The research project NetZeroCities. Accelerating cities' transition to net zero emissions by 2030 is part of the Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme in support of the European Union's Green Deal.

NatZeroCities is designed to support cities in overcoming current structural, institutional and cultural barriers to achieving climate neutrality by 2030. Climate neutrality is understood as achieving zero net greenhouse gas emissions by balancing these emissions with the planet's natural absorption of them.

In a context where a significant intensification of decarbonisation and an acceleration of the timeframe to achieve it is crucial, cities have a major role to play, not only in meeting the climate targets set by international policy frameworks such as the Paris Agreement, but also in ensuring that decarbonisation efforts are equitable and contribute to the well-being of European communities.

NetZeroCities designs specific services dedicated to supporting cities participating in the EU's Mission of ‘100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030’ launched under the Horizon Europe programme, supporting a series of pilot projects to foster rapid knowledge development on achieving climate neutrality at city level and through a Twinning programme to enable peer learning.

The project functions as a service-oriented Mission Platform, supported by high-level international professionals, to assist European cities by providing them with information and tools to achieve the NetZero goal in a socially inclusive way, involving more citizens in the city's climate goals.

New and existing resources, strategies and skills are developed and enhanced within a platform accessible to cities through an online portal.

Objectives:

• Develop an approach to support the climate transition of cities;
• Help cities develop skills and working methods to drive systemic change through innovation;
• Creating a platform for cities with essential services and information to achieve climate neutrality;
• Facilitating the creation of a network of cities to accelerate their journey towards climate neutrality.

With 33 partners from 13 countries, NetZeroCities is coordinated by EIT Climate-KIC, Europe's largest public-private partnership dedicated to climate innovation to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

The Specific Grant Agreement (SGA2-NZC) of January 2023 and the Specific Grant Agreement (SGA2-NZC) of January 2024 aim to further develop the activities of the Mission Platform until 2027, with a focus on two main objectives:

• Enhance financial support to cities in order to implement their roadmap towards climate neutrality;
• Develop the core services of the Mission Platform for cities wishing to commit to climate neutrality over a longer time span than the Smart Cities Mission.