Community-based action for a green transition

ended

The CO-GREEN action develops an intervention model that supports community development in ecological transition, and is based on bottom-up strategic planning and participatory local measures that engage and empower peripheral communities, i.e., those involved in Poland, Italy, Croatia, and Greece which are not located in urban centres, and which are not directly involved in local/regional decision-making processes about green policies. Since the outcomes of the Green Deal will largely depend on its further assimilation, interpretation and implementation, it is essential that the green transition becomes also a just and inclusive transition and a desirable one from a social perspective. To this end, the local teams of “green activators” will provide proximity action, aimed at raising citizens’ awareness about how to tackle criticalities affecting their wellbeing and environmental protection, and at supporting a conscientization/empowerment process focussing on what their role can be in the design and implementation of green policies, and what potential they have in terms of imagination and aspirations. With the CO-GREEN project, we aim at strengthening citizens' perception and at supporting their direct engagement in a number of complex issues that are connected with the environmental transition, such as: the rural/urban divide, urban degradation, depopulation processes in the most disadvantaged areas, etc. Approximately 2800 participants will be directly engaged in the proposed surveys, workshops, webinars, local “citizens’ laboratories”, communication and dissemination events, and +7000 will be indirectly involved. Furthermore, the interdisciplinary project partnership, made of NGOs, academic/research institutions, local authority will ensure a deeper objective insight into local contexts, promoting community-based/participated practices founded on evidence and data.