November 2024

Looking Forward: How Can Europe Leverage the Transformative Potential of Local Initiatives?

The first Urban Doers Community will soon publish 12 actionable policy recommendations for cities, national institutions and the EU. Implementing these recommendations could help address challenges such as waste management, urban mobility, and community engagement, while leveraging the insights of Urban Doers to drive impactful change in cities across Europe. 

Associations, grassroots organisations and small business initiatives can act faster and in more boundary-pushing ways, compared to the slow bureaucratic pace of change in public administration. This is why DUT  believes that Urban Doers can support city policymakers driving effective transformation in cities. In an interview, four of the initiatives share examples of how they are improving the circularity of materials, empowering communities, influencing urban mobility plans and establishing alternative ways of producing and consuming energy.

 

DUT connects local knowledge with European ambitions through the first Urban Doers Community

In a policy consultation workshop with the Urban Doers Community celebrated last month, the 20 local initiatives from 13 countries defined 12 policy recommendations for local, national and EU institutions. The resulting policy recommendations provide actionable steps to drive sustainability-oriented transformations in cities, addressing the expected short and long term impacts and the key stakeholders needed to implement the proposed actions.

As some local initiatives pointed out in the workshop, they may be well positioned to advise municipal officials on the characteristics of each neighbourhood and the needs of its residents. Similarly, local initiatives would benefit from support from municipalities, such as being provided with a space to carry out workshops and materials to inform citizens. 

However, as discussed in a recent Urban Lunch Talk, local sustainability initiatives focused on community-led change often struggle to secure funding despite their awareness of local challenges and their ability to help addressing them. Through the Urban Doers Community, DUT therefore plays a key role in facilitating the contribution of Urban Doers with local knowledge to help cities achieve climate neutrality goals.

 

» Explore the 12 policy recommendations