NetZeroCities is a four-year initiative launched on October 1, 2021, under the EU's Horizon 2020 program to aid European cities in reaching climate neutrality by 2030. Coordinated by EIT Climate-KIC from its Brussels base, it unites 34 partners—city networks, research groups, companies, and think tanks—from 13 countries, drawing on their networks to address urban emission cuts.
The project emerged from the European Green Deal, targeting structural hurdles in city governance and investment. It backs the EU Cities Mission, selecting 112 cities across 27 EU nations plus associated countries, which represent 12 percent of the EU population. These cities, announced in April 2022, receive guidance via a dedicated platform offering tools for impact measurement, capacity building, and peer learning. Up to 53 pilot cities implement on-the-ground actions, while city advisors conduct needs assessments to link local stakeholders with resources.
Activities span clean mobility, building energy efficiency, and green planning, with tools like Climate City Contracts that outline emission reduction plans and funding strategies. For instance, participants from Rzeszow in Poland to Ioannina in Greece collaborate on workshops for participatory governance and finance mobilization. The effort received 360 million euros in initial Horizon Europe funding from 2022 to 2023, scaling expertise to overcome silos in public and private sectors. By fostering tailored pilots, NetZeroCities positions cities as testbeds for broader EU decarbonization by 2050.