Sparkle

Urban Lab is participating as partner in the European project SPARKLE – Sustainable Planning And Resilience: Knowledge Learning Environment. This initiative is funded by the European Union’s LIFE Programme, that sustains initiatives aimed at enhancing climate neutrality, resilience to climate change, while protecting, restoring, and improving environmental quality, including air, water, and soil. Through this programme, the EU supports the transition to a sustainable, circular, and energy-efficient economy based on renewable energy sources.

The overall goal of the project is to develop a pioneering capacity building program that will equip over 600 Local and Regional Authorities (LRAs) with the skills, capacity, tools, support and inspiration they need to successfully develop and implement their clean energy transition. It will provide:

• A free open access on-line learning platform with a) a “common track” to provide LRAs with common knowledge on climate and energy planning in 6 languages; b) 5 ‘specialized tracks’ to enable LRAs to go further, exploring learning pillars on governance, fossil free districts, community energy, sustainable food and resource-wise economies.

• 5 in-person thematic summer/winter schools for 150 policy makers and civil servants; a free open-access transition pathway modelling tool to support LRAs in their planning, engagement and decision-making.

• Mentoring and peer-to-peer support to put learning into practice, leading to the draft and update of SECAPs and other climate and energy plans.

The learning platform and modelling tool will be sustained well beyond the funded period, with opportunities for upscaling explored, providing vital resources to LRAs in implementing their clean energy and climate transition across Europe.

Specifically, Urban Lab will oversee activities pertaining to Work Package 2 (WP2), which includes conducting needs assessment workshops with lead cities and other invited cities to gather input for establishing learning objectives and defining the content of the learning pillars. Urban Lab will also manage the coordination of winter/summer schools for each learning pillar.