Table 3 The cities’ objectives of the governance arrangement developed through transition management (adapted from de Geus et al. 2022)

Brașov (RO)

- Climate neutrality

- Raise share of renewable energy in local energy mix

- Decarbonize public buildings and heating system

- Transform transport into fully electric ‘Mobility as a Service’

- Sustainable and inclusive city expansion, incl. green spaces

- Become a sustainable city model for other communities

- Support local producers and entrepreneurs

- Involve stakeholders and citizens in sustainable planning process

Brest métropole (FR)

- Focus on mobilisation of actions (e.g. creating alliances between actors)

- Act locally to contribute to changing national regulations/market rules

- Involve many internal services in transition team

- Develop governance model for external transition team and Engagement Committee

Dublin (IE)

- Create a 'transition community' of stakeholders for development and implementation of a roadmap

- Engage citizens from the start of the road mapping process (e.g. engagement campaign)

- Encourage local organisations to think beyond their own agenda

- Pro-actively act (instead of following national level)

Mouscron (BE)

- Increase climate ambition

- Mobilise citizens: Involve more target groups and stakeholders in climate plans

- Initiate communication and collaboration between municipal departments to streamline climate action

Niš (RS)

- Align with EU climate goals

- Share power between municipality and citizens or representatives from organisations

València (ES)

- Increase climate ambition

- Collaborate with external actors

- Have other sectors/entities as leading parts of the process

- Give ownership of strategy to citizens

- Take demonstration projects as starting point

- Identify and facilitate upscaling of niches (e.g. pilot projects of new energy models)