SPARCS fellow city Reykjavik is one of forty European cities that will become Twin Cities in the NetZeroCities action plan towards carbon neutrality and smart urbanization. The project was officially launched at the beginning of October.

The Icelandic capital, Reykjavik, and Lahti in Finland are set to become twin cities, embarking on a collaborative journey spanning the next 20 month on knowledge sharing and solution development to promote sustainable transportation and effective methods to address changing transportation needs of residents.

Twin cities were paired based on common challenges and goals related to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other actions to tackle climate change, with a specific focus on the development of sustainable transportation. The cities receive special support from the NetZeroCities plan, which organizes communication and collaboration meetings between cities.

For the city of Reykjavik, this twin city partnership is especially important for monitoring the city’s transportation policy, particularly focusing on better serving and adapting the city’s transportation policy to the real transportation needs of the residents of the capital area and changing transportation habits.

Upon completion of the programme, Reykjavik will be able to implement key learnings, best practices, and innovative approaches across the city via a Replication Plan, enabling cities to accelerate their actions towards climate neutrality across Europe. This cooperative effort is poised to pave the way for a more sustainable and eco-friendly future for both Reykjavik and Lahti, as well as serving as an inspiring model for other cities seeking a path to carbon neutrality.