The update of the Local Green Deals Blueprint sets out actions to further strengthen the role of cities as brokers of the green transition and stepping up the efforts towards making the European Green Deal and the Green Deal Industrial Plan a reality, while scaling-up decarbonisation and net-zero industry.
The ICC 2.0 initiative is designed to expedite the twin green and digital transition of cities by promoting the adoption of Local Green Deals (LGDs). This new phase requires each participating city to implement a LGD, or a set of tangible measures aimed at promoting the transition towards more sustainable and resilient cities, in line with the European Green Deal objectives. To facilitate the successful implementation of LGDs, the ICC 2.0 initiative emphasizes four key elements: governance, actions, integrated goals, and partnerships. By prioritizing these, the ICC aims to create a collaborative environment between cities and relevant stakeholders and provide a comprehensive framework for the successful adoption of LGDs.
The European Green Deal (EGD) aims to create a sustainable EU economy by transforming environmental challenges into opportunities and ensuring an inclusive transition for all. The recent European Commission legislation Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA) aims to scale up clean technology manufacturing in the EU with a target to provide at least 40% of the EU’s annual deployment needs for strategic net-zero technologies by 2030. These strategic net-zero technologies include solar, wind, batteries and storage, heat pumps and geothermal energy, electrolysers, and fuel cells, biogas/biomethane, carbon capture and storage, and grid technologies.
The EU has committed to achieving "no net emissions of greenhouse gases in 2050, economic growth decoupled from resource use, and leaving no person or place behind." To support cities in achieving these goals, the Intelligent Cities Challenge and other programmes have been launched.
To help guide cities and towns, the ICC is releasing an updated edition of the guiding document Local Green deals – A Blueprint for Action. The guide outlines the principles, levers, and steps necessary for effective Local Green Deal (LGD) implementation. It serves as a starting point for cities beginning their LGD journey and can be used alongside other relevant European initiatives.
Since the Blueprint's publication, numerous EU-funded projects such as ALLIANCE and CLIMAA, and philanthropically funded projects such as Fair Local Green Deals have been launched to further support the LGD initiative. The guide builds upon national initiatives and regulatory developments like the National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) adopted by all EU Member States in 2019.
Cities seeking practical steps and successful LGD examples can find valuable insights in the guide's annex. By implementing the LGD approach outlined in the blueprint, cities can take important steps to mobilize stakeholders beyond mere commitments and towards far-reaching actions that implement a city’s sustainability strategy and goals.
The Blueprint also includes case studies from cities across Europe, including, among others, the Metropolitan Region Amsterdam (The Netherlands), Espoo (Finland), Mannheim (Germany), Milan (Italy), and Umeå (Sweden).
Find the full-text version of Local Green Deals – A Blueprint for Actions here.