Limerick City and County Council welcomes the invitation for Limerick to become a Mission Minded City, strengthening its connection with the European Union’s Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission and the NetZeroCities Mission Platform.
The invitation recognises Limerick’s climate ambition and the work already under way across the city. It will connect Limerick with a European community of cities working together to address the practical challenges involved in creating a low-carbon, climate-neutral future.
Participation will provide opportunities for Limerick to learn from other European cities, share its own experience and collaborate on practical approaches to accelerating the transition towards climate neutrality by 2050.
Limerick will also be able to access knowledge, expertise and other supports through the NetZeroCities Mission Platform, as well as explore potential funding opportunities.
At national level, Limerick will be eligible to participate in Ireland’s National Mirror Group, which brings together the five Irish cities involved in the wider Mission approach. This will create further opportunities to exchange knowledge, help inform national policy development and access ring-fenced funding opportunities.
Limerick has already benefited from its engagement with the NetZeroCities programme. In 2025, it was selected as one of 24 European Twin Cities and matched with Tampere in Finland for an 18-month programme focused on sharing knowledge and transferring good practice in sustainable mobility.
Mayor of Limerick, John Moran, said the invitation would allow Limerick to build on its climate ambition through greater European collaboration:
“Missions are about tackling big, difficult challenges together, pooling the strengths and ingenuity of people right across society. When everyone pulls in the same direction towards a shared goal, the benefits can be revolutionary.
“For Limerick, becoming a Mission Minded City means learning from what’s working elsewhere, sharing our own experience and putting good ideas into practice here. Plenty of places talk a big game on climate action; what counts is getting on with the work and delivering results. This is our chance to up the ante, build on what we’re already doing in Limerick and make real progress towards climate neutrality by 2050.”
Príomh Chomhairleoir of Limerick City and County Council, Cllr Tom Ruddle, said the European recognition reflected the contribution being made across Limerick:
“Climate action is most effective when it delivers real and visible benefits for people in their daily lives, from more energy-efficient buildings and cleaner transport choices to greener public spaces and stronger, more resilient communities.
“This invitation recognises the ambition being shown across Limerick and gives us an opportunity to work with cities facing many of the same challenges. By sharing knowledge and experience, we can identify approaches that will make a meaningful difference for communities throughout Limerick.”
Director General of Limerick City and County Council, Dr Pat Daly, said:
“The transition to a climate-neutral Limerick is not something the Council can deliver alone. We must support households, communities and businesses in making that transition, while also creating new opportunities for investment, innovation and sustainable economic growth.
“Becoming a Mission Minded City will give Limerick greater access to the knowledge, partnerships and expertise needed to turn our climate ambition into practical action. It will also strengthen our ability to collaborate at national and European level as we work towards a more sustainable and resilient Limerick.”
Limerick’s Climate Action
Limerick City and County Council’s Climate Action Plan 2024–2029 sets out the ambition for Limerick to become climate-resilient, biodiversity-rich, environmentally sustainable and climate-neutral by 2050.
Limerick’s invitation to become a Mission Minded City builds on this work, connecting the city with European partners working towards climate neutrality.
Limerick has also signed the Cork Call to Action on Climate and Health and was accredited to the WHO European Healthy Cities and Counties Network in 2025. These commitments recognise the close relationship between climate action, people’s health and the creation of more sustainable and resilient communities.
Work already under way includes the Limerick Biodiversity Action Plan 2025–2030, the Limerick City and Environs Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy, the Community Climate Action Programme, expansion of the Active Travel network and Limerick Going for Gold.
