In the drive to achieve the European Union's ambitious climate goals, metropolises with millions of inhabitants are often the ones to step up. But the continent's real transformation depends on thousands of smaller and medium-sized cities, which often face specific challenges. It is precisely for does not expand the project NEUTRALPATH, funded by the EU, its initiative „"City Alliance", which aims to accelerate the transition to green energy and make innovation accessible to everyone.

Innovations available to everyone

The City Alliance initiative was officially launched in February 2025 with a clear mission: to ensure that advanced clean energy solutions are not just theoretical concepts, but practical and accessible tools for any European city. The project focuses primarily on cities and municipalities in less developed or peripheral regions. These areas have historically had more limited access to European innovation circles and frameworks for energy transition, which NEUTRALPATH is actively changing.

The alliance is open to cities with less than 250,000 inhabitants, as well as for local governments that want to initiate or expand their sustainable neighborhood projects.

Clean Energy Districts (PCED) Concept

The core of the project is the design and implementation of the so-called. Positive and Clean Energy Districts (PCED). These are urban areas that produce more energy from renewable sources than they consume, while minimizing greenhouse gas emissions.

City Alliance builds on the rich experience of the five key project cities: Dresden (Germany), Zaragoza (Spain), Ghent (Belgium), Istanbul (Turkey) and Vantaa (Finland). These cities serve as living laboratories, sharing their knowledge, tools, and best practices with new alliance members.

More than just technology: Focus on people

Experts involved in the NEUTRALPATH project recognize that technology is only one piece of the puzzle. The project therefore places a strong emphasis on the human and institutional side of transformation. The key pillars are:

• Governance models: How to effectively manage energy projects at the municipal level.
• Citizen engagement and co-design processes: To be successful, climate action must be locally accepted and socially embedded.
• Capacity building: Strengthening the professional skills of local government employees.

Stefania Mascolo, project coordinator at EUROCITIES, explains that the aim is to support cities in taking concrete steps towards climate neutrality through mutual learning and cooperation across regions. The Alliance works closely with the NetZeroCities community and the Covenant of Mayors.

What will participating cities gain?

Cities that join the alliance are not left alone on their journey. They gain access to a package of services tailored to their needs, which includes:

1. Professional education: Webinars and workshops with experts on PCED-related topics.
2. Structured capacity building program: A combination of technical, political and participatory approaches.
3. Mentoring and exchange of experiences: Possibility of peer-to-peer consultations and optional visits directly in the NEUTRALPATH project cities.
4. Knowledge base: Access to tools, methodologies and guidelines for replicating successful solutions.

The future in numbers and facts

Interest in the initiative is growing rapidly. Since its launch, six cities from three different European countries have joined the alliance, signaling a strong demand from local governments for cooperation and the need to accelerate real action on the ground.

The project is coordinated by the organization CARTIF (Cecilia Sanz Montalvillo) in collaboration with EUROCITIES (Ermioni Chatzimichail), which covers a network of over 200 European cities. For cities considering joining the alliance or looking for inspiration, detailed information and contacts are available on the official website neutralpath.eu or on the social network LinkedIn. JRi

This project is funded by the European Union. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the EU or CINEA.