Mission for Climate Neutral and Smart Cities

Bratislava continues its ambition to become a climate-neutral city. On October 15, 2025, we officially received the EU Mission Label for the Mission for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities from the European Commission in Brussels.

This recognition places Bratislava among 103 European cities that have already met the mission’s requirements. The Cities Mission goal is to support cities on their path to climate neutrality by 2030 and to ensure that cities function as research and innovation hubs, gathering valuable experience for cities across Europe.

What does the Mission Label mean for Bratislava?

Receiving this recognition brings new opportunities for the city, such as:

• financial and technical support for implementation of the city’s climate projects,
• advocacy and support in removing legislative and procedural barriers,
• assistance with preparing investment projects and consultations from the European Investment Bank (EIB),
• exchange of experience with other Mission cities, either bilaterally or through the Net Zero Cities Mission Platform – netzerocities.eu. ↗︎

Climate City Contract

A key condition for achieving the Mission Label is the development of a City Climate Contract (CCC). The CCC is a comprehensive strategic document aimed at transforming the city towards sustainable development and climate neutrality, with defined commitments, an action plan and an investment plan. Among others, the CCC includes an analysis of legislation, local opportunities and partnerships, as well as barriers and challenges.

Bratislava has set a goal to reduce its emissions to 2.1 tonnes of CO₂e per capita by 2030, representing a 63% reduction compared to 2005, and to accelerate its path toward climate neutrality. In absolute numbers, this means a 57% reduction compared to the baseline; in 2022, total emissions were 1.67 million tonnes of CO₂e, or 3.51 tonnes per capita.

The contract builds upon the existing goals and measures of the Climate Plan, positioning the city as a coordinator and catalyst of local climate efforts – fostering partnerships with businesses, academia, communities, and the state, all necessary for achieving transformational goals. Moreover, it can serve as an advocacy tool toward national policies.

Priorities of the city climate policy include:

• decarbonisation of municipal buildings and development of photovoltaics,
• improvement of waste and wastewater management,
• promotion and development of sustainable urban mobility,
• reduction of the carbon footprint in the construction and operation of municipal, residential, and corporate buildings,
• active support for the decarbonisation of district heating through urban planning tools,
• adaptation of the city to the impacts of climate change, particularly heatwaves and heavy rainfall,
• climate mainstreaming.