NEUTRALPATH, a sister project of ASCEND, addresses a critical gap in the European energy transition, specifically the resource disparity between major metropolitan cities and smaller municipalities. While the Lighthouse cities often have the administrative capacity to manage complex PED projects, smaller and medium-sized cities frequently struggle with technical expertise and funding navigation.
Building on the experience of NEUTRALPATH’s cities, Dresden (Germany), Zaragoza (Spain), Ghent (Belgium), Istanbul (Turkey) and Vantaa (Finland), the City Alliance facilitates the exchange of knowledge, tools and good practices, ensuring that participating cities gain practical insights into designing and implementing Positive and Clean Energy Districts (PCEDs).
The City Alliance places strong emphasis on the human and institutional side of the transition. Governance models, citizen engagement, co-design processes and capacity building are at the core of its approach—recognising that lasting climate action must be locally owned and socially embedded.
Cities joining the Alliance may benefit from a roster of services, such as:
- Webinars and workshops with experts and urban practitioners on PCED-related topics;
- A structured access to a tailored capacity-building programme for PCEDs combining technical, policy and participatory approaches;
- Peer exchange and mentoring opportunities, including optional site visits to NEUTRALPATH cities;
- Access to knowledge resources, tools and replication guidelines developed within the NEUTRALPATH project.
If you are interested, you sign up for the NEUTRALPATH City Alliance via this link.
