PROSPECT+ will build on the existing H2020 project PROSPECT to enable capacity building in regional and local authorities in order to finance and implement effective and efficient sustainable energy plans, including their proper monitoring and verification and also ensuring that such plans are using synergies from other local plans and that their effects are properly monitored. The learning will continue through the 5 learning modules (public buildings, private buildings, public lighting, transport, and cross-sectoral), with more attention given to improved decision-making of cities on how they choose projects for financing, as well as how to assess and ensure that their projects are finance-ready. The types of innovative financing and the modules will stay the same, but the methodology, the process, and the learning materials will be greatly improved. The ambition of PROSPECT+ is to ensure that over 200 EU cities in at least 20 EU MS improve their capacities when it comes to implementing projects from SECAPs and similar sustainable plans.

The Social Sciences & Humanities for Climate, Energy aNd Transport Research Excellence (SSH CENTRE) project brings together 13 leading organisations from across the EU, including: 3 universities, 4 research institutions, 2 stakeholder network organisations, and 4 R&I and communications SMEs. Our partners bring world-leading expertise across SSH and STEM disciplines applied to climate, energy and mobility, covering neutrality, community-led initiatives, heating and cooling, circular economy and sufficiency, and digital technologies. Partners will reach 228,880+ stakeholders by leveraging their significant experience in transdisciplinarity and citizen engagement, and networks that span academia, policymakers at various levels, the private sector, civil society and citizens. Our objectives directly address the call challenge with an aim to support cross-sectoral collaborations and empowerment of citizens and networks towards the development of socially innovative solutions for the EU’s climate transition. Issues related to Open Science, inclusivity and diversity – especially with regards Southern and Eastern Europe and different career stages – are at the heart of the project. SSH CENTRE will meet its objectives through a set of 7 carefully-designed Work Packages. Key activities involve: development of novel SSH-STEM collaborations to facilitate the delivery of the EU Green Deal; SSH knowledge brokerage to support regions in transition; and the effective design of strategies for citizen engagement in EU R&I activities. Outputs include action-led agendas and building stakeholder synergies through regular Policy Insight events. The high-profile virtual SSH CENTRE, and its 660+ members, will thus represent a ‘go-to' gateway for Cluster 5 SSH research excellence, delivering inclusive governance and engagement approaches. The Centre will generate and share best practice for SSH policy advice, overcoming fragmentation to accelerate the EU’s journey to a sustainable future.

The Social sciences & Humanities for Achieving a Responsible, Equitable and Desirable GREEN DEAL (SHARED GREEN DEAL) project brings together 22 leading organisations from across the EU including 8 universities, 3 research institutions, 8 network organisations and 3 SMEs. Our network partners cover core elements of the European Green Deal cross cutting priorities such as civil society, democracy, gender, energy, environment, circular economy and innovation. Our objectives directly address the call challenge with an aim to share actions, understandings, evidence, insights, responsibilities and benefits across stakeholders including policymakers and civil society. Issues of inclusivity and diversity are at the heart of the project to particularly account for disadvantaged and vulnerable social groups. SHARED GREEN DEAL will meet its objectives through a set of 11 workpackages. It is structured around lessons from a set of 6 social experiments around 6 priority Green Deal topics. Each social experiment will be delivered across 4 member states. Importantly we take a transdisciplinary approach, covering 19 social science and humanities disciplines, with multi-stakeholder, practice-based and policy-science expertise, including gender studies as a key component throughout. The output includes the development of tools (e.g. an online Green Deal policy tracker), as well as translating project findings into stakeholder-specific policy briefs and roundtable events. The partners are committed to continuing to host the transnational network set up post-project to ensure longevity and impact beyond the life of the project. SHARED GREEN DEAL is expected to deliver changes in societal practices and in the behaviour of individuals, communities, and public and private organisations. Through the development of effective new strategies, we will address behavioural change and long-term commitment, trust, social acceptance and buy-in from people, communities and organisations.

CapaCITIES 2.0 is designed as a support action for national and regional authorities to advance their governance structures for providing dedicated support for cities to achieve the EU Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission (EU Cities Mission) - answering to the Call HORIZON-MISS-2024-CIT-02-01. As a central initiative to foster and strengthen national narratives for the EU Cities Mission, it will coordinate actions across climate-neutral initiatives for cities in Europe, align and speed up efforts towards the goals of the Mission. CapaCITIES 2.0 will further shape a European environment conducive to urban climate neutrality transitions for national, regional and local authorities. It will initiate and strengthen national change processes to establish and mature national networks and platforms as well as multi-level governance in the entire EU, building on the experience of the CapaCITIES that already started setting-up national platforms in 15 EU countries. It provides dedicated support for public authorities to put enabling conditions and measures for cities in place to achieve the EU Cities Mission. Thereby, it contributes to reach (1) Increased preparedness and capacity of national, regional and local authorities in EU Member States and countries associated to Horizon Europe to engage in cities’ transition towards climate neutrality; (2) Improved ability to effectively address country-specific challenges and barriers for cities to achieve climate neutrality related to current regulatory frameworks, funding and financing, and governance structures and promotion of best-practices through transnational exchanges and sharing of experience and (3) Enhanced synergies with R&I national/international communities, relevant initiatives, and partnerships such as the ‘Driving Urban Transitions to a Sustainable Future’ Horizon Europe Partnership and the NetZeroCities – the EU Mission Platform(NZC) for the implementation of the Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission.

By 2050, European cities should be decarbonised, sustainable and provide for a high quality of life. In order to achieve this goal, society as a whole has to become more accountable and mutual responsibility needs to be distributed amongst all actors. Therefore, urban governance schemes need to become more transparent and inclusive so that all can benefit. This is why public administrations need to be equipped with skills and support schemes. Local transition roadmaps draw on the required skills and capacities of local authorities and allow them to become leaders of the energy transition. Such roadmaps provide explicit strategies and operational tools for local governments to address the multiple challenges of the energy transition and their ecological, economic, and social aspects. Thereby, their development provides both, space for innovations to develop, and participatory approaches to flourish. TOMORROW aims at empowering local authorities to lead the transition towards low-carbon, resilient and more liveable cities by engaging citizens and stakeholders in the development of 2050 transition roadmaps. The development process of local transition roadmaps lies at the core of TOMORROW, which recognizes that the achievability of the formulated energy transition targets relies upon effective engagement of civil society, local key actors and their collaboration with local governments. For implementing deliberative governance schemes, the project´s pilot cities will be involved in city trainings and benefit from peer-to-peer activities with lighthouse cities. Best practices and innovative sustainable energy solutions, as well as innovative engagement mechanisms will be shared. Tailored support material, such as a toolbox containing methodological guidelines and factsheets on best practices will be developed for replication. Learning relays and masterclasses will improve participants´ capacities. Policy recommendations aim at an enabling framework for cities´ transition.