The Hague Selected for the Climate Neutral Mission of the European Commission

Cities have an important role in the fight against the climate crisis. Especially considering that 75% of EU citizens live in urban areas. There is a lot of energy consumption and urban areas are largely responsible for CO2 emissions. This means that cities have a central role in achieving climate neutrality by 2050; a goal of Horizon Europe. This is a program of the European Commission. To achieve this, the EU has set out a mission: deliver 100 climate neutral and smart cities by 2030 and ensure that these cities act as hubs for experimentation and innovation. A total of 377 cities have registered, of which 6 Dutch cities have been selected to participate. The Hague is one of them!

For the registration, various teams within the municipality worked together and drafted a document in which approximately 200 questions are answered regarding the policy of the municipality in recent years on this theme, the ambitions and how they will be achieved. This job had to be completed within two months.

Fortunately, all this was well worth it. By winning this prize, the winning cities now have the opportunity for tailor-made advice, there will be additional financing options and the opportunity as a city to join major innovation campaigns and pilot projects. The next step in the process is to draw up 'Climate City Contracts', which include an overall plan for climate neutrality in all sectors and the associated investment plans.

Source:
- European Commission