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A new open-access paper on carbon-neutral smart cities published in World Development. The paper delves into the current EU policy and strategy for advancing smart carbon–neutral development across Europe, as outlined by the EU Cities Mission, which aims to boost climate neutrality across 112 cities by 2030. Primary objective of the paper is to explore synergies between theoretical concepts and their practical application in realising smart carbon–neutral development. We examine the challenges associated with scaling up this type of development alongside the systemic changes required to achieve significant levels for mitigation and adaptation.
Using the Net Zero Action Plan for Thessaloniki as a case study, we examine the efficacy of designing policies at the operational and governance levels. We argue that a complexity-based approach is applicable in this context. As we refine our understanding of the spatial impact of interventions, our certainty regarding the necessary governance level diminishes, and vice versa. We also discuss the potential for realizing the ambitious objectives of the EU Cities Mission through a convolution perspective and the challenges associated with bridging the gap between theoretical concepts and practical implementation.
Pdf: Smart carbon–neutral development: Embracing complexity with multi-level governance and convolution