Urban transport is responsible for a significant share of the emissions and pollution created in towns and cities, where nearly three-quarters of the EU population lives. Transitioning to sustainable personal and goods mobility is critical to achieving climate neutrality, but doing so will offer much more than just environmental benefits. Sustainable mobility solutions are also effective tools to improve quality of life – they help make communities more accessible, inclusive, equitable, resilient, and healthy.

For this reason, ICLEI is pleased to amplify the Driving Urban Transitions (DUT) Call 2023 for people-centred urban transformation, which will fund projects related to three pathways including 15-minute cities as well as positive energy districts and circular urban economies. ICLEI is an expert stakeholder and contributor to the DUT Partnership, an intergovernmental research, innovation, and capacity building programme. The Call will open on 1 September 2023 and the deadline for pre-proposal submission is 21 November 2023. In addition to the Call, DUT is aiming to establish a comprehensive understanding of the 15-minute City concept and associated policies by mapping international practical definitions, strategies, instruments, and implementation challenges. Mobility experts can support this endeavour by filling out a short survey.

ICLEI has worked with cities to realise the 15-minute City concept and published several publications (see here and here). It is a new name for a well-established idea: that people should be able to fulfil their routine needs within a short walk, bicycle ride, or public transit trip from home. Variations on this idea have been implemented by several ICLEI Members including Paris (France), Barcelona (Spain), Utrecht (The Netherlands), Vitoria-Gasteiz (Spain), and Freiburg (Germany). The concept aligns with key EU frameworks such as the new European Urban Mobility Framework, the New Leipzig Charter, and the European Green Deal.

For more information about the DUT call and how to apply, click here.

For more information about the 15-minute City survey, click here.