The EU Cities Mission and the associated NetZeroCities (NZC) programme aim to support more than one hundred cities in achieving climate neutrality (both mitigation and adaptation) by 2030. This is pursued by accelerating the reduction of their greenhouse gas emissions while strengthening social well-being and resilience. To support the Mission Cities, NZC developed the Climate Transition Map, a six-step roadmap that helps cities develop and subsequently implement their Climate City Contract. This contract looks at the municipal or regional scale.
This paper examines how the combined ambitions of climate neutrality and social well-being and resilience can be realised at the neighbourhood level. To this end, we draw on lessons from integrated approaches in four Positive Energy District (PED) projects and link these insights to the six steps of the Climate Transition Map.
Our analysis results in four reflections and recommendations. First, the transition to a climate-neutral neighbourhood requires stronger interconnections between different systems; we therefore recommend a broad assessment of technical, social, financial, and planning-related challenges. Second, life in a neighbourhood does not stop, and projects will inevitably cause disruption; it is important to consider how social challenges can also be addressed within project development. Third, a cross-domain approach is essential: the four PED projects demonstrate how smart energy systems can be combined with mobility and citizen participation, creating synergies that enhance impact. Finally, replication is not a matter of copying and pasting; successful scaling requires context-sensitive and locally adapted strategies.