The European City Calculator functions as a strategic simulation tool, enabling local governments to assess the potential impact of various climate policies before implementation. This facilitates more efficient, data-driven urban planning aligned with long-term sustainability goals.
Author: Carbon Market Watch (via carbonmarketwatch.org)
The European City Calculator emerges as an innovative, open-access solution designed to support local authorities across Europe in crafting and evaluating urban decarbonisation strategies. Developed under the EUCityCalc project, this forward-looking modelling platform enables municipalities to simulate climate transition scenarios by integrating energy, material, and emissions data across all relevant sectors.
Its intuitive and open web interface allows experts, policymakers, and citizens alike to explore mitigation measures, assess their impacts, and identify potential synergies, thereby fostering more informed and participatory decision-making. Unlike conventional monitoring tools, the European City Calculator visualises pathways to climate neutrality by accounting for variables such as technological innovation, behavioural change, and local policy dynamics.
To date, ten pilot cities from six European countries have used the tool to develop tailored, data-driven scenarios. Although the project concluded in 2024, the platform remains available and is expected to continue evolving through initiatives such as the SPARKLE programme, reaffirming its role as a key instrument in achieving the EU’s 2050 climate targets.
