Climate Action Days: GHG Mitigation and Cities; The Potential for Positive Energy Districts

The launch of the Positive Energy District (PED) E‑Book and PED Navigator is a flagship knowledge‑exchange event designed to accelerate the understanding, implementation, and scaling of climate‑positive urban districts across Europe and beyond. Bringing together policymakers, city practitioners, researchers, industry partners, and community stakeholders, the event showcases two major resources developed to support cities on their journey toward climate neutrality.

Format of the Event

• Hybrid Launch Event combining in‑person participation with live online streaming to ensure broad accessibility.
• Keynote Presentations from leading experts in urban energy systems, climate governance, and PED innovation.
• Guided Demonstration of the PED Navigator digital tool, including live walkthroughs of its features, use cases, and decision‑support functions.
• Panel Discussion featuring city representatives and technical partners sharing practical insights from PED pilots and real‑world implementation.
• Interactive Q&A Session enabling participants to engage directly with authors, developers, and practitioners.
• Networking Session (in‑person and virtual) to foster collaboration across municipalities, research institutions, and industry actors.

Topics Covered

• Introduction to Positive Energy Districts and their role in climate mitigation, adaptation, and urban transformation.
• Overview of the PED E‑Book, including key concepts, methodologies, case studies, and lessons learned from European PED initiatives.
• Demonstration of the PED N- avigator, a practical tool designed to guide cities through planning, designing, and implementing PEDs.
• Climate‑aligned urban planning, including energy efficiency, renewable integration, mobility, and nature‑based solutions.
• Governance and financing models that enable PED deployment at district scale.
• Community engagement and social inclusion as essential components of successful PEDs.
• Innovation pathways, such as digitalisation, smart grids, and next‑generation district heating and cooling.

Objectives of the Event

• Introduce and disseminate two major resources—the PED E‑Book and PED Navigator—to support cities and practitioners in developing Positive Energy Districts.
• Strengthen capacity among local authorities, - planners, and technical experts by providing actionable guidance and practical tools.
• Showcase real‑world examples of PED development, highlighting challenges, solutions, and replicable approaches.
• Promote cross‑sector collaboration by connecting stakeholders from energy, urban planning, research, and community sectors.
• Support climate‑neutrality goals by equipping cities with the knowledge and tools needed to design districts that generate more renewable energy than they consume.
• Encourage uptake and scaling of PED concepts across Europe and globally.