Four Greek cities have been awarded the “EU Mission Label” by the EU, a certification that recognises initiatives taken in the framework of the EU Mission for “100 Climate Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030, from and to the citizen”. Thessaloniki, Kalamata, Kozani and Ioannina received this important distinction during the “EU Research and Innovation Days” ceremony.
This certification is an important milestone in the work of cities because it recognises the successful implementation of the city’s long-term climate plan, which outlines the overall vision for climate neutrality, the action plan, and the investment strategy. At the same time, it facilitates public and private funding to achieve this goal. Cities jointly create city climate contracts with local stakeholders, including the private sector and citizens.
Greece, through the actions of the General Secretariat for Spatial Planning and Urban Environment of the Ministry of Environment and the Greek Municipalities, is so far, based on the evaluation of the Mission Council, among the three best practices of the EU Member States participating in the Climate Neutral and Smart Cities programme.
In April 2022, 100 cities in the EU and 12 cities in countries associated with Horizon Europe were selected to act as hubs of experimentation and innovation so that all European cities can follow suit by 2050. After almost two years, 33 cities have been awarded the title, with 4 Greek cities bringing Greece in 3rd place, among the countries that responded fastest and most fully to the requirements of the Mission.
These are specifically the following cities:
- Barcelona, Seville, Madrid, Valencia, Valladolid, Vitoria-Gasteiz and Zaragoza (Spain),
- Espoo, Lahti, Lappeenranta, Tampere, Turku (Finland),
- Thessaloniki, Kalamata, Ioannina, Kozani (Greece),
- Heidelberg, Mannheim (Germany),
- Guimaraes, Lisboa (Portugal),
- Firenze, Parma (Italy),
- Marseille, Lyon (France),
- Stockholm, Malmö (Sweden),
- Leuven (Belgium), Pecs (Hungary), Limassol (Cyprus), Sønderborg (Denmark), Klagenfurt (Austria), Cluj-Napoca (Romania) and Izmir (Turkey)
From 2020, the General Secretariat for Spatial Planning and Urban Environment of the Ministry of the Environment undertook the task of informing and coordinating Greek Municipalities on the European Mission of Cities, in cooperation with the members of the EU Mission Board, promoting their participation and active response to the challenges of the climate crisis.
The result of these efforts was validated in April 2022, by the European Commission, with the selection of 6 Greek municipalities, Athens, Thessaloniki, Ioannina, Kalamata, Kozani and Trikala to participate in this effort, out of 377 nominations.
It is stressed that Trikala has already sent its Climate Pact to the EU for approval, while Athens is expected to complete its effort in September 2024.
Among the many initiatives of the General Secretariat for Spatial Planning and Urban Environment that brought our country to this privileged position at European level was the support and activation of as many Greek municipalities as possible for the transition to climate neutrality.
Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy, Nikos Tagaras, said: “With the active participation of the Ministry of Environment and Energy, we reaffirm our determination as a country to tackle climate change and transform our cities into more sustainable and climate-neutral societies. This action is directly linked to our broader strategy for the transition to climate neutrality, as set out in the National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) and the National Climate Law (Law 4936/2022), with the primary objective of reducing anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by the year 2030, compared to 1990 levels. Our commitment focuses on an integrated approach covering all sectors, such as energy, urban planning, transport, natural resource management and waste management, with a particular emphasis on adapting our cities to climate change and promoting sustainable development. Through this effort, we seek to make a substantial contribution to the implementation of the European Green Deal and to demonstrate in practice its feasibility in Greek urban centres, ensuring a healthy and sustainable future for future generations.”
