Cities Mission draft work programme sets topics for 2026-27

Topics that will receive priority in the final years of Horizon Europe’s Cities Mission are set out in a draft work programme seen by Science|Business. The ten headings range from specific systems, such as low-voltage direct current microgrids, to broad areas of interest, such as urban wastewater and hydrogen energy systems.

Horizon Europe’s Mission for climate-neutral and smart cities was launched in 2021. It selected 100 cities to act as innovation hubs, with the intention that they pave the way for other urban centres to follow in their footsteps by 2050.

The draft work programme also flags up areas where the Cities Mission is expected to intersect with other programmes, such as the Adaptation Mission and the New European Bauhaus. 

In hydrogen energy, for example, the Cities Mission will issue a joint call for proposals with the Clean Hydrogen joint undertaking. Projects are expected to twin Hydrogen Valleys with cities that are interested in decarbonising their local and peri-urban industries using hydrogen. 

The ten topic areas are:

Introducing circular economy models in the construction sector

Innovative low-voltage direct current microgrids in buildings

Transition to low-temperature heating, in individual and district heating systems

Hydrogen valleys

Urban wastewater

Nature restoration in urban areas

Inclusive, climate resilient multimodal passenger hubs

Energy efficient urban and suburban public transport

Circular economy: reducing waste from e-commerce and urban logistics

Innovative procurement for reducing greenhouse gas emissions