Blog post 242
Cities in Europe
What EU innovation can do for climate neutrality
Ursula von der Leyen has chosen to make the ‘European Green Deal’ her number one priority, with the aim to reach climate-neutrality in 30 years.
Charlotte Roig-Ramos, Associate research fellow at the Jacques Delors Institute, and Thomas Pellerin-Carlin, Head of the Jacques Delors Energy Centre, explore how the EU R&I Mission could foster the creation of solutions to deliver clean transport, heating, cooling and electricity to those who live in cities.
Ursula von der Leyen has chosen to make the ‘European Green Deal’ her number one priority, with the aim to reach climate-neutrality in 30 years. This crosscutting challenge should federate the European Union (EU), Member States, local authorities and private sector.
Research and innovation (R&I) is a vital enabler of the transition towards climate neutrality. We indeed need to develop and scale-up the new business models, processes, technologies and behaviours of an inclusive and climate-neutral society.
The EU now has a comprehensive energy policy and research and innovation policy. One of its more recent –and promising- component is the EU Research and Innovation Missions (R&I Missions) that aim to provide inspiration and direction to European innovation. One area identified for those missions is ‘climate-neutral and smart cities’.
In this paper, we explore how such an EU R&I Mission could foster the creation of solutions to deliver clean transport, heating, cooling and electricity to those who live in cities. In essence, our research finds that Europe now has many ingredients but lacks a recipe to deliver climate-neutrality in cities. This R&I Mission could be most useful if it succeeds to connect the dots between available technologies, economic incentives, new behaviours, infrastructure and popular support.
The first part of this paper recalls why clean energy innovation for cities is key to fight climate change. The second part presents the state of play in terms of existing city-level initiatives and collaborations, and the existing EU toolkit in urban, R&I and energy policies. Finally, the paper recommends to (1) clearly define what a climate neutral city is, (2) select 100 cities that reflect the diversity of European cities and (3) make this R&I Mission on cities international by design.
SUR LE MÊME THÈME
ON THE SAME THEME
PUBLICATIONS
Unlocking sufficiency at the EU, National and Local Level

Sufficiency: Wellbeing for all within planetary boundaries

Fundamental decarbonisation through sufficiency by lifestyle changes

MÉDIAS
MEDIAS
Enrico Letta is thinking about funding for the green transition

A fairer energy system with energy communities

WINTER WORRIES

ÉVÉNEMENTS
EVENTS
Euroquestions #69 | For an Energy Union 2.0. to implement the Green Pact [FR]

Conférence Jacques Delors 2023 – La transition écologique [FR]

Webinar | Franco-German perspectives: energy economics

Euroquestions | Franco-German relations: 2023, year of recovery? [FR]

Does the 2023 budget allow the French to cope with the energy crisis? [FR]

Euroquestions | What about energy poverty in Europe and its challenges in times of inflation? [FR]

Round-tables on new gas perspectives for the EU

The European Union’s energy supply in the face of geopolitical and environmental challenges

Euroquestions | Embargo on Russian fossil fuels: how can Europe stop funding Putin’s war on Ukraine?

My own Europe #1 – Energy geopolitics : The European Union and the climate challenge [FR]

Green recovery policies in Europe [FR]

European EnerGreenDeal Conference

The Sustainable Development Meetings – 2021 [FR]

Table Ronde : “La politique européenne de l’énergie à l’heure du changement climatique”

2020 virtual Outermost regions Forum | “Together for a sustainable future”

Euroquestions | Relance et puissance : mots d’ordre de la rentrée européenne

Wébinaire | Préparer un avenir propre et résilient pour les villes européennes

Webinar | Greener After – A Green Recovery Stimulus for a post-COVID-19 Europe

Webinar | EU Green Deal: an innovative path to reach a low carbon Europe?

