Today, a new 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 22 twin cities and 18 Mission cities.
The partnerships for this cohort are as follows:
- Baerum (Norway) – Reykjavik (Iceland)
- Cambridge (United Kingdom) – 2nd district of Bucharest (Romania)
- Cartagena (Spain) – Gabrovo (Bulgaria)
- Cascais (Portugal) and Alytus (Lithuania) – Torino (Italy)
- Cesena (Italy) – Ioannina (Greece)
- Brno (Czechia) and Kumanovo (North Macedonia) – Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
- Bydgoszcz (Poland) – Liberec (Czechia)
- Győr (Hungary) and Mersin Yenisehir (Turkey) – Sofia (Bulgaria)
- Hamburg (Germany) – Guimaraes (Portugal)
- Lille (France) Bristol – (United Kingdom)
- Paredes (Portugal) – Elbasan (Albania)
- Ploiesti (Romania) – Padova (Italy)
- Prague (Czechia) – Umea (Sweden)
- Salzburg (Austria) – Stockholm (Sweden)
- Samsun (Turkey) – Kozani (Greece)
- Strasbourg (France) – Aachen (Germany)
- Vantaa (Finland) and Lviv (Ukraine) – Warsaw (Poland)
- Wolfsburg (Germany) – Eindhoven-Helmond (The Netherlands)
The programme pairs twin cities with Mission cities to accelerate progress toward climate neutrality. It builds on the Mission’s objective to turn Mission cities into hubs of experimentation and innovation that can inspire all European cities on the path to climate neutrality by 2050.
The launch marks the beginning of structured partnerships. It is designed to advance the climate actions outlined in each Mission city’s Climate City Contracts and the priorities identified in their associated action plans. Through this cooperation, twin cities will draw directly on Mission cities’ hands-on experience. Mission cities in turn will benefit from new perspectives and locally driven ideas that help reinforce their strategies.
Background
The Twinning Learning Programme is built on mutual exchange. Since its launch in 2023, the Twinning Learning Programme has already connected more than 180 cities. Informed by these successful Twinning activities, the 12-month programme will provide the new cohort with targeted feedback, structured partnerships, and access to practical tools. Through tailored and flexible knowledge exchange, workshops and site visits, cities can refine their strategies, accelerate progress toward key climate milestones, and strengthen their leadership role in driving urban climate action.
