The City of Zagreb, within the European project “Activation of Green Courtyards for Carbon Neutrality” (
ActGREEN), participated in the
Cities Mission conference held from 6 to 8 May 2025 in Vilnius (Lithuania). As one of the selected cities of the
Mission Cities 100 initiative and a participant in the
Pilot Cities programme within the
NetZeroCities (NZC) consortium, the City of Zagreb presented the activities and progress of its project aimed at achieving climate neutrality by 2030.
The project was presented at the conference through a poster prepared in cooperation between the
NetZeroCities/Pilot Cities team and the
ActGREEN project team. The project was represented by project
manager Nebojša Ivančević from the City of Zagreb.
As a reminder, on
28 April 2022 the European Commission published a list of
112 cities selected to participate in the
EU Mission for 100 climate‑neutral and smart cities by 2030, known as the EU Mission on Climate‑Neutral and Smart Cities. Selected cities receive tailored support through the
Mission Platform, managed by NZC, with the aim of achieving climate neutrality and inspiring other cities across Europe.
Participation in panels and knowledge exchange
During the conference, the representative of the City of Zagreb took part in a series of panel discussions highly relevant for the implementation of the ActGREEN project, as well as for future development, sustainability and networking with other cities. Some of the key topics included:
- Improving internal communication and engagement of internal stakeholders through enhanced information management within the organisation implementing the project.
- Examples of implementing “one‑stop‑shop” and HUB solutions and their applicability in providing support to citizens and businesses.
- Monitoring project impacts and indicators, including technical reporting, measuring CO₂ emissions before and after interventions and using appropriate tools for carbon‑footprint tracking.
On the first day of the conference, panel discussions included:
- MEL‑Driven Climate Action: Unlocking the Power of Co‑Benefits for Cities, featuring experiences from cities such as Trondheim (Norway), Bergamo (Italy) and Amsterdam (Netherlands). Topics included citizen‑engagement strategies, the use of artificial intelligence for emission tracking and coordination among cities.
- Connecting the Dots: Data, Reporting and Policy, a panel dedicated to data use, data‑protection challenges and financial models for cities transitioning to climate neutrality.
On the final day of the conference, participation continued in the following panels:
- The Baltic View: A Regional Perspective on Energy Transition, Innovation, and Shared Governance
- Cities Mission Label Award Ceremony
- National Support for Climate Neutral and Resilient Cities (moderated by Joško Klisović, member of the European Committee of the Regions)
- Powering City Action through Climate Neutrality Tools and the Community of Practice (CoP) - presenting concrete tools for CO₂ measurement, monitoring and data management. Prior to the panel, a meeting was held with partners from the company Kausal (Joonas Pekkanen and Raul Partida), members of the NZC consortium, during which further cooperation was agreed.
Networking and cooperation
During the conference, numerous contacts were established that contribute to strengthening cooperation and knowledge exchange within the implementation of the ActGREEN project. Contact was made with representatives of the cities of
Ljubljana, Kranj and Velenje, with discussions on the possibilities of mutual visits and sharing examples of good practice between the City of Zagreb and the City of Ljubljana.
Cooperation was also established with Mr.
Senad Mrkaljević, City Finance Specialist and City Advisor, who, together with colleague
Vlatka Brlan Vlahek, actively participates in the process of developing, reviewing and guiding city teams in preparing City Climate Contracts (CCC).
Special emphasis was placed on cooperation with colleagues from the
city of Poznań, Zagreb’s twin city within the ActGREEN project and the Twinning learning programme. The possibility of involving a Poznań representative in future project training sessions was discussed, further strengthening the process of joint learning and experience exchange.
Cooperation was also agreed with colleague
Miljenko Sedlar from the North‑West Croatia Regional Energy Agency (REGEA), a member of the NZC consortium, regarding project implementation and reporting. Useful contacts were also established with a colleague from the City of Sarajevo and with Francisco Goncalves from Energy Cities, who acts as a City Advisor and provides expert support to cities in achieving climate‑neutrality goals.
In addition, contacts were made with many other conference participants, including representatives of
ICLEI and members of the NZC consortium, who provide continuous support to cities in implementing various activities such as sensemaking, twinning, training and developing tools for monitoring climate impacts.
Participation of the City of Zagreb and the ActGREEN project team at the Cities Mission conference in Vilnius proved extremely valuable for the further development of the project, improvement of implementation methodology, strengthening international cooperation and capacity building. Active presence at such events enables timely access to useful information, addressing implementation challenges and positioning the City of Zagreb as one of the leaders in the transition towards climate‑neutral cities in Europe.
Photo gallery
