In a significant step towards achieving climate neutrality, the seven SPARCS partner cities have completed their roadmaps for urban transformation (D1.2) in September 2023. The roadmap, a strategic tool, aims to guide the cities in their sustainability journey, as envisioned in the City Vision 2050, a concept previously developed by the cities. 

The roadmap process, led by WP1 leader SPI, spanned approximately one and a half years. It provides a graphic depiction of the cities’ sustainability pathway. It outlines specific milestones for each Key Strategic Area (KSA) of sustainable development and delineates the primary measures and pertinent inputs contributing to those milestones. 

During the timeline of the project, an array of significant achievements were accomplished. A series of roadmapping workshops were conducted across the seven partner cities. 13 workshops were spread across the partner cities, including 2 pilot workshops in Kladno. These events were supplemented with numerous one-on-one meetings with specific partners and experts, enhancing the collaborative effort at each step. 

The roadmapping process was a collective effort, involving more than 250 participants and stakeholders. They played a vital role in co-creating concrete measures and defining the important milestones for their cities’ journey towards climate neutrality. 

A key aspect of the project was the identification of specific milestones for the years 2030 and 2040 in each city. These milestones were supported by the definition of key outcomes, which took the form of measures, projects, or strategies that contribute to these milestones. The local task forces described over 200 such key outcomes, reflecting the comprehensive effort put into the project. 

Throughout the roadmapping process, the cities had the opportunity to reflect on their strategies and projects related to relevant development domains and foster synergies between SPARCS-related actions and existing city development processes.  

Notably, links and complementarities were established between the SPARCS Replication & Scale-up activities in the two Lighthouse Cities (Espoo and Leipzig), the Implementation Plans in the five Fellow Cities (Kifissia, Kladno, Lviv, Maia, and Reykjavík), and the local dynamics in each city’s relevant development domains, thereby reinforcing the local urban transformation process towards climate neutrality. 

With the roadmapping process concluded, the groundwork is laid for the development of the final or updated versions of the City Vision 2050 for each city. These versions will include updates and adjustments made in the context of the roadmap to the KSA and Vision Statements previously defined in the City Vision process.