Civitas Initiative

CIVITAS is one of the flagship programmes helping the European Commission achieve its ambitious mobility and transport goals, and in turn those in the European Green Deal. It does this by acting as a network of cities, for cities, dedicated to sustainable urban mobility. Through peer exchange, networking and training, CIVITAS fosters political commitment and boosts collective expertise, equipping cities to put mobility at the centre of decarbonisation. Since its launch in 2002, CIVITAS has advanced research and innovation in sustainable urban mobility and enabled local authorities to develop, test and roll out measures via a range of projects. A series of ten thematic areas underpin these. The need to shift to sustainable urban mobility is clear. Nearly 70% of EU citizens live in urban areas, where the effects of transport-produced greenhouse gas emissions – which account for a quarter of the EU’s total emissions – and noise pollution are felt most severely. These, alongside widespread congestion, are damaging quality of life and health. CIVITAS supports cities to make smart and sustainable urban mobility a reality for all. In doing so, it is ensuring that mobility is a driving force behind the creation of climate-neutral and resilient cities.