Mobility for Urban Sustainability and the Environment CIVITAS 2030 Coordination and Support Action: Sustainable and Smart Mobility for All

Project Information

CIVITAS MUSE

Grant agreement ID: 101103716

DOI

10.3030/101103716

EC signature date 19 April 2023

Start date 1 May 2023

End date 30 April 2027

Funded under

• Climate, Energy and Mobility

Total cost

€ 4 997 957,50

EU contribution

€ 4 997 957,50

Coordinated by

ICLEI EUROPEAN SECRETARIAT GMBH (ICLEI EUROPASEKRETARIAT GMBH)
Germany

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CIVITAS MUSE (Mobility for Urban Sustainability and the EnvironmentCIVITAS 2030 Coordination and Support Action: Sustainable and Smart Mobility for All)

Reporting period: 2023-05-01 to 2024-10-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

CIVITAS MUSE is the Coordination and Support Action for CIVITAS Initiative, succeeding CIVITAS ELEVATE in supporting CIVITAS Research and Innovation Actions, CIVITAS Innovation Actions, and the work with the CIVITAS National Networks, called CIVINETs.
The project, funded by Horizon Europe, began on 1 May 2023 and will last for 48 months. CIVITAS MUSE serves as the CIVITAS Initiative's Coordination and Support Action, connecting the many projects and stakeholders that make up CIVITAS. This project provides a wide range of services to the European Commission and its urban mobility projects in order to improve their results through increased communication, capacity building, and exploitation activities.
Monitoring the progress of CIVITAS projects, identifying important findings, and sharing the lessons learnt are some of the main activities of CIVITAS MUSE. Other activities include: facilitating results take-up and replication through transfer activities, site visits, and coordination meetings within dedicated groups based on thematic clusters (e.g. Urban Public Space Design, Public Transport) or activities (e.g. communication, evaluation); offering a resource space for community-created, solution-specific learning and skills development that addresses the needs of urban mobility practitioners and students; streamlining operational structures, enhancing cooperation amongst CIVITAS Community stakeholders, and participating in European Commission mobility events.
To put it briefly, CIVITAS MUSE helps current and previous urban mobility initiatives succeed and reap the benefits of their efforts, enhancing the program's overall effects and worth.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

During the initial months of the project, several key milestones were achieved. The Project Kick-off Meeting was held, and cooperation with the NMS community was established. Five Thematic Clusters were formed, and a survey on the European urban mobility labour market was conducted. The project also supported the organisation of UMD 2023 in Seville, launched the Replication & Deployment Programme, and distributed CIVINET small-scale bridge funding.
In the subsequent period, the project achieved several important milestones. Cooperation with the UIC2 community was established, and the first round of CIVINET Annual Plans was implemented. A Grant Amendment was initiated, and three Policy Groups were formed. The Politicians Exchange Forum and global mobility collaboration activities were re-envisioned. The first bi-annual project monitoring was completed, and the draft CIVITAS Evaluation Framework Update was prepared. The 2nd General Assembly Meeting was coordinated, and the first two Deep Dives were delivered.
Additionally, the CIVINET Ukraine Secretariat was established, and the first Summer Course in Zagreb was curated.
The CIVITAS City Declaration was updated, and the second monitoring survey was distributed.
The project organised the CIVITAS Forum 2024 in Parma and signed an MOU with NetZeroCities. It also facilitated the first two R&D twinning visits and organised the third while planning the first CIVITAS Connects event at TMWC in Barcelona.
To summarise, CIVITAS MUSE achieved several notable milestones: it signed MOUs with nine active CIVITAS projects, expanded its City Network to 383 cities, increased monthly newsletter subscribers by 44%, assessed 11 solutions as market-ready, and grew the Educational Network to 41 member institutions.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The potential impact of these efforts is substantial, with the growth of an active and diverse network of cities fostering exchange of best practices and innovations. The involvement of the private sector, especially through market-ready solutions, will accelerate the adoption of sustainable urban mobility technologies. Ultimately, these developments will strengthen CIVITAS’s role as a leading initiative for transforming urban mobility across Europe.
Knowledge exchange is a key aspect of this sustainability transition. Through mechanisms like the Projects Exchange Programme and thematic clustering, MUSE facilitates collaboration and cross-pollination of knowledge and solutions between CIVITAS projects and cities. Furthermore, the establishment of Policy Groups translates project results into actionable policy recommendations, while the CIVITAS Educational Network connects academic curricula with real-world urban mobility projects. Events such as the Urban Mobility Days and CIVITAS Forum broaden best practice exchange and sustainable mobility solutions‘ reach. CIVINETs have been encouraged to play more prominent roles at the national and regional levels, ensuring that the Community’s knowledge is accessible and tailored to local needs. The creation of new CIVINETS such as CIVINET Ukraine, has further helped this process.
Capacity building of cities and practitioners is carried out through the Summer Course, thematic Deep Dives, and workshops, encouraging a deeper understanding of behavioral change, active mobility, and universal accessibility. This can lead to shifts in policy and practice toward more sustainable and equitable urban environments.
Additionally, through the CIVITAS Replication and Deployment Programme, by which Challenge cities leverage lessons from Champion cities, supplemented by study visits, the exchange of best practices between cities is facilitated, enhancing the adoption of successful mobility solutions. Thematic Clusters consolidate expertise, giving cities access to key insights from past and current projects to support their transition to climate-neutral transport. The updated CIVITAS Evaluation Framework equips cities with tools to measure the success of mobility initiatives, enabling data-driven decisions. Together, these efforts build a more informed, capable, and connected network of cities to advance sustainable urban mobility solutions.
By forging strategic partnerships with key knowledge providers and initiatives, CIVITAS boosts its visibility and influence. This network aligns goals, accelerates sustainable mobility adoption, and fosters global knowledge-sharing to advance innovative practices and sustainability worldwide.