The overall objective of Bin2Grid concept is to promote segregated collection of food waste as energy source, conversion to biogas, and its upgrading to biomethane and utilization in associated network of filling stations. To that end, accent will be given to defining strategies for establishing efficient network of food and beverage waste collection methods and practices. Also, whole range of food waste producers will be taken under consideration, i.e. manufacturing entities, catering/food services, retail stores. Since biological treatment (anaerobic digestion) is without an alternative for energy utilization of food waste and together with other raw materials creates a synergy for renewable energy production (biogas/biomethane). One of the biggest advantages of such a concept of energy production is having two issues covered at the same time: environmental protection with sustainable management of food waste and the production of renewable energy with its utilization as a biofuel. The existing technologies which are specific for this kind of raw materials will be explored. Having in mind that chemical energy of biogas is fully used when it has been upgraded to biomethane and used as a biofuel, particular attention will be given to advanced biogas to biomethane upgrading techniques for purification and technical requirements for its usage through local filling stations as a biofuel, in public transportation sector in particular (e.g. waste management trucks).

The overall aim of ENERGee Watch is to enable peer to peer learning for regional and local authorities in order to precisely define, monitor and verify their sustainable energy and climate actions. Its main target are associations and networks of cities and regions and the learning process will be focused on how different sustainable energy and climate mitigation projects have been monitored and evaluated. Primarily, we will build on existing platforms and needs assessment surveys to perform a needs assessment and gaps identification with public bodies for learning and match these needs with available best practices. Then, public authorities and their associations and agencies will be selected and matched with one of the seven mentors who are all partners of ENERGee Watch. The learning program will be divided into four modules that include: i) data collection, ii) monitoring and verification, iii) indicators for adaption to climate change, iv) data display, dissemination and validation by final users (local authorities). ENERGee Watch will launch 4 modules per year (one per each topic, twelve in total) with a total of 72 participating mentees, which are all associations or networks which can distribute the knowledge further to their members. The added value of ENERGee Watch is that the learning program is not limited to a capacity building process but instead enables networking and examples from practice shown on the field. In the first step of each cycle - the masterclass - each participant can choose the learning objectives they want to accomplish in order that their progress can be tracked, and thus transparent standards will be set. The learning program will ideally result in improved policies and MRV standards, as well as partnerships for innovative sustainable energy policies and MRV practices.

CREATE addresses the task Tackling Urban Road Congestion, taking a long-term view of how this can be achieved, especially in cities experiencing rapid growth in car ownership and use. It deals with most of the issues set out in the recent Urban Mobility Package. Objectives: • Rigorously and systematically develop practical definitions of urban road congestion and of network performance, and identify factors influencing conditions in different cities. • Work with Western European (WE) cities that have succeeded in decoupling traffic growth from economic growth, to analyse quantitatively the objective factors which have contributed to this, and the qualitative factors which have enabled a policy evolution from ‘supporting traffic growth’ to ‘encouraging sustainable mobility’. • Develop concrete guidance and provide capacity building for cities in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), and the EuroMed region, enabling them to move rapidly to develop a feasible, effective and deliverable Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP). • Anticipating future pressures on city transport systems (congestion and overcrowding), to investigate how new transport technologies might increase transport efficiency, and how non-transport technologies and changes in business and social practices could reduce pressures on transport systems. These objectives will be achieved by: • Analysing congestion and network performance data provided by INRIX and WE cities. • Using detailed household travel data from repeat surveys in WE cities since the 1970s/1980s and complementary data on network, economic and demographic conditions; and documents setting out historical policy development. • Preparing detailed guidance and training for our CEE cities, which will then be delivered to a much larger set of cities. • Working with leading technology providers, businesses and futurists, to explore what options there might be to provide high quality mobility in cities facing increasing population and employment.

SCREEN aims at the definition of a replicable systemic approach towards a transition to Circular Economy in EU regions within the context of the Smart Specialization Strategy, through the identification and implementation of operational synergies between R&I investments from H2020 and the European Structural and Investment Funds, thus contributing to novel future eco-innovative and horizontal business models across different value chains. The concept of the action is to develop a EU reference framework for establish operational synergies between Horizon 2020 and the European Structural and Investment Funds related to Circular Economy by: a) Sustaining the regional actors’ participation at H2020 The mechanism of the “vouchers”, already adopted in the past, will be reinforced an harmonized, in order to ensure common rules in EU regions and therefore encouraging to composition of international Consortia applying for circular economy projects related to the regional Smart Specialisation. b) Encouraging the entrepreneurial initiatives based on H2020 project’s results The participating Regions will agree about a specific rule in their Structural Funds giving an advantage for those initiatives targeted to the exploitation of the H2020 project results with a circular economy approach. c) Investigating the possibility of maximizing the H2020 investment through a “recovery”(fully or partial) of well ranked unfinanced proposals dealing with circular economy Even if there is a clear presence of several bureaucratic and operational barriers, a possible solution could have an impressive multiplier effect on the H2020 results. The approach of the action is to leverage on growing industry sectors in EU regions to act as a driver also for the less performing ones, through a circular economy approach, and to support the emergence of new actors in the regional economies leading to new or redesigned value chains.

Urban systems globally experience significant and interlinked societal challenges including pressures on public health and well-being and growing inequalities and social disruption. At the same time, urban systems are particularly vulnerable to impacts of climate change and suffer from degraded or lack of natural ecosystems to help alleviate these impacts. A promising approach to deal with these challenges is to work with nature’s capacity and qualities in a sustainability perspective. Working with nature in urban settings has advantages over other approaches: multi-functionality, multi-benefits and cost-effectiveness. Nature Based Solutions (NBS) are interventions that seek to restore, improve, enhance or conserve natural capital and biodiversity in terms of habitats or ecosystems. Subsequently, these ecosystems provide enhanced multiple ecosystem services that contribute to social and economic benefits, reducing the urban societal challenges. They can help build climate resilience in cities, improve liveability, and in collaboration with other urban priorities contribute to building inclusive communities, closing social equality gaps, while promoting innovative businesses and jobs. The aim of Regreen is to generate evidence for how Nature-based solutions (NBS) underpinned by improved urban governance, and public and private participation can systematically integrate ecosystem services and biodiversity and advocate their benefits and values in urban planning to meet societal challenges including climate change resilience, public health and well-being, and social inclusion. Co-creation with urban planners, citizens and business in urban living labs and educational programs for children ensure long-term sustainability of solutions, and support to business development assist further realization. This to accelerate the crucial transition toward smart, green and healthy cities in Europe and China.