☀️ Summer School: Climate & environment
As the days heat up and workloads cool down, make the most of the calmer months to dive into Eurocities project resources. All throughout July and August, we'll be sharing key tools, guides, and inspiring case studies across our nine thematic areas.
This week, we're sharing climate and environment resources specifically tailored for cities.
#1 Case studies and needs assessment from cities
The Covenant of Mayors has developed over 100 case studies to share cities’ successes. Each case study is produced in English and the first language of the relevant country. They succinctly present the challenge and solution, as well as key info like cost and financing, to help other cities quickly adopt relevant measures.
Discover them all in a searchable database → Covenant of Mayors case studies
NeutralPath presents its needs assessment for climate neutrality. The project supports the upskilling of public authorities and local communities to enable a successful Positive and Clean Energy Districts implementation and unlock the transformation to achieve climate neutrality. The project's Needs Assessment process developped by Eurocities highlights needs and barriers identified by the participating cities.
#2 Finance dashboard
The Covenant of Mayors presents the finance dashboard. It provides a searchable guide to financial and technical support options available to local authorities and organisations for climate and energy projects. It covers EU funding programmes, technical assistance, advisory services, and innovative financing schemes such as green bonds and citizen cooperatives. Each entry includes details on eligibility, funding types, co-funding requirements, and inspiring examples, making it easier for municipalities to identify and access the right resources to drive their sustainable energy and climate action plans.
Find it here → Covenant of Mayors podcast
#3 Cities energy saving sprint
The Covenant of Mayors presents the Cities Energy Saving Sprint toolkit. It provides guidance on emergency energy-saving measures for local authorities, helping them adapt infrastructures and services to reduce energy consumption. It focuses on four main areas: heating, lighting, mobility, and communication.
Find it here → Cities Energy Saving Sprint
#4 Insights on adaptation to climate change
The Covenant of Mayors presents Insights on adaptation to climate change. This resource provides guidance for cities that are seeking to adapt to the effects of climate change. It covers the topics of disaster risk reduction, nature regeneration, just resilience and wellbeing, and financing. The document was produced by the European Covenant of Mayors, following a two-year pilot programme launched under the 2021 EU Adaptation Strategy to assist local and regional authorities across Europe in implementing climate adaptation measures.
Find it here → Insights on adaptation to climate change
#5 Noise in Cities report
Eurocities presents the Noise in Cities report. It outlines key challenges and provides some recommendations. It also includes a series of case studies highlighting how cities are tackling noise pollution and considering the broader soundscape through a range of policies and measures.
Find it here → Noise in Cities report
#6 Local Governments still left out of national Social Climate Plans
The Mayors Alliance for the European Green Deal presents Social Climate Plans report. The report finds that national governments are falling short of the Fund’s governance requirements, particularly the obligation to consult and coordinate with local authorities and align national plans with existing local strategies. In response, the Local Alliance report is calling on national and EU leaders to treat local governments as essential partners in the planning, implementation and evaluation of the Social Climate Fund.
#7 NetZeroCities Barometer
NetZeroCities presents the NetZeroCities Barometer. It helps understand how the 111 Mission Cities involved in the EU’s Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission are progressing in their journey towards climate neutrality. By integrating data from cities’ Climate City Contracts (CCC), from existing reporting platforms, and from public sources, the NetZeroCities Barometer highlights cities’ ambitions, their efforts toward climate neutrality, and the path ahead.
Find it here → NetZeroCities Barometer
#8 NetZeroCities Planner
NetZeroCities presents the NetZeroPlanner. This is a powerful online tool that enables cities to analyse and enhance the effectiveness of their Climate Action Plans (CAPs), ensuring they achieve their decarbonisation goals. Tailored to each city’s unique characteristics and strategic climate objectives, NetZeroPlanner generates a data-driven roadmap to guide emissions reductions through 2030. By allocating costs, benefits, and co-benefits to specific carbon sub-sectors and relevant stakeholder groups, the tool allows cities to maximise returns, both in carbon reductions and financial savings, for each investment they make.
Find it here → NetZeroPlanner
Interested in what Eurocities can offer to your city? Learn more about membership here.