Together with Aachen (Germany) and Košice (Slovakia), The City of Oslo has been granted €1.5 million for a project aimed at fostering climate-friendly procurement practices in European cities.

  • Tekst: Julie M. Følstad
  • Publisert: 3 januar, 2025

Oslo is one of 48 European cities receiving funds from the EU’s Enabling City Transformation Programme, which supports innovation for urban transformation. The programme seeks to develop solutions that can be shared across European cities and is part of the EU’s «Net Zero Cities» mission for climate-neutral and smart cities. 

Alongside Aachen and Košice, Oslo has secured €1.5 million for a project designed to enhance European cities’ capacity to use procurement—the acquisition of goods and services—as a tool for climate action. 

«The carbon footprint from public procurement is significant. Strengthening climate requirements helps to reduce emissions while driving industrial transformation and green growth. We look forward to this exciting project, which will mobilise the purchasing power of European cities,» said climate advisers Mari Huseby and Sofi Halling of Oslo’s Climate Agency. 

Oslo has long employed procurement as a strategic tool to reduce greenhouse gas emissions: 

  • Since 2019, the municipality has mandated climate and environmental requirements for all construction and civil engineering projects. This has resulted in fossil-free operations at municipal construction sites, with a growing shift towards zero-emission operations. 
  • Companies providing transport services to the municipality must now use 100% electric vehicles. 

What's Net Zero Cities?

Net Zero Cities is an initiative comprising 100 European cities aiming to achieve climate neutrality by 2030. Oslo, Trondheim, and Stavanger are the three Norwegian cities participating in the network.

By setting such climate requirements in procurement, cities can act as predictable partners for businesses and promote the transition to a green economy. 

The project draws inspiration from Oslo’s success story and aims to help other European cities implement similarly effective climate measures. It also seeks to strengthen commitments to emission reductions among European cities, providing businesses with greater predictability. 

«This offers a unique opportunity to test approaches and foster collaboration across European cities. We look forward to advancing green procurement in partnership with other forward-looking cities across Europe,» said Marit Vea, Oslo’s Vice Mayor for Environment and Transport. 

Oslo’s Climate Agency is leading the project, which will commence in March 2025. Partners include Aachen, Košice, SINTEF, and Creative Industry Košice. Oslo’s Climate Agency and the Agency for Improvement and Development will represent the city in the collaboration.