Announcements Include Brazil Joining the Urban Transitions Mission Core Group, a New Partnership With IEA’s Technology Collaboration Programme, and a Digital Innovation Initiative With GeSI
Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, 3 October 2024 – The Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM15) and Mission Innovation (MI9) meetings in Foz do Iguaçu concluded with significant announcements aimed at accelerating urban sustainability and advancing global climate goals. These commitments bring together new partnerships designed to bridge research with real-world action, drive urban transitions, and foster sustainable innovation across cities worldwide.
“The Urban Transitions Mission is brokering knowledge exchanges and public-private collaborations towards achieving net-zero, resilient and people-centred cities. Through pilot actions and mutual learning activities, the Urban Transitions Mission provides momentum for the participation of business and industry in local climate action.” says Kadri Simson, European Commissioner for Energy
Brazil Joins the Urban Transitions Mission Core Group
During the Ministers-Mayors Dialogue, the Urban Transitions Mission (UTM) welcomed Brazil, led by Empresa de Pesquisa Energética (EPE), as a core group member, adding to the growing momentum toward net-zero, resilient, and inclusive urban futures. With six Brazilian cities already part of the UTM cohort, Brazil’s formal inclusion underscores the critical role of multilevel collaboration between cities, nations, and international partners in advancing sustainable energy transitions. As Brazil ramps up its leadership on urban sustainability, its involvement will further align efforts with global objectives on the road to COP30, strengthening the country’s commitment to the goals of the Paris Agreement.
“In Brazil, 84% of the population resides in urban areas, and long-term projections indicate that this figure will stabilize at around 90%. At EPE, we are committed to assessing how the energy transition can make cities more energy-efficient, resilient, and inclusive. We are pleased to announce that Brazil has formally joined the Urban Transitions Mission as a core member, under the leadership of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, represented by EPE. We look forward to contributing to the growing momentum toward net-zero, resilient, and inclusive urban futures.” says Thiago Prado, President of Empresa de Pesquisa Energetica (EPE).
Urban Transitions Mission Partners with the IEA’s Technology Collaboration Programme on Cities
The Urban Transitions Mission (UTM) and the Decarbonising Cities and Communities TCP, under the framework of the IEA Technology Collaboration Programmes (TCP), have announced a groundbreaking partnership to bridge the gap between research, innovation, and the practical implementation of innovative urban solutions. This collaboration will activate a global space for knowledge exchange, bringing together cities, national city networks, and researchers to jointly explore solutions for key transition priorities by and for cities. By leveraging UTM’s knowledge exchange platform – the Urban Transitions Mission Centre, the focus will be on critical areas such as blended finance, innovative financing, data-driven urban energy planning, and addressing urban heating and cooling needs. With the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM) joining as a sponsor, this initiative aims to drive significant local and global impact, accelerating the path to net-zero, resilient, and inclusive urban futures.
“We are proud to join forces in this strategic partnership, which is set to drive impactful change for cities around the world. By leveraging cutting-edge research and innovative solutions, we will provide cities with the tools and support they need to address critical urban challenges. This collaboration will pave the way for more sustainable, resilient, and inclusive urban environments, ensuring that no city is left behind in the transition to a net-zero future.” says Andy Deacon, Co-Managing Director, Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy
New Digital Innovation Partnership with the Global Enabling Sustainability Initiative (GeSI)
Building on this momentum, UTM also announced a new partnership with the Global Enabling Sustainability Initiative (GeSI) to launch 15 pilot projects in UTM cities. These projects will leverage digital solutions to tackle urban climate challenges, focusing on areas such as the future role of AI in urban planning, climate adaptation technologies, and data governance for inclusive transitions. As part of this collaboration, UTM and GeSI will launch the “AI with Purpose Lab,” with pilot results to be showcased at GeSI’s Digital with Purpose Summit in 2025.
