cities Mission Conference 2024, held on June 25-26 in Valencia, Spain, was a landmark event where 450 mayors, city practitioners, national and regional representatives, and urban sustainability experts gathered. This third edition of the conference, organised by the European Commission and NetZeroCities, was part of the Valencia Cities Climate Week and focused on “Empowering Cities – the Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission in Action”.
Progress and Ambition
Two years into the Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission, cities have made significant progress in their plans to achieve climate neutrality. Over 30 cities have received the EU Mission Label for their Climate City Contracts, with more to follow. The conference celebrated these achievements, shared insights, and fostered collaboration among cities.
Stakeholder Collaboration
The conference highlighted the crucial role of cities in climate action, emphasizing the need for collaboration with citizens, civil society, and the private sector. Examples from cities like Valladolid showcased successful partnerships with local industries, banks, and even sports clubs to promote sustainability.
Collaboration with citizens and civil society, private sector, and between cities, was on all lips with inspiring examples from across the continent. In Valladolid, for example, major industries, banks, but also the local football club, all form part of a network of ambassadors, committed to decarbonising and spreading a sustainability message.
Complementing the conference, a side event “Unleashing a Research Agenda for the EU Mission Climate Neutral and Smart Cities” was organised in parallel by NetZeroCities to deep dive into the role of research in Mission work. Connecting researchers and city practitioners, building an overview of Mission Cities research related activities, and identifying priorities was the focus to define a research agenda supporting systemic transformation for climate neutrality.
©Valencia Innovation Capital
Introducing the Climate City Capital Hub
A key highlight was the launch of the Climate City Capital Hub, an international finance resource to support cities in their climate neutrality efforts. The Hub will offer financial advice, technical assistance, and connections to investors. The European Investment Bank announced a €2 billion lending envelope for cities with the Mission Label.
Looking Ahead
The conference concluded with a renewed commitment to the Mission from cities and the European Commission, underscoring the pioneering spirit needed to achieve climate neutrality.
The Cities Mission Conference 2024 was an inspiring and collaborative event, setting the stage for continued progress and innovation in urban sustainability.
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