City Transition
Achieving climate-neutral cities is essential. Although cities cover only 3% of the Earth’s surface, they generate 72% of global emissions and consume more than 65% of global energy. In Europe, the mission to deliver 100 climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030 is already underway, with the Swedish program Viable Cities leading key elements of this work. GTI collaborates closely with Viable Cities to help adapt these approaches internationally and support cities in accelerating their climate transitions.
Sweden Strengthens Global City Climate Collaboration
At COP30, cities took center stage - and so did Sweden’s role in advancing multilevel climate action
A key milestone was the announcement of First Mover Cities, an initiative being developed together with the First Movers Coalition. The effort builds on the joint work between GTI, Viable Cities, the Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance (CCFLA), and partners, with the aim of accelerating city-level decarbonization through aggregated purchasing power.
You can access the concept note outlining how aggregated purchasing power can drive climate action below and read more about this announcement and additional highlights from Rio and Belém here.
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Catalyzing Aggregated Purchasing Power: The Role of Private and Public Intra-City Procurement for Advancing City Climate Action
This work positions intra-city aggregated procurement as a key tool for connecting city-level action with national climate frameworks. The cement and concrete sector, one of the highest-emitting industries, serves as the initial focus of this concept note, offering cities a high-impact entry point to shape markets, send coordinated demand signals, and reduce embodied emissions.
The Road to Climate-Neutral Cities
Achieving climate-neutral cities is crucial. Although cities cover just 3% of the Earth’s surface, they generate 72% of global emissions and consume over 65% of the world’s energy, making them central to effective climate action. In Europe, bold efforts are underway to achieve the EU mission of 100 climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030, with the Swedish program Viable Cities at the forefront.