This topic is a continuation of the Driving Urban Transitions to a sustainable future (DUT) Co-Funded Partnership to enable the roll-out of its full strategy and action plan and assist cities in their sustainability and climate neutrality transitions. Actions will contribute to the achievement of the European Green Deal targets, the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development commitments, the Urban Agenda for the EU, the New EU Urban Mobility Framework, the Habitat III New Urban Agenda and the Paris Agreement. European cities need to engage urgently in sustainability and climate-neutrality transitions.

The partnership is expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• Enhanced multi-level cooperation and alignment on R&I on sustainable urban development across and within cities, regions, and countries, including international outreach and cooperation with other networks and initiatives;
• EU is strengthened as a role model for R&I on sustainable urban development; cooperate with international cities and research funding networks (e.g., Belmont Forum) to align strategies and R&I agendas and strengthen the role of DUT as co-lead of the Urban Transitions Mission (UTM) under Mission Innovation (MI). In this context, potential synergies could be also considered with ongoing EU funded work related to Africa, to enhance the implementation of DUT Strategic Research &Innovation Agenda (SRIA);
• Set up innovative, cross-sectoral, and inclusive urban governance, policy, and decision-making harnessing the full potential of social science and citizens’ engagement in the city development process;
• Integrate emerging mobility and transport services, and align them with the citizens’ needs and preferences;
• Foster sustainable, climate-neutral, safe, resilient, socially inclusive, liveable, and attractive neighbourhoods, towns, cities and urban services, with reduced environmental footprint (e.g., burdens from other pollutants, foster the reuse of materials in view of increased integration of circularity aspects) and net-zero greenhouse emissions, and enhance well-being and quality of life for citizens;
• Empower local authorities, municipalities, businesses, social partners, civil society, knowledge institutions and citizens with necessary capacity, knowledge and skills; deliver efficient urban tools, solutions methodologies and processes to actively engage in sustainability and climate-neutrality transitions;
• Increase science and evidence-based implementation of the European Green Deal, the Urban Agenda for the EU and other European, national, regional, and local urban-relevant policies and strategies (e.g., Circular Economy Action Plan).

The proposal should capitalise upon new collaboration opportunities offered by the Association Agreements to Horizon Europe, the “EU Climate Neutral and Smart Cities” Mission and the Global Urban Transitions Mission (UTM) of Mission Innovation to enhance expertise, capacities, critical mass and broaden geographical coverage and outreach capacity. With respect to international outreach, mutual benefits from collaboration and cooperation with global and international cities and research funding networks should be pursued to align strategies and research agendas and promote scientific evidence and good practice for urban policy at international level.