Roadmap for Post-carbon cities in Europe: Transition to sustainable and resilient urban living

Abstract:

City-led initiatives have gained momentum in international cooperative action in 2016. For example, the Global Covenant of Mayors initiative, the entry into force of the Paris Agreement, and the Habitat III UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development.

Yet, despite increasing awareness of these developments and an expectation that cities will play a key role in the transition to a post-carbon future, citizens, or more broadly stakeholders, have so far not fully participated in the decision-making process.

This paper presents lessons from the POCACITO project stakeholder consultation process, which is characterised by visioning, backcasting and quantification, and recommends that the EU, member states and cities focus on adapting governance models, increase support for capacity building, and establish a monitoring and evaluation system to help cities to meet voluntary commitments.