Municipalities, local authorities, and local public entities are the driver of the European sustainable energy transition. With tremendous potential to build comprehensive sustainable investment programmes, they also play a key role in pooling smaller projects into larger investment portfolios and in mobilising significant financial resources required for the energy transition.

Originally set up under the EU’s Research and Innovation Programme Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, and now funded by the EU’s LIFE Programme, the European City Facility unlocks this local potential and supports municipalities, local authorities, their groupings and local public entities aggregating municipalities/local authorities in Europe with tailor-made, fast and simplified financial support (in the form of EUR 60,000 lump sums) and related services.

This will enable them to develop relevant investment concepts related to the implementation of actions identified in their climate and energy action plans.

In the project, ICLEI Europe is leading on communications and supports capacity building. 

Successful applicants to the EUCF have used the lump sum to develop their investment concepts, which represents an initial step towards a fully-fledged business and financial plan. The ultimate objective is to build a substantial pipeline of sustainable energy investment projects across Europe and to inspire other local authorities and public entities to develop bankable investment concepts.