Greening the EU trade policy

Annulé : L’urgence climatique, un défi aussi pour les villes d’Europe

Académie Notre Europe n°2 – Green Europe

Paris, 5 November 2019 – How to finance Energy Innovation in Europe in order to reach Climate neutrality by 2050?

Paris, 17 October 2019 – Energy Transition Governance for Better Energy Security in Europe

Webinar 1 – The Green Deal & Energy Innovation : what should the new European Commission do during its first 100 days in office?

Brussels, 26 September 2019 – ENABLE.EU Final Conference: Enabling the Energy Transition

Paris, 5 September 2019 – Global Convergences Forum

Brussels, 27 June 2019 – Women Rule Summit 2019

Brussels, 18 June 2019 – Sustainable finace for innovation and energy efficiency

Brussels, 24 May 2019 – Research and Innovation as a compass for the future we want

Paris, 16 mai 2019 — ParisMat

Paris, 16 April 2019 — European elections: assessment and proposals of the candidates for the climate

Brussels, 4 April 2019 — Services of general interest in the digital and energy transitions

Paris, 19 February 2019 – If the climate was a bank, we would have saved it already. What are we waiting for?

Brussels, 7 February 2019 — Decarbonising energy: lessons from History and policies for the future

Dunkerque, 23 January 2019 – Assises européennes de la transition énergétique

Katowice, 13 December 2018 – COP24: Yes Europe !

Katowice, 6 December 2018 – COP24: The Global Energy Transition, Policy, Societal and Technological Options

Paris, 4 December 2018 – Ecological transition and the European Union: what are the levers for the emergency?

Paris, 29 November 2018 – How to accelerate the financing of the fight against climate change, in France and Europe ?

Paris, 29 November 2018 – Light up the Economy !

Berlin, 27 November 2018 – Innovate, a vital challenge for the energy transition

Paris, 20 November 2018 – How to accompany the low-carbon transition to be fair?

Neuilly-sur-Seine, 15 November 2018 – Climate disruption: which energy solutions for Europe?

Haguenau, 25 October 2018 – Express yourself on Europe!

Brussels, 11 October 2018 – Funding Innovation to Deliver EU Competitive Climate Leadership

Bruges, 12 July 2018 – Just a transition or a just transition? Jobs, skills, energy poverty

Bruges, 2 July 2018 – Introduction to the Energy Union

Brussels, 28 June 2018 – Make the fight against climate change the bedrock of a sustainable and prosperous society

Sofia, 13 June 2018 – Governance workshop: focus on “heating and cooling” and “prosumption”

Sofia, 12 June 2018 – ENABLE.EU Consortium meeting

Brussels, 7 June 2018 – Learning from experience and involving energy-citizens: two ways of improving energy-related policymaking

Brussels, 6 June 2018 – The Energy Transition: which role for the European Union?

Paris, 25 May 2018 – Notre Europe Academy: A Green and Citizen Europe

Madrid, 23 May 2018 – The role of National Promotional Banks (NPBs) in climate finance

Florence, 10 May 2018 – Digital Age and European Energy Transition: the launch of a Knwoledge Hub

Florence, 10 May 2018 – New Forms of Markets and Solidarity Emerging in the EU Energy World

Brussels, 24 April 2018 – Geo-politics and the need for transition to cleaner energy

Brussels, 19 March 2018 – Dialogue On Europe, Closing Conference

Barcelona, 16 March 2018 – Global commitments on climate change

Brussels, 14 March 2018 – European Leadership in Global Competitive Landscape

Brussels, 7 March 2018 – Study Group on the State of the Energy Union

Brussels, 1st March 2018 – Citizen Participation in the Energy Transition

Brussels, 21 February 2018 – Supporting start-ups and SMEs in the energy transition

Brussels, 16 October 2017 – “Making the Energy Transition a European Success”

Paris, 5 October 2017 – Energy transition in France: What to expect from the new government?

Paris, 5 October 2017 – Energy Transition of the European Union
