Philea and Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo publish “100 Climate-Neutral European Cities: Philanthropy’s Role in Ensuring a Just and Fair Transition through the EU Cities Mission”
Philea, together with Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, has published “100 Climate-Neutral European Cities: Philanthropy’s Role in Ensuring a Just and Fair Transition through the EU Cities Mission”, a new report that explores how foundations are supporting European cities in their journey towards climate-neutrality, providing recommendations to unlock the potential of philanthropy.
100 Cities from 27 EU Member States are paving the way to Europe’s ambition to be the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. Through the co-design and delivery of a Climate City Contract (CCCs), an innovative governance tool endorsed by participating public authorities, enterprises, universities and civil society organisations, cities can formalise their commitment to ambitious targets they set themselves.
53 cities have delivered these CCCs and have been awarded the EU Mission Label, however analysis of the 52 CCCs publicly available reveals that a total of 58 foundations are referenced across 22 cities in 11 EU Member States. With Europe being the continent with the largest number of registered public-benefit foundations there is an untapped potential that can be unlocked.
This publication analyses the current ways in which foundations are supporting cities’ transition to climate neutrality, identifies how foundations can further be involved and outlines key recommendations to the European Commission to shape a tailored pathway to onboard philanthropy and unlock its untapped potential.
Key findings from the explainer include:
- Philanthropic support to Mission Cities comes in many shapes and forms: it is not only about funding and financial support, but also the ability to support community-based and vision-driven transformation that brings together environmental transition and social justice.
- Philanthropy has a unique approach that can ensure that the journey towards climate neutrality is rooted in fairness, inclusivity and justice. Philanthropy can bring the environmental transition close to the hearts and lives of local and often neglected communities, those that are most often left behind.
- Foundations’ ability to provide expertise, financial support and strategic guidance makes them valuable partners in ensuring that ambitious climate targets translate into actionable and well-structured projects, programmes and approaches.
- Transformation is place-based and driven by people. Many of the leading European foundations are deeply rooted in local contexts, functioning as key intermediaries and ‘local antennae’ that can effectively detect and respond to regional needs.
- Considering green, digital and social transitions; growing radicalisation and conflict; and the serious challenges to democratic ideals and freedoms in some parts of Europe, philanthropy has an important role to play in finding solutions that bridge the ambitions around climate neutrality with considerations around social equity
This report is a product of Philea’s and Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo’s collaborative work around the EU Cities Mission, which brings together foundations that can provide a unique contribution to the journey of climate neutrality in cities through their capacity to engage stakeholders, take risks and think long-term, as well as to provide additional funds and investments.
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