Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja told the M100 Climate Neutrality Forum on Tuesday that there are leaders in public administration who have the vision to transform their own cities, to make them more visible, better, more competitive for the next generation.

He said, in context, that the government is working on an investment programme by issuing green bonds. „We are talking about an investment of more than 800 million euros, of which 300 million euros for the M100 cities that will be announced today and half a billion for the heating systems that need so much investment,” Burduja said.

The minister maintains that Romania will develop and grow thanks to its cities.

Ten cities from 16 registered municipalities will be announced on Tuesday at the M100 Climate Neutrality Forum, organised by the M100 National Hub, to join the Mirror Mission Cities Hub Romania – Mirror Mission of the EU’s „100 smart and climate neutral cities” initiative.

The event is attended by mayors and representatives of cities that want to become climate neutral by 2035, as well as members of the international jury composed of renowned professionals from various relevant areas, such as urban planning, climate neutrality or sustainable development.

The M100 Climate Neutrality Forum offers, for two days, a platform for dialog to identify solutions and funding opportunities, opens debates and presents examples of best practices through case studies from Romanian cities, but also from partner cities: Stavanger, Trondheim and Reykjavik.

The M100 Forum is part of the project Towards Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities through Mutual Learning, Engagement and Capacity-Building, funded by EEA and Norwegian grants through the Bilateral Relations Fund and implemented by UEFISCDI as programme operator, in partnership with Urbanize Hub – the Association for Local Development, the Order of Romanian Architects (OAR), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Nordic Edge, and RANNIS – Icelandic Center of Research.

AGERPRES