EUCityCalc

European cities are at the forefront in addressing the challenge of decarbonization, with many committed to become climate-neutral by 2050 or earlier. Yet, despite the clear ambition, only few cities have managed to translate plans into concrete implementation strategies with tangible decarbonisation pathways. In transitioning towards climate neutrality, cities must overcome the complex challenge of managing decarbonization across multiple sectors, scales (national to local) and actors (planners, technology providers or citizens). This challenge cannot be tackled with a business-as-usual approach, but it can be alleviated by providing cities with capacities conduct integrated energy modelling exercises independently and in the light of the best scientific evidence. This is particularly true for small and mid-size cities that often lack the financial means and staff numbers devoted exclusively to decarbonization planning. Accordingly, the EUCityCalc is set to support public authorities in planning towards climate neutrality through the prospective modelling approach of the European City Calculator webtool. The modelling tool provides cities with a sectoral outlook on the type and ambition of measures they can take to achieve a transition towards climate neutrality. The project will test the modelling approach in 10 mid-small cities and support them in developing scientifically robust, detailed, and integrated pathways and scenarios towards climate neutrality. Through peer-to-peer learning, a multifaceted capacity building and training programme and the engagement of local stakeholders in expert working groups will empower cities in devising a clear and concrete roadmap towards climate neutrality.

Goals: - Enable cities to integrate their vision and data on the sectors and territory in the prospective modelling framework of the European City Calculator to design transition pathways and policy scenarios towards climate neutrality. - Co-create policy scenarios and transition pathways towards climate neutrality in the pilot cities by engaging key local stakeholders with the European City Calculator webtool. - Train other European cities and public authorities (e.g. local and regional energy agencies) in the use of the webtool for planning their own transition towards climate neutrality.

PIK's engagement will focus on the identification of operational and information challenges for prospective energy modeling at the city scale. Additionally, PIK will work on establishing common guidelines for pilot cities, aiming to leverage existing data and knowledge in the modeling tool. Furthermore, PIK will inform the modeling approach to better reflect different governance levels and underlying policies in cities. As part of the project, PIK will also contribute to the development of new methods, such as the calculation of scope 3 emissions, with the goal of enhancing the added value of the European City Calculator.