Bauhaus4Med participated in the panel discussion at the EMEA COP30 side-event “𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 & 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, last Friday, 21st of November.
The discussion emphasized that citizens must be at the centre of climate action and showed how linking citizens’ assemblies, living labs and climate modelling can turn scientific evidence into community-driven solutions and reinforce the democratic foundations of climate governance.
Anja Prislan, from e-Zavod, presented the experience from the project 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹𝘀. She mentioned that for the past 20 years, through project implementation on green and climate challenges, a few recurring problems keep coming up in the cities and communities:
1.Citizens feel pushed, not invited.
Many people experience the green transition as something they must do, not something they want to be part of.
2.Policies focus on restrictions, not creativity.
EU green policies are often perceived as rules and limitations rather than a space for collaboration, innovation and local solutions.
3.Weak civic engagement.
Community participation in local decision-making is still low, and many residents don’t feel their voice truly matters.
4.Fragmented governance.
Institutions often work in silos, with limited involvement of local stakeholders and citizens in shaping climate and green policies.
What we do differently in the framework of Bauhaus4med ?
We work on empowering citizens to actively co-shape their urban environment. In 3 testing regions and 2 cities, we have set up two key structures:
- Local Nodes – hubs that connect institutions, experts and stakeholders.
- Local Assemblies – spaces where citizens come together to discuss priorities and solutions.
Through the Local Assemblies, our project partners asked citizens a simple but powerful question:
👉 Which green and climate challenges matter most to you?
Based on their answers, an open call was launched, inviting citizens and stakeholders to propose ideas on how these challenges should be addressed.
All submitted ideas were then assessed by citizens and experts together, working through the Local Nodes and using the New European Bauhaus principles (sustainability, aesthetics, inclusion).
The best solutions will now be implemented with citizens, not for them – closing the loop from participation to real change on the ground.
Stay tuned for more!
Check out the video Below!
