Across 52 European cities, local governments, communities, and businesses tested new ways to cut emissions and finance climate action.
Their collective effort as part of the Pilot Cities Programme under NetZeroCities, led by Climate KIC, has produced tangible results. More than 184 000 citizens took part in pilot activities. Cities trained over 1 400 public officers, created 256 new jobs, launched 40 follow-up projects and recorded an estimated reduction potential of more than 418 000 tonnes of CO₂ with total GHG emissions of 8.67 million addressed in tCO₂eq/year. Energy use fell across multiple pilot activities, adding up to 864 GWh per year in potential savings. These figures only scratch the surface, yet they reflect a strong signal: local climate action is accelerating, and European cities are starting to feel the shift.