About Healthy, Clean Cities

Cities across Europe are working to accelerate their transition towards carbon neutrality and climate resilience – using joined–up systems innovation as a key tool.

Cities face an enormous challenge in becoming resilient, healthy places to live while reaching net-zero-emissions in just a few short years. Working with ambitious mayors, municipalities and city communities in Europe to design portfolios of joined-up innovations means they are capable of unlocking wholesale transformation across all city systems – from mobility to waste, from energy to health, and the built environment.

Our first cohort of partners includes the cities of Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Kraków, Križevci, Leuven, Madrid, Malmö, Maribor, Milan, Niš, Orléans, Sarajevo, Skopje and Vienna. 

Our work is informed by more than 10 years of experience in urban sustainability gathered through EIT Climate-KIC‘s large-scale programmes and flagship initiatives, notably Smart, Sustainable Districts (SSD)City Finance Lab, and Building Technology Accelerator (BTA). Furthermore, EIT Climate-KIC brings the interdisciplinary professional expertise of the Cities team, including our design partners Bankers without BoundariesDark Matter LabsThe Democratic Society, the Global Covenant of Mayors and Material Economics.

Find out more about our work in the stories below. If you are interested in becoming a challenge owner, partner or funder, contact us at grants@climate-kic.org

Stories
EIT Climate-KIC | 07 September 2022 Citizens inspire a car-free Leuven
Citizens inspire a car-free Leuven
EIT Climate-KIC | 16 June 2022 A new air and climate plan for Milan
A new air and climate plan for Milan
Smart Cities Connect | 8 June 2022 Leuven, Belgium Upgrades Mobility Plan
Leuven, Belgium Upgrades Mobility Plan
EIT Climate-KIC | 2 June 2022 A systems perspective is key to tackling the health effects of pollution
A systems perspective is key to tackling the health effects of pollution
EIT Climate-KIC | 19 May 2022 How EIT Climate-KIC’s work supports the future European citizens want
How EIT Climate-KIC’s work supports the future European citizens want
Innovation Origins | 16 May 2022 EIT Climate-KIC to support sustainable timber construction
EIT Climate-KIC to support sustainable timber construction
Interia Zielona (Polish) | 5 May 2022 What will the cities of the future look like?
What will the cities of the future look like?
EIT Climate-KIC | 10 November 2021 Built by Nature: new initiative to accelerate the transition to sustainable construction in cities
Built by Nature: new initiative to accelerate the transition to sustainable construction in cities
EIT Climate-KIC | 8 November 2021 The State of California and EIT Climate-KIC advance partnership for climate innovation
The State of California and EIT Climate-KIC advance partnership for climate innovation
EIT Climate-KIC | 2 September 2021 Green neighbourhoods as a service
Green neighbourhoods as a service
EIT Climate-KIC | 1 September 2021 Innovative finance for cities tackling the net-zero carbon transition
Innovative finance for cities tackling the net-zero carbon transition
EIT Climate-KIC | 26 August 2021 Accelerating city transitions
Accelerating city transitions
Thomas Osdoba | Apolitical | 14 July 2021 Shovel-ready retrofit won’t build us the sustainable future we need
Shovel-ready retrofit won’t build us the sustainable future we need
Monez.pl | 24 May 2021 Krakow on the way to zero emissions (Polish)
Krakow on the way to zero emissions (Polish)
EIT Climate-KIC | 28 April 2021 Krakow: transforming the city towards climate neutrality
Krakow: transforming the city towards climate neutrality
EIT Climate-KIC | 23 March 2021 Partnering with Laudes Foundation to advance Madrid and Milan's sustainable urban approach across Europe
Partnering with Laudes Foundation to advance Madrid and Milan's sustainable urban approach across Europe
EIT Climate-KIC | 19 March 2021 Just transition within reach for Polish coal city Rybnik
Just transition within reach for Polish coal city Rybnik
EIT Climate-KIC | 19 March 2021 Climate resilience needs community roots
Climate resilience needs community roots
EIT Climate-KIC | 25 February 2021 Edinburgh: building climate resilient infrastructure and communities
Edinburgh: building climate resilient infrastructure and communities
EIT Climate-KIC | 19 February 2021 Residents of Kessel-Lo, Belgium, are invited to shape the future of their neighbourhood
Residents of Kessel-Lo, Belgium, are invited to shape the future of their neighbourhood
EIT Climate-KIC | 17 February 2021 New accelerator programme geared towards systemic change secures key partners
New accelerator programme geared towards systemic change secures key partners
EIT Climate-KIC | 27 January 2021 Bridging the investment gap: Infrastructuring tomorrow
Bridging the investment gap: Infrastructuring tomorrow
EIT Climate-KIC | 12 November 2020 Madrid, Amsterdam and Milan: Three cities putting citizen participation at the heart of climate action
Madrid, Amsterdam and Milan: Three cities putting citizen participation at the heart of climate action
EIT Climate-KIC | 5 November 2020 EIT Climate-KIC leads collective efforts to accelerate Madrid’s transition towards carbon neutrality
EIT Climate-KIC leads collective efforts to accelerate Madrid’s transition towards carbon neutrality
Edward Andersson and Namita Kambli | Democratic Society | 08 October 2020 Five ways of meaningfully involving citizens in climate action
Five ways of meaningfully involving citizens in climate action
Juan Azcarate (Madrid City Council) | Apolitical | 10 August 2020 How public servants can engage unlikely allies to deliver climate policies
How public servants can engage unlikely allies to deliver climate policies
Tech and Nature | 06 August 2020 Climate Innovation in Vienna (in German)
Climate Innovation in Vienna (in German)
EIT Climate-KIC | 24 July 2020 The climate emergency demands bold policy innovations – can cities deliver?
The climate emergency demands bold policy innovations – can cities deliver?
EIT Climate-KIC | July 2020 Vienna’s journey to carbon neutrality

EIT Climate-KIC is working with the city of Vienna to identify climate initiatives and to link them systematically to push beyond incremental change.

Vienna’s journey to carbon neutrality
EIT Climate-KIC | 25 March 2020 Madrid: A city turning eco-fictions into eco-futures through systems innovation
Madrid: A city turning eco-fictions into eco-futures through systems innovation
EIT Climate-KIC | 23 March 2020 Trees as infrastructure: Part one
Trees as infrastructure: Part one
EIT Climate-KIC | 23 March 2020 Trees as infrastructure: Part two
Trees as infrastructure: Part two
EIT Climate-KIC | 16 January 2020 What is there to learn from Leuven?: Q&A with Mayor Ridouani
What is there to learn from Leuven?: Q&A with Mayor Ridouani

Problem Space Narratives

100 climate-neutral cities by 2030

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100 climate-neutral cities by 2030
Citizen and democratic decision-making systems

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Citizen and democratic decision-making systems
Deep Demonstration Factsheet Series 1 – Healthy Clean Cities

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Deep Demonstration Factsheet Series 1 – Healthy Clean Cities