Tauragė in western Lithuania is to receive a €20 million loan from the European Investment Bank to fund projects including new cycling paths, zero-emission buses and energy-efficiency upgrades to public buildings.
The money will support the municipality’s plan to become climate neutral by 2030 through investments in sustainable mobility, renewable energy and modern public infrastructure, the European Investment Bank (EIB) informed on Tuesday.
Planned works include a 16.9 km network of new cycling paths, additional zero-emission buses for the city’s public transport fleet, the revitalisation of the Jūra River waterfront, energy-efficiency renovations of schools and public buildings, and expanded water and wastewater services across Tauragė district.
The €20 million loan forms part of a wider investment programme worth more than €110 million, funded through a mix of European Union, municipal and EIB financing.
Advisory support for cycling investment
Alongside the loan, the EIB said it will provide advisory support through the InvestEU Advisory Hub to help Tauragė implement its cycling-path investments as part of the city’s sustainable transport programme.
Tauragė is one of 100 EU municipalities taking part in the EU’s Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission — an EU programme that targets climate neutrality by 2030 for selected cities.
The programme will also support projects including social housing and care facilities, preservation and adaptive reuse of historic buildings, and water and wastewater infrastructure.
The financing contributes to the EastInvest Facility, a European initiative supporting investment in EU eastern border regions.
