‘Cities Mission’ to speed up the digital and green transition in Europe
Barcelona has presented its candidacy for the Cities Mission call, an initiative by the European Commission to form a group of 100 smart and climate-neutral cities by 2030. The goal is for these cities to act as centres for experimentation and innovation which will enable the rest of Europe’s urban centres to achieve this objective by 2050.The key sectors prioritised by the Cities Mission are energy, transport, waste management, industrial processes, product use, agriculture, silviculture and other land uses. The call promotes the participation of large cities that are highly ambitious in terms of becoming climate neutral, and which promote the diversity and inclusion of citizens and other relevant bodies.
To enable the selected cities to speed up their energy transition policies, they will receive:
- Tailored advice and assistance.
- Release of additional funding and finance opportunities.
- Funding opportunities to form part of major initiatives in innovation, pilot projects and displays.
- Support through a national coordination network.
- Opportunities for networking, learning and the exchange of experiences between cities.
- Support to involve citizens in decision-making.
The decision on which cities will form part of the mission will be taken between March and April this year.