Climate Agreement - European Cooperation on Carbon-Neutral and Smart Cities 2030

Description of the action and objectives

Green Deal action

Reykjavík City has been chosen to participate in a European collaboration on carbon-neutral and smart cities by 2030. The goal of this project is for the participating cities, numbering 112, to become carbon-neutral and smart by 2030. They will serve as centers of research and innovation to enable all other European cities to achieve the same by 2050. The next year will be characterized by a review of previous goals and the preparation of a Climate City Agreement, which is a prerequisite for participation in the project. The previous goal of carbon neutrality by 2040 will be reviewed and accelerated to 2030, at least emissions defined within BASIC+.

 

Implementation period

Planned completion in the second half of 2030

Status: In progress

Status report on January 1, 2024

A working group consisting of Reykjavík City staff from the Department of Environment & Planning, Department of Finance & Risk Management, the Office of Human Rights, and the Office of the Mayor and Chief Executive Officer, led by the Department of Environment & Planning, continues to gather data and prepare a climate agreement. In relation to the project, Reykjavík has become a TwinCity with Lahti for the next two years. Additionally, Reykjavík has received grants totaling €800,000 for participation in the AMIGOS and GreenInCities projects, earmarked for the City's involvement in the European collaboration (MISSION CITIES).

Older status reports

Below you can find older status reports with information on the progress of the action since its inception (if you're using your phone, it's better to turn it sideways).
  Timing Progress description
  July 2023 At the beginning of 2023, a working group with Reykjavík City staff from USK, FÁST, MAR, and SBB was established to collaborate with the political steering group. The working group's role is to prepare a climate agreement. Extensive data collection for the agreement began in the spring and is ongoing. Besides the working group, the SBB Urban Development Research Team is actively seeking related grants. Two new projects earmarked for MISSION CITIES are currently underway (totaling about €800,000 or about 117 million ISK), in addition to applying for Twin City participation with NetZeroCities.
  January 2023 At the start of 2022, Reykjavík City was honored to be selected to participate in the European collaboration for carbon-neutral and smart cities by 2030. In 2022, Reykjavík received customized training, online meetings, and advice from the NetZeroCities association, which manages the project in cooperation with the European Commission's Executive Board and, among others, Climate-KIC, Eurocities, and ICLEI. In August 2022, a steering group was established, composed of the council chairs from all City Council parties. The role of the steering group is to guide policy-making regarding Reykjavík's participation in European cooperation on carbon-neutral and smart cities by 2030. The preparation of the first version of Reykjavík's Climate Agreement is underway. Such an agreement must be prepared in extensive cooperation with the European Union, the Icelandic State, other municipalities, private entities, NGOs and with thorough consultation with residents.
  July 2022 Reykjavík City was honored at the beginning of the year to be selected to participate in European cooperation on carbon-neutral and smart cities by 2030. In 2022, Reykjavík received customized training, online meetings, and advice from the NetZeroCities association, which manages the project in cooperation with the European Commission's Executive Board and, among others, Climate-KIC, Eurocities, and ICLEI. In August 2022, a steering group was established, composed of the council chairs from all City Council parties. The role of the steering group is to guide policy-making regarding Reykjavík's participation in European cooperation on carbon-neutral and smart cities by 2030. The preparation of the first version of Reykjavík's Climate Agreement is underway. Such an agreement must be prepared in extensive cooperation with the European Union, the Icelandic State, other municipalities, private entities, NGOs and with thorough consultation with residents.

Reykjavík City departments: