In this first period, the foundations for the project areas were built. The project has launched the extension of Cities Mission’s services to cities beyond the initial 112 Mission Cities, ensuring that these Mission-minded cities are also supported in their pathways towards climate neutrality. Two needs assessment were delivered based on engagement with over 90 cities and national actors. Over 500 Mission-minded city representatives are now registered on the portal and the design of a new online Learning Hub and an Online learning programme were finalised, with 50 Mission-minded cities signed up for the first course scheduled for September 2025. The helpdesk was successfully launched and has become a key entry point for cities, providing onboarding guidance, one-to-one consultations, and targeted dissemination. Peer-to-peer learning programmes were also set up, including Online Discussion Groups (first cohort with 180 participants), Group Study Visits (first cohort prepared with 12 cities), and the Twinning Learning Programme (19 Mission Cities and an open call for Twin Cities launched). At national level, National platforms were activated to connect local authorities with ministries, energy agencies, and other key stakeholders, ensuring stronger policy coordination, collaboration between cities, and improved access to complementary funding streams. The project established a support strategy in over 30 countries, with the definition of a clustering model and the identification of subcontractors, where relevant. Five national events were held in this first phase and another 15 are in preparation to be hosted by the end of 2025.
As most Mission Cities received Mission Labels during the first period of the project for completing their Climate City Contracts, the consortium has been able to gradually shift the focus of support on implementation and enabling cities to obtain the capital necessary for delivering their planned actions. The Climate City Capital Hub was strengthened with additional resources across four key streams: City Finance Specialists (as key contacts for cities), Project Preparation (on technical assistance), Better Funding Dialogues (to address public funding challenges), and the Neutral Capital Centre (on financial assistance and investor engagement).
Operationally, the project has been well integrated into the suite of activities and governance structure of NetZeroCities, currently managing the Cities Mission platform. A key highlight has been the 2025 Cities Mission Conference in Vilnius, which served as a high-level platform for Mission Cities, NetZeroCities partners, EU institutions, and national and regional stakeholders to exchange knowledge and align strategies. As the biggest annual event to date, it showcased progress on Climate City Contracts, celebrated achievements, and helped define priorities for the next phase of the Mission’s implementation.
