Euroviews. EU recovery plan is failing to meet cities’ climate ambitions

The European Commission’s NextGenerationEU recovery plan offers a unique opportunity for the EU and its cities to achieve a just, green and prosperous future for the people of Europe. 

Launched in 2020, the plan is a short-term means of responding to the economic damage caused by COVID-19, with €720 billion provided through its main funding instrument, the Recovery and Resilience Facility. It also offers huge possibilities to invest in green infrastructure that can propel Europe’s transition towards climate neutrality.  

From the beginning, cities recognised the plan’s potential for stimulating public and private green investments at the local level. With local governments responsible for 80% of spending on environmental protection, we urged the EU and national governments to work with us to design national strategies incorporating local climate projects. 

However, four years on, it is clear that our calls have largely been overlooked. NextGenerationEU provides investments for some cities in key urban areas, but cities are not generally directly empowered with resources. A different kind of partnership is needed to accelerate Europe’s just and green transformation. 

With the plan’s investments ending by 2026, there are few opportunities for reform, but important lessons can still be drawn from cities’ experiences to ensure the EU better supports future public investments.    

These experiences are outlined in a new report from Eurocities and the Global Cities Programme at CIDOB (Barcelona Centre for International Affairs), which highlights the absence of cities’ participation in the design and governance of recovery plans.

Despite strong calls from local leaders for an increased role in the plan, cities have reported ongoing