In two weeks’ time the European Mobility Week (16-22 September) will once again turn the focus on the efforts happening on the ground to improve the lives of citizens. Across Europe, various cities have launched action programmes to address climate emergencies and deteriorating air quality. Such initiatives are crucial for mitigating health risks and alleviating pressures on global health systems.
ERTICO has long anticipated the necessity for transformative change in urban mobility, recognising the critical impact of climate change and urban air pollution. ERTICO’s City Moonshot initiative and its report are an example of the forward looking approach to tackle these issues. The consolidation of the support for the NetZeroCities (NZC) initiative further exemplifies the commitment to advancing sustainable urban mobility. The NCZ initiative revolves around the central element of the EU’s Mission “100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030”. The goal is to establish 100 climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030, setting a benchmark for others to follow by 2050. NetZeroCities offers essential expertise and tailored services to help cities overcome barriers to achieving climate neutrality, contributing to Europe’s broader goals of reducing emissions by 55% by 2030 and reaching climate neutrality by 2050.
Empowering Mission Cities Through Key Projects
The Mission Cities represent a diverse group of 112 urban centres across Europe, selected for their potential to lead in climate action and accelerate their journey towards climate neutrality by 2030. From North to South, the cities listed below receive tailored support from the Mission Platform, managed by NetZeroCities, and are actively involved in various innovative projects supported or coordinated by ERTICO.
Tampere is prominently involved in several key initiatives. It participates in the SHOW project, which integrates shared and automated vehicles into public transport, and the In2CCAM project, exploring connected and cooperative automated mobility. Tampere is also engaged in the deployEMDS project, and the metaCCAZE project, which focuses on smart mobility technologies. These projects demonstrate Tampere’s leadership in adopting innovative solutions for urban mobility.
Barcelona stands out as a central player in multiple projects in which ERTICO is involved. It is involved as a demo site in the eCharge4Drivers project, which focuses on improving the EV charging experience, and in the CulturalRoad project, which enhances CCAM solutions by taking into account cultural and geographical diversity. Additionally, Barcelona plays a key role as an implementation site for the development of mobility data spaces for the deployEMDS project, and within the framework of the PoDIUM project, the city is involved in the Use Case 2, highlighting the benefits that CCAM can provide to society by managing the information provided by the vehicles to the infrastructure. These projects reflect Barcelona’s commitment to integrating advanced technologies and sustainable practices into its transport network.
Athens is actively engaged in projects aimed at promoting sustainable and accessible transport solutions. It participates in the SUM project, which tests sustainable urban mobility practices, and the InclusiveSpaces project, which implements the inclusive design, monitoring, and evaluation of urban spaces and urban transport. Athens’s involvement in the metaCCAZE project as follower city further highlights its commitment to advancing new mobility solutions in the city metropolitan area while learning from the project’s trailblazer cities.
Big municipalities like Madrid and Munich are acting to integrate smart mobility solutions into their transport system. The interest in advancing urban sustainability is supported by the cities’ involvement in the SHOW project, the metaCCAZE project, and the SUM project. The latter projects are also working with the cities of Krakow and Rotterdam.
Two of the most recent projects launched by ERTICO involves the city of Ljubljana in Slovenia. The CulturalRoad project and FRODDO project are both developing innovative CCAM solutions from different perspectives. The first directly involves citizens in a co-creation process, while the second aims to enhance the safety, performance, and adaptability of CCAM.
Istanbul is making significant strides in both freight and passenger transport through its involvement in the NextETRUCK project, which addresses sustainable freight transport, and the ZEV-UP project, which is developing a frugal and modular electric vehicle. Istanbul’s participation in the eCharge4Drivers project as a demo site also underscores its dedication to advancing electric mobility solutions, enhancing the city’s role in sustainable transport transformation.
Other cities such as Gothenburg, Eindhoven, Helmond, Trikala, Turin, Poissy – Paris, Amsterdam, Limassol, Gozo, Miskolc, and Sofia are part of various projects that showcase their roles in advancing urban mobility solutions. For instance, Trikala in Greece is involved in the SINFONICA project, which focuses on inclusive shared transport and automated public mobility services.
ERTICO’s collaboration with Mission Cities and the NetZero Cities initiative underscores its crucial role in driving the transition to sustainable urban mobility. By supporting these diverse cities through various innovative projects, ERTICO facilitates the implementation of cutting-edge solutions and fosters collaboration. This commitment not only advances the well-being of European communities but also sets a global standard for climate action and urban mobility innovation.
