Valladolid is part of the select group of seven Smart and Climate Neutral Cities 2030, and today the city's mayor, Óscar Puente, highlighted its importance in the course organised by the Menéndez Pelayo International University. In Santander, the Mayor of Valladolid shared experiences with the other mayors and representatives of this group comprised of Madrid, Valencia, Vitoria, Zaragoza, Seville and Barcelona. The common denominator has been the commitment to sustainability in all areas of action to achieve the progressive reduction of polluting emissions and contribute to the fight against climate change.

The Menéndez Pelayo International University organised the course on the changes that must be faced in order to achieve a Europe with zero emissions by 2030, a process in which cities play an essential role, as they are major consumers of resources and energy and also major waste producers. Valladolid's mayor, Óscar Puente, reiterated Valladolid's support: ‘Our commitment to sustainability is clear. It is a responsibility and a challenge. We are determined not to disappoint and to make Valladolid a neutral and sustainable city in eight years time’.

In his speech, the Mayor referred to the heat wave and the decision of the Duero River Basin Authority to ban irrigation of green areas as clear evidence of the need to take advantage of the time available to intervene without delay in the fight against climate change: ‘We must convince citizens that a measure, even if it seems minimal, added to other small measures in other cities in many parts of the world, is effective’.

There are five aspects on which the Valladolid City Council's policy is based: planning is the most intelligent measure that can be taken in a city and that is why medium and long-term measures are necessary. The PGOU envisages a compact city as opposed to the previous model that enabled large urbanisations —the so-called homogeneous areas— far from the centre of the Plaza Mayor.

The second aspect is energy efficiency. The City Council is committed to biomass networks installation as a source of energy, the rehabilitation of buildings and the implementation of renewable energies, with the installation of solar panels.   

The third aspect is circular economy in an attempt to make the best use of all materials. It is no coincidence that the commitment of Spanish cities to circular economy promoted by the FEMP is called the Valladolid Declaration.

The fourth is urban renaturalisation to capture CO2 and achieve a greener city with imaginative solutions, such as the vertical gardens or the green roofs in Santa María street.

‘And mobility is absolutely key’, as Óscar Puente emphasised in listing the fifth area of action.  

Consequently, Valladolid City Council is committed to rationalising the use of private vehicles, which account for 30 percent of all journeys. The objective is the equitable distribution of urban space, which is why it is necessary to implement bold and effective measures. ‘Political consensus is needed,’ proclaimed Óscar Puente, who is lacking the cooperation of the opposition. Meanwhile, the Municipal Government will advocate the use of public transport, cycling, walking and the rational use of the private car.

It is in this context that the urgent need arises for cities to achieve the green and digital transformation advocated by the European Union, and which also offer great potential for new business and employment opportunities. This is the framework for the ‘Smart and Climate Neutral Cities 2030 Mission’. A total of 370 European municipalities, 28 of them Spanish, applied for selection, and Valladolid was chosen among them, together with the capitals that participated in the Santander meeting.

In November 2021, Valladolid City Council approved the roadmap for the Implementation of the European Mission 100 Smart and Climate Neutral Cities, demonstrating the city's ambition, commitment and commitment to achieving the city's goal of climate neutrality by 2030. A decisive step that was corroborated with the signing of a climate pre-contract by the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge and the CitiES2030 platform, which took place in Valladolid on December 13th in the presence of the Spanish Vice-President Teresa Ribera.

The City Council has already started working on the investment plan for Valladolid's climate neutrality. In fact, since the goal of neutrality was set in the November 2021 plenary session, the Innovation Agency is promoting meetings with the main financial entities and private investment groups to accelerate investment attraction in sustainable projects. 

The first is Sustainable Rehabilitation and Integrated Energy Efficiency Interventions, through which climate-neutral districts will be implemented. Climate neutrality in the private building stock will be promoted. Progress will be made towards the creation of at least one positive energy district. And work will be done to achieve the ‘Zero-Net Carbon’ label for all municipal buildings and those built under municipal supervision.   

A second line of action is dedicated to safe, sustainable urban and metropolitan mobility, which will promote public transport, the decarbonisation of municipal fleets and incentives for the sustainable mobility of business fleets.

Another area focuses on Circular Economy for sustainable consumption and production. 

A fourth lever is dedicated to the Renaturalisation of Valladolid. In this sense, Valladolid was one of the first European cities to commit itself to bringing nature back into the urban space.

And the fifth will be Governance for Climate Neutrality, whereby new forms of management and leadership will be established; innovation procedures will be enabled for the development of urban policies, with an emphasis on the knowledge economy; and regulatory, fiscal and organisational instruments will be applied. 

We would also like to point out the reasons for Valladolid's ambition to participate in the Mission. These reasons are: Opportunity, Challenge, Responsibility and Positioning