NetZeroCities online course for all cities
Design Your City’s Net Zero Strategy: Online Planning Lab
⭐Launching on September 16th, 2025 ⭐
The online learning program will provide cities of all EU and affiliated countries a free online course designed to equip city representatives, policymakers, and urban change-makers with the knowledge and tools needed to drive systemic change.
The course is composed of 6 core plus 20 spotlight sessions, taking place twice a week for 2 hours, starting September 16th 2025. The program is a project-based Mini-Lab where cities are guided to develop their systemic action plan, based on the experience of Mission cities. Drawing on the experience of 112 European cities that have already developed their Climate City Contracts, the course is designed to support municipalities in Europe to utilise NetZeroCities tools and resources, collaborate, exchange experiences, and co-develop solutions through digital learning modules and interactive live sessions.
For whom is this course? This course is tailored for European cities with the ambition to speed up their journey to climate neutrality.
Who can participate? Any municipality, researcher or consultant. Participants who do not belong to or support a specific municipality, are suggested to identify a city to support prior to starting module 3, since the course is project-based and guides participants into developing a city's systemic action plan.
For each municipality, it is suggested that 2 people take part in the course: having more than one person from the municipality participating in capability-building programs facilitates the institutionalisation of the systemic change required for the transition.
You can find the suggested target audience for each session on the session page (below).
The program consists of 6 Modules addressing key aspects of the net-zero transition. These modules are systemic, meaning they are designed to complement each other to provide a holistic understanding of the challenges.
Sign-up here to receive information and links to take part in the online live sessions
Can you participate in single sessions?
Yes! If you sign up for the course, you will receive communications and links to all the sessions. All sessions are held on Zoom (online)
What is the level of English proficiency required?
Participants can ask questions in their own (European) language in the chat. Support material is provided in advance for each session so that participants can get familiar with the core content and vocabulary.
Program:
Module 1: "How can the NetZeroCities support my city's climate transition goals?"
Core session: The NetZeroCities program, service offering, systemic approach, what works for Mission Cities (2 hours) [Tuesday | 16-09-25 | 9:15 - 11:00 CET]
Spotlight session 1: NetZeroCities Orientation (2 hours) [Thursday | 18-09-25 | 13:15 - 15:00 CET]
Spotlight session 2: Shaping Climate Narratives (2 hours) [Tuesday | 23-09-25 | 9:15 - 11:00 CET]
Spotlight session 3: Climate City Contracts (2 hours) [Thursday | 25-09-25 | 13:15 - 15:00 CET]
Module 2: "How can we develop capacity to work on the climate transition, go beyond working in silos and collaborate with the city's stakeholders?"
Core session: Developing a transition team, mapping and activating the ecosystem (2 hours) [Tuesday | 30-09-25| 9:15 - 11:00 CET]
Spotlight session 1: Transition team & climate leadership (2 hours) [Thursday | 02-10-25 | 13:15 - 15:00 CET]
Spotlight session 2: Engaging the private sector (2 hours) [Tuesday | 07-10-25 | 9:15 - 11:00 CET]
Spotlight session 3: Citizen engagement for systemic climate action (2 hours) [Thursday | 09-10-25 | 13:15 - 15:00 CET]
Module 3: "How might we design an effective climate action plan for and with the city?"
Core session: Developing the city's action plan for climate neutrality (2 hours) [Tuesday | 14-10-25 | 9:15 - 11:00 CET]
Spotlight session 1: Portfolio Co-design and future scenarios (2 hours) [Thursday | 16-10-25 | 13:15 - 15:00 CET]
Spotlight session 2: Climate Action Plan in the urban planning system (2 hours) [Tuesday | 21-10-25 | 9:15 - 11:00 CET]
Spotlight session 3: Reporting and Mel (2 hours) [Thursday | 23-10-25 | 13:15 - 15:00 CET]
Module 4: "How might we leverage technical solutions, citizens-led solutions and partnerships to reduce emissions?”
Core session: Levers of change: Tech and multi-actor collaborations (2 hours) [Tuesday | 28-10-25 | 9:15 - 11:00 CET]
Spotlight session 1: Passive solutions to reduce energy demand in buildings (2 hours) [Thursday | 30-10-25 | 13:15 - 15:00 CET]
Spotlight session 2: Systemic energy transition at buildings, districts and city level (2 hours) [Tuesday | 04-11-25 | 9:15 - 11:00 CET]
Spotlight session 3: Data-driven approaches to energy transition in buildings and districts (2 hours) [Thursday | 06-11-25 | 13:15 - 15:00 CET]
Spotlight session 4: Mobility (2 hours) [Tuesday | 11-11-25 | 9:15 - 11:00 CET]
Spotlight session 5: Scope 3 and other emission domains (2 hours) [Thursday | 13-11-25 | 13:15 - 15:00 CET]
Module 5: "How might we access diverse funding options and unlock investments in the city for climate neutrality?"
Core session: Introduction to finance: increase finance knowledge of the public administration and learn about options to finance projects (2 hours) [Tuesday | 18-11-25 | 9:15 - 11:00 CET]
Spotlight session 1: Preparing a pipeline of projects for external financing (2 hours) [Thursday | 20-11-25 | 13:15 - 15:00 CET]
Spotlight session 2: Different investor groups and the key priorities and returns profiles for each and instruments (2 hours) [Tuesday | 25-11-25 | 9:15 - 11:00 CET]
Spotlight session 3: Financing the ambition: Learning from Mission Cities (2 hours) [Thursday | 27-11-25 | 13:15 - 15:00 CET]
Module 6: "How might we align local, regional, and national governance to develop effective policies that support the climate transition?"
Core session: Multilevel governance, national platforms and policy strategies (2 hours) [Tuesday | 02-12-25 | 9:15 - 11:00 CET]
Spotlight session 1: Policy and regulations innovation (2 hours) [Thursday | 04-12-25 | 13:15 - 15:00 CET]
Spotlight session 2: Public procurement – national specificities (2 hours) [Tuesday | 09-12-25 | 9:15 - 11:00 CET]
Spotlight session 3: Just transition (2 hours) [Thursday | 11-12-25 | 13:15 - 15:00 CET]
What we offer
✅ Certification: Completing all 6 core sessions grants a certification of completion by the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid and unlocks dedicated feedback sessions with NetZeroCities experts.
✏️ Flexible Participation: Participants can take modules and sessions individually if they wish to focus on specific topics only, but certification requires the completion of the 6 core sessions.
It is suggested that at least 2 people from each municipality take part ot the course to bring the necessary systemic innovation in the city.
✒️ Key resources provided in advance: All essential materials are provided in the sessions' pages ahead of time to allow participants to get familiar with the topics discussed.
For more information or feedback, please contact:
Faculty
Scientific directors
and Jaime Moreno Serna (Universidad Politecnica de Madrid)
Executive Director
Lecturers
