We are glad to announce that after 3.5 years the European Commission (EC)-funded H2020 project, PROSPECT, came to an end leaving behind some great results and achievements!

Innovative financing for sustainable projects is an option that allows for additional benefits compared to traditional loans and subsidies, but local authorities usually have little experience though high interest in them. PROSPECT came to fill in this gap and enrich their knowledge on how to identify and use innovative financing.

PROSPECT allowed 195 local and regional authorities to exchange knowledge and experience on how to set up innovative financing schemes to implement their climate and energy measures. That also meant 164 mentees and 41 mentors from 29 countries.

Our team is grateful for participating in this inspiring project, with an amazing consortium, and pioneer cities committing to change, sometimes with few available resources, yet incommensurable motivation and a will to participate in the energy transition. We would like to thank them all and hope for further collaboration in such great initiatives!

The project might have finished but PROSPECT leaves us with many inspiring and enriching resources, all available on the project website.

Finally, we recommend 2 publications to start 2021 with inspiring reading:

1. Needs assessment of local and regional authorities in implementing projects related to sustainable and climate action plans with innovative financing schemes– a short report presenting the project lessons learnt, an overview of the needs and findings of public authorities, and conclusions/recommendations for the future.

2. Finance your sustainable and climate action, experience from 195 public authorities in your hands for learning and replication– a comprehensive guide of the main project outcomes relevant for the peer to peer method and the replication by local and regional authorities in implementing projects related to sustainable and climate action plans with innovative financing schemes.