Sustainable Cities Climate Impact Challenge

EIT Climate-KIC and EIT Digital are running a Sustainable Cities Climate Impact Challenge for European cities to identify impactful and innovative projects which seek to decarbonise transport in cities and accelerate the take-up of active, shared, collective and/or electric mobility.

The challenge is sponsored by FedEx, seeking to deliver a more sustainable future by scaling innovative solutions to reduce pollution, noise, and congestion in the world’s fastest growing cities. This project intends to support the transition to cleaner, greener, and smarter mobility, in line with the objectives of the European Green Deal, Urban Mobility Framework and the EU Cities Mission. 

Eligibility

• Cities in the EU Member States, Horizon Europe Associated Countries, the United Kingdom and Switzerland (with a population of at least 25,000) are eligible to apply. 
• Proposals should be submitted by city councils, municipalities (including municipality-owned organisations/companies) or local authorities and should include a letter demonstrating the support of the mayor or city leader or other evidence of senior political support or mandate (Not needed from organisations already working on city/municipality mandate).  
• Proposals should support the transition to cleaner, greener, and smarter mobility, in line with the objectives of the European Green Deal, Urban Mobility Framework and the EU Cities Mission.  
• To apply, please submit your proposal here: climateimpactchallenge@climate-kic.org by the extended deadline: 23.00 CET on Sunday, 20 November 2022. (Please also submit any questions you may have about the Challenge to the same email address. Please send them in English). 

Call timeline

• Call opens: Monday, 3 October 2022  
• Q&A session for applicants: 10 November 2022 15:00 PM CET, register here.
• Call closes Sunday: 20 November 2022 23.00 CET (deadline extended)
• Evaluation of proposals: during November and December 2022 
• Successful applicants notified in December 2022 
• Projects start: January 2023 
• Projects present results/interim results: 30 June 2023

Essential Information

The Climate Impact Challenge for European Cities aims to work with two or three eligible cities. Projects will be selected based on the potential for impact, learning, and replicability in other cities. They should aim to make a positive difference in the area where they are implemented and add to the body of knowledge/experience to shift cities more rapidly towards more sustainable and human-centred transport systems. 

Examples of projects that could be considered for support include (but are not limited to), the following: 

• Low traffic neighbourhoods 
• Walking and cycling projects 
• Green infrastructure and parklets 
• Mobility hubs 
• Behaviour change tools 
• Apps and journey planners 
• Data collection, analysis, monitoring and evaluation tools  

Each city challenge selected will be granted between USD 50,000 and USD 75,000 depending on the total number of proposals selected in the call. The maximum award per project will not exceed USD 75,000. The anticipated grant payment schedule is as follows: 25% when project starts; 50% after three months (subject to delivery); 25% when closing the project. 

Where appropriate, EIT Climate-KIC and EIT Digital staff will be available to help cities develop and implement innovative and impactful solutions to city mobility challenges. The grants could be used (for example) to: 

• support a local pilot project or 
• work with ’solution providers’ such as start-ups, SMEs or NGOs which are developing innovative solutions to overcome specific mobility challenges.  

Proposals can be centred around new ideas or initiatives – or can relate to existing or emerging city programmes/strategies (or elements of these that advance sustainable mobility in towns or cities). 

How to Apply

We invite cities to submit a two-page (A4, pdf, maximum 1,000 words) project proposal describing the sustainable mobility challenge that they would like to tackle. Cities should address the following points in their proposals: 

• Problem to solve 
• Proposed solution  
• Project timeline  
• Anticipated climate/environmental/social benefits – and how they will be measured 
• Potential for replicability in other cities. 
• Solution providers such as start-ups, SMEs or NGOs involved – if any.

Each city may submit one proposal only. The proposal must be written in the English language. The Call organisers reserve the right not to select any of the proposals if they consider that none meet the criteria and objectives of the Call. 

Download the full callSUmbit your proposal

For any questions at EIT Climate-KIC, please contact project lead: Parisa Khoram