The innovative proposal “Metronomos”, coordinated by the Municipality of Ioannina with the support of the Municipality of Kozani, ELSTAT, Break Even Consulting and the Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development of the Athens Observatory, was distinguished at the European level. Its inclusion in the NetZeroCities program, which is part of the Horizon Europe initiative, makes it the only Greek proposal approved for the implementation of innovative actions aimed at tackling climate change and promoting urban sustainability.

The NetZeroCities project gathered more than 300 proposals from cities across Europe. After intense competition, only 26 proposals (representing 48 cities) were selected to participate in this ground-breaking initiative. Ioannina and Kozani stand out as the only Greek cities participating through the “Metronomos” proposal, highlighting the importance of cooperation between municipal authorities, scientific bodies and specialized consulting companies to promote sustainable solutions in modern cities.
In the framework of the program, innovative actions for climate change will be implemented, utilizing modern tools developed by the Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development of the Athens Observatory, ensuring that these cities will be models of innovation and sustainability at the European level.

The Institute for Research on Environment and Sustainable Development with its expertise in urban resilience and sustainability, has created a cutting-edge tool that uses free data and satellite technologies to monitor the impacts of climate actions. The tool leverages large amounts of data (Big Data) and information from the Copernicus program to monitor building energy efficiency, solar energy use and road transport emissions. At the same time, it integrates the possibilities of electrification and greenness, creating an integrated model for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Break Even Consulting plays a key role in the development and pilot implementation of the “Metronomos” platform in the cities of Ioannina and Kozani, ensuring its functionality and adaptation to the particular needs of the cities. At the same time, he participates in the management and coordination of the project, in the design of the technical specifications, as well as in the creation of strategies for the sustainability and future expansion of the platform. In addition, it contributes to the dissemination of results and to the strengthening of citizen participation.

The success of the “Metronomos” proposal proves that Greek innovation and cooperation can play a leading role in shaping sustainable cities and in achieving the European goals for climate neutrality.