Are you a regional or provincial authority or not-for-profit organisation supporting cities on their climate and energy journey? Are you looking to amplify your impact and learn from peers across Europe?
The EU Covenant of Mayor invites Covenant Coordinators and Supporters to apply for the Peer Review Programme 2025-2026, a unique opportunity to exchange, learn, and lead the way in shaping sustainable, resilient, and energy-efficient territories across Europe.
What is the Peer Review Programme?
The Peer Review Programme is an interactive and collaborative learning initiative designed to enhance your ability to support local authorities in developing and implementing Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans (SECAPs).
Through three structured online sessions, participants will dive into one of Europe’s most urgent urban challenges: the decarbonisation of heating and cooling systems.
Building on the #CitiesHeatDetox campaign, this programme provides a dedicated space to share practical tools, policy approaches, and project experiences, all aimed at accelerating the shift toward clean, modern, and efficient heating and cooling infrastructures.
Who can apply?
The programme is open to all Covenant Coordinators and Supporters from EU-27 and EFTA countries. Organisations not yet formally committed to the Covenant may also apply, provided they finalise their registration before the programme begins in September 2025.
Participants can join the programme either as mentees and/or mentors. Mentees are those seeking guidance and inspiration to tackle the challenge of decarbonising heating and cooling systems. Mentors bring valuable experience and are ready to share successful practices, lessons learned, and strategies that can inspire others.
Why participate?
Joining the programme is a chance to connect with peers facing similar challenges, share your expertise, and co-create new approaches. Mentees will gain actionable insights and tools they can directly apply to their local context. Mentors will benefit by strengthening their leadership role in the Covenant community and refining their knowledge through structured reflection and exchange.
The programme also fosters long-term connections across Europe, building a supportive network of climate and energy practitioners committed to shared goals.
How does it work?
Each participating organisation will take part in three facilitated online sessions between September 2025 and January 2026. These sessions will focus on different aspects of the challenge and promote active discussion, peer feedback, and collaborative problem-solving.
At the end of the cycle, participants will produce a tailored roadmap, outlining key takeaways and the next steps for integrating what they’ve learned into their local strategies.
How to apply?
Applications are open from Monday, 9 June to Friday, 4 July 2025 (midnight CEST). Interested organisations must fill out the online form in English, available here!
Applicants must describe their role as a Covenant Coordinator or Supporter, indicate whether they wish to join as a mentor and/or mentee, and explain their motivation for participating. They should also highlight the specific challenges they want to address or the expertise they’re ready to share.
To ensure meaningful exchange, all participants must have at least a B2 level of English.
Selected participants will be notified by August 2025.
More information
For further details about the programme or the application process, feel free to contact:
Valentina Alberti – valentina.alberti@eumayors.eu
Capacity Building (Masterclasses, Peer-to-Peer Learning, Technical Assistance)
The EU Covenant of Mayors