The one billion challenge: how to pay for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities - EUSEW Extended Programme

Cities want to become smart and climate-neutral, but public funds alone will not suffice. Private investors are also willing to invest, but how do we combine public and private funds to create Climate-Neutral Cities? An estimated 96 Billion Euros are needed to achieve climate neutrality by 2030 for 100 European cities (with 100.000 citizens on average), as proposed by the European Commission and actively sought and supported by cities all over Europe. This level of investment will not only need to come from different sources, but also needs to be used in different sectors, each dependent on public and private financing, to effectively support cities in becoming climate-neutral. This session of the extended programme of the EUSEW, organised by the Smart Cities Marketplace and in coorporation with CIVITAS and Celsius, will help answering the following questions:

• What cooperation models do we need to build the huge financing operations needed?
• What’s the role of blended finance?
• How can cities develop attractive financial schemes?
• Can local green bonds be a solution?
• How can the experiences from different Initiatives, projects and cities help guiding the way?