Today, the fifth cohort of the Twinning Learning Programme was launched under the EU Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission. This marks the start of a year-long collaboration between 16 Mission cities and 13 twin cities across 11 partnerships.
The programme strengthens cooperation between cities working towards climate neutrality by 2050. It builds on the Mission’s objective to turn Mission cities into hubs of experimentation and innovation that can inspire and support all European cities in their transition.
The partnerships for this cohort are as follows:
- Izmir and Sofia – Cascais
- Dortmund – Gdynia and Issy-les-Moulineaux
- Miskolc and Zagreb – Matosinhos
- Istanbul and Athens – Prague
- Turku and Porto – Aalborg
- Riga – Kifissia
- The Hague and Sønderborg – Ghent
- Aarhus – Hamburg
- Gabrovo – Rethymno
- Lappeenranta – Maribor
- Vitoria-Gasteiz – Barreiro and Bodrum
The programme is built on practical exchange and mutual learning. Twin cities bring tested solutions from their own EU-funded projects in areas such as energy, mobility, nature-based solutions and citizen engagement to the partnerships. Mission cities share experience from implementing their Climate City Contracts and from developing city-wide climate strategies.
The exchange works both ways. Mission cities benefit from new perspectives and locally tested solutions. Twin cities gain insight from cities that are already implementing large-scale climate neutrality strategies.
Over the next twelve months, the paired cities will take part in regular online exchanges and two study visits. Together, they will develop joint Action Plans to turn their exchanges into concrete local action.
Since its launch in 2023, the Twinning Learning Programme has connected more than 200 cities across Europe. The new cohort continues to strengthen collaboration and supports the development of scalable solutions for climate-neutral cities.
Background
Launched by the European Commission in September 2021, the EU Mission: Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities aims to not only transform 112 pioneering cities into hubs of climate innovation but also enable all European cities to follow suit by 2050. In April 2022, 100 cities from the EU and 12 from Horizon Europe-associated countries were selected. These Mission Cities are testing cross-sectoral solutions, innovative governance models, and inclusive citizen engagement strategies.
A central tool of the Mission is the Climate City Contract (CCC), co-created by cities with citizens and stakeholders. It includes commitments, an action plan, and an investment plan. Reviewed by the European Commission with input from the EIB and JRC, CCCs are awarded the EU Mission Label, a mark that helps cities attract public and private funding. 107 cities have received the label.
NetZeroCities is a project consortium of 34 partners from 27 European countries, managing the EU Cities Mission Platform. The platform supports 112 Mission Cities in drastically reducing their greenhouse gas emissions to reach climate neutrality by 2030, in line with the European Green Deal and the EU’s legally binding commitment to climate neutrality by 2050.
