CapaCITIES will shape a European environment conducive to urban climate neutrality transitions for national, regional and local authorities. The project aims to initiate and strengthen national change processes by establishing national networks and governance structures and by providing dedicated support for public authorities to put enabling conditions and measures for cities in place for achieving the cities mission. To achieve this ambition, the CapaCITIES consortium represents 15 European countries who have committed to initiative and strengthen national change processes by ministerial or other high political level. CapaCITIES thereby build on a well-established network of national authorities (national ministries and agencies responsible for urban transition) with its relevant urban stakeholder organisations beyond the consortium partners and countries. To all project partners CapaCITIES offers dedicated services to in support of national change process. First, a transnational alliance for public authorities to exchange, learn and inspire each other in their transition towards climate neutral cities. Second, support in prototyping innovative multi-level and cross sector governance structures. Third, thematic capacity building for public authorities and support in taking effective local action and fourth, strategic synergies and access to other initiatives that address the climate neutral and smart cities mission.

CapaCITIES 2.0 is designed as a support action for national and regional authorities to advance their governance structures for providing dedicated support for cities to achieve the EU Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission (EU Cities Mission) - answering to the Call HORIZON-MISS-2024-CIT-02-01. As a central initiative to foster and strengthen national narratives for the EU Cities Mission, it will coordinate actions across climate-neutral initiatives for cities in Europe, align and speed up efforts towards the goals of the Mission. CapaCITIES 2.0 will further shape a European environment conducive to urban climate neutrality transitions for national, regional and local authorities. It will initiate and strengthen national change processes to establish and mature national networks and platforms as well as multi-level governance in the entire EU, building on the experience of the CapaCITIES that already started setting-up national platforms in 15 EU countries. It provides dedicated support for public authorities to put enabling conditions and measures for cities in place to achieve the EU Cities Mission. Thereby, it contributes to reach (1) Increased preparedness and capacity of national, regional and local authorities in EU Member States and countries associated to Horizon Europe to engage in cities’ transition towards climate neutrality; (2) Improved ability to effectively address country-specific challenges and barriers for cities to achieve climate neutrality related to current regulatory frameworks, funding and financing, and governance structures and promotion of best-practices through transnational exchanges and sharing of experience and (3) Enhanced synergies with R&I national/international communities, relevant initiatives, and partnerships such as the ‘Driving Urban Transitions to a Sustainable Future’ Horizon Europe Partnership and the NetZeroCities – the EU Mission Platform(NZC) for the implementation of the Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission.

EXPAND intends to support the implementation of the JPI Urban Europe Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) by (1) supporting JPI Urban Europe’s widening activities towards new countries, stakeholders and partners; and (2) focusing on the development and piloting of new instruments, framework conditions and methods for transnational and transdisciplinary cooperation. Since urban transformations to sustainable and liveable futures depends on a broad commitment and co-creation among a diverse set of actors, the identified challenge to be tackled by EXPAND is widening the community. Specifically in terms of member countries. But also in terms of stakeholder involvement in core activities. Furthermore, the challenge is also to be tackled by the development and implementation of new instruments and framework conditions that support such a co-creation and alignment of European, national and local research and innovation actions. As the basic concept for widening participation, a Stakeholder Involvement Platform (SIP) will be developed that anticipates the needs of different stakeholder groups and regions to facilitate the strategic dialogue between all stakeholder groups and implement the SRIA. The SIP relates to new approaches in programme management, alignment of national programmes, strategies and policies as well as new instruments for research funding and new formats for dissemination and exploitation of research results. Strategic relationships will be developed with national, European and international organisations and special attention will be given to reach out and mobilise actors in Widening countries. Two JPI Urban Europe Conferences will be organised to position JPI Urban Europe in the wider European Research and Innovation community and a self-monitoring system will be developed and tested to allow a consistent monitoring of JPI Urban Europe activities.