The work carried out under NZC SGA has delivered results that significantly advance the state of the art in supporting cities on their pathways to climate neutrality. Through the Pilot Cities Programme, more than 100 European cities are testing innovative systemic approaches, integrating climate, energy, mobility, and citizen engagement solutions into locally tailored transition strategies. These pilots act as living laboratories, enabling cities to experiment with new governance models, overcome siloed approaches, and strengthen their investment planning capacities.
A major achievement has been the establishment of a comprehensive systemic innovation framework that combines tools, methodologies, and peer-learning mechanisms. This framework supports the co-design of Climate City Contracts (CCCs) and links them directly with financing and capital mobilisation strategies. It goes beyond existing practices by fostering deep cross-sectoral collaboration and creating a scalable model for replication across European cities.
Furthermore, the integration of a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) framework has enabled the project to adopt a sensemaking attitude. By systematically gathering insights from pilots and stakeholder engagement, cities and partners are continuously reflecting, learning, and adjusting their approaches. This dynamic learning process enhances the relevance, scalability, and impact of systemic interventions.
Finally, the creation of the Systemic Innovation Lab has strengthened the platform’s ability to identify, test, and replicate innovative solutions rapidly, ensuring that results from pilots inform broader Mission-wide strategies.
Collectively, these outcomes represent a step-change in enabling cities to plan, finance, and deliver transformative climate actions, moving beyond fragmented initiatives towards coordinated, systemic pathways to climate neutrality.
