Background
The Missions are an initiative that fall under Horizon Europe (2021-2027), the EU’s research and innovation (R&I) policy. Dublin and Cork are EU Mission Cities. Galway City is also a Mission City and is participating independently of CARO, in the EU NetZeroCities Pilot Cities Programme. The aim of the mission is to strengthen capacity and ensure finance of climate action through awarding of the “Mission Label”. To receive the Mission Label, cities were required to submit a climate city contract that sets out the ambition of the city to co-create with local stakeholders and citizens to achieve neutrality.
Solution
Climate City contracts, action plans and investment plans were produced for Dublin and Cork Cities which included:
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Building a strong mandate within local government, and the local city ecosystem and all stakeholders.
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Developing a Transition Team to build collaborative governance structures and networks and to strengthen buy-in.
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Setting a GHG emissions baseline, current state assessment, system mapping, and an analysis of the gaps that stand in the way of the 2030 ambition.
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Co-creating an action portfolio, including impact pathways and co-development of climate actions, as well as a selection of indicators to monitor, evaluate and learn from.
Benefits of Solution
Dublin City and Cork City both received their Mission Labels in May, at a ceremony in Vilnius, Lithuania. A key outcome has been the recognition that, although the Climate City Contract process was challenging, it enabled a thorough review of Ireland’s climate policy landscape and highlighted the difficulties Local Authorities face with data collection, access, analysis, and translating data into effective policy measures.