As part of the CLIMAS project, we are working to develop innovative methods for involving citizens in the development of climate protection and adaptation measures. In the municipality of Edermünde, randomly selected citizens developed recommendations for future land use in the face of climate change during three intensive sessions organised by ifok GmbH. The results? Among other things, the citizens are calling for:

  • Climate protection to be anchored as one core consideration for land use planning, e.g. through a ‘climate check’.
  • No new construction areas without unsealing other concreted areas.
  • Dialogues and participation formats for climate adaptation and land use

The recommendations were handed over to the municipal council and can be read here.

To get to these results and building on the work of other CLIMAS partners, the organisers have ventured into new territory and drawn valuable lessons:

  • Participants went on citizen science excursions to places directly affected by climate change and gained practical insights to inform their discussions.
  • They developed shared future visions for the municipality, which served as a common denominator and compass for the development of recommendations.
  • Plenty of time was reserved for dynamic group work with experts, allowing participants to develop a complex understanding of land planning and its inherent conflicts.
  • Systemic consensus building was used to fine-tune recommendations, ensuring clear and broad support from the Citizens’ Assembly’s decisions.
  • The discussion focused on conflicting goals, such as climate protection vs. individual interests, to stimulate value-based deliberations.

But this is just the beginning: the findings from all three European citizens’ assemblies (Catalonia, Riga, Edermünde) will be incorporated into the refinement of the toolbox for climate participation, which will be published next year. This will create a basis for sustainably strengthening citizen participation in climate protection in Europe, including – thanks to the Edermünde experiment – in rural areas.

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Picture credits: Dominik Werner

 

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Authors: ifok GmbH

The CLIMAS Project has received funding from European Union’s Horizon Europe under Grant Agreement N° 101094021. Follow CLIMAS on LinkedIn, Instagram and X, or subscribe to the newsletter to stay updated with the latest activities!