“Digitalization is crucial to meet the demand of sustainable urban development. Digital solutions, Data collection, information sharing systems, AI and automation of processes have a huge potential in ensuring better leaving conditions; Accelerating the urban sustainability transition is primarily a matter of information sharing, unlocking of financial support but also of clear strategy and vision of those that are in the front of decision making. At GeSI we are thrilled to partner with UTM to unlock the potential of digital technologies in 15 pilot projects around cities.” says Luis Neves, CEO, GeSI.
These announcements underscore the growing momentum toward urban sustainability and the critical importance of collaboration across all levels—local, national, and international. With a focus on innovation, implementation, and multilevel cooperation, the partnerships announced at CEM15/MI9 mark a pivotal step toward achieving net-zero urban futures.
The Urban Transitions Mission, launched at COP26, empowers cities worldwide by providing the knowledge and support needed to drive successful urban transitions to net-zero. By mobilizing the strengths of cities and their communities, UTM helps develop tailored solutions that close the gap between research, development, and real-world implementation of sustainable, human-centered urban strategies. The Mission integrates innovative policies, technologies, financial models, and cooperative approaches to demonstrate how cities can achieve cost-effective, resilient, and feasible net-zero transitions. By prioritizing renewable energy, circular economy principles, and climate resilience, UTM ensures a people-centered approach to global urban transformation.
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About the Urban Transitions Mission (UTM)
Launched at COP26 under the framework of Mission Innovation (MI), the Urban Transitions Mission (UTM) is co-led by the European Commission, the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy, and JPI Urban Europe. UTM mobilise a Global Innovation Alliance of partners, and national governments to support cities to develop, pilot, and scale innovative solutions and approaches for urban transitions. The UTM mobilises a Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) of partners and governments including the government of India, Austria, Spain, Sweden and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to support cities to develop, pilot, and scale innovative solutions and approaches for urban transitions. Through the Urban Transitions Mission, cities will strengthen their net-zero visions, scale action, and accelerate implementation. The Mission works with a cohort of 100 ambitious cities worldwide to demonstrate integrated pathways towards holistic, people-centred urban transitions built around clean energy and innovative net-zero carbon solutions. By 2030, these pathways will be validated by a group of 250 cities and inspire cities across world regions on their journey towards decarbonisation.
About IEA Cities Technology Collaboration Programme
The International Energy Agency (IEA) is an intergovernmental organisation that works to shape a secure and sustainable future for all, through our focus on all fuels and all technologies, and our analysis and policy advice to governments and industry around the world.
Recognising the importance of helping cities to speed up their decarbonisation efforts the International Energy Agency has established a new Technology Collaboration Programme (TCP) Cities. This is an international cross-cutting initiative from the IEA family of technology programmes. It pools together all relevant information from the IEA cities-related Technology Collaboration Programmes and helps to reach out to the local level. The focus is on cities in transition and a number of high priority tasks have been initiated. The programme is made up of thousands of experts across government, academia and industry in 55 countries dedicated to advancing common research and the application of specific energy technologies.
About GeSI
The Global Enabling Sustainability Initiative (GeSI) is a member-centric organisation dedicated to leading the movement that defines, demonstrates, and acts on the enabling role of digital solutions in sustainability. We have over two decades of experience driving the sustainability agenda through cross-sector engagement, strategic partnerships, research, and sector expansion.
GeSI’s strategic agenda focuses on the greatest opportunities at the intersection of digital and sustainability, from circularity and smart cities to water digitization and artificial intelligence. Identifying how digital solutions can facilitate sustainable outcomes reflects members leveraging the unique platform of cross sector collaboration, carefully designed programs, platforms, and partnerships of GeSI ‘platform. Sharing a common vision and realizing the power of digital solutions,
We have a long history in demonstrating thought leadership, being among the first movers to tackle digital industry sustainability challenges in supply chains, conflict minerals, human rights, circular economy, sustainable products, climate change, science-based targets, GHG protocol standards for the ICT industry, Scope 3 sector Guidance methodology, Climate-related financial disclosures (TCFD) standards and methodologies.
