Three cities building back better: Madrid, Milan and Amsterdam

In The News 24 Sep 2020

EIT Climate-KIC will host a session at the 18th European Week of Regions and Cities to share on-the-ground insights from cities engaging citizens in ambitious energy transitions for systemic change.

You don’t have to work in climate change or city planning to have heard the ubiquitous term ‘build back better’, or to be lectured that cities are ‘at the frontline’ of COVID-19 and ‘testbeds’ for green recovery strategies. (Though we have certainly made these points many times!)

Collaboration, systemic change and citizen engagement are other buzzwords and entreaties, and Google Alerts for ‘systemic change’ are starting to get much more copious, and interesting, including this article in the Financial Times – Building back better requires systemic shifts.

Is it possible to overcomplicate the big picture stuff? Are incrementalism and technological innovation the straw man of systemic change?

It’s easy to think so, but intention and systems impacts matter. Here’s a nice definition from Micha Narberhaus of Virtual Teams for Systemic Change:

“Systemic change is required when efforts to change one aspect of a system fail to fix the problem. The whole system needs to be transformed. Systemic change means that change has to be fundamental and affects how the whole system functions. Systemic change can [in some cases] mean gradual institutional reforms, but those reforms must be based on and aimed at a transformation of the fundamental qualities and tenets of the system itself.”

For this reason, ‘stories’ of systemic change can be thought of as episodic ‘case studies in motion’, certainly at this point in our journey towards systemic change.

So how do we decide which interventions have ‘systems impacts’ and which perpetuate negative patterns or introduce new ones? How can we understand which combinations of innovations – across education, technology, art, finance, procurement, citizen engagement and other relevant levers of change – offer a fast track to emissions reductions, economic health and social justice?

EIT Climate-KIC has set up a framework for working with Europe’s most ambitious cities, to help us map and understand the interacting local and big picture systems that drive unwanted outcomes in cities, and to build portfolios of joined-up innovations aimed at place-based transformations.

Milan, Madrid and Amsterdam are just three of the fifteen cities in the first cohort of our Deep Demonstration of Healthy, Clean Cities.

Join EIT Climate-KIC CEO Kirsten Dunlop and our city partners online at #EURegionsWeek on 20 October 2020 to hear some early insights from these ‘case studies in motion’ and to register your interest in joining the programme’s second wave, as a funder of ambitious systemic change or as a city government.

Register by 27 September 2020 to secure your place: Citizen engagement at the heart of energy transitions

REGISTER HERE

 
Location

Related Articles

Así concluyó el I Festival Cántabro de la Economía Circular y la Bioeconomía Technological innovation at the service of cities to make them more sustainable Technological innovation at the service of cities to make them more sustainable
Back to all Articles
Articles you may be interested in
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
Así concluyó el I Festival Cántabro de la Economía Circular y la Bioeconom...

La semana del 28 de noviembre al 2 de...

Así concluyó el I Festival Cántabro de la Economía Circular y la Bioeconomía
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
Technological innovation at the service of cities to make them more sustainabl...

Last Tuesday, December 14, the Demo Day Madrid took...

Technological innovation at the service of cities to make them more sustainable
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
Technological innovation at the service of cities to make them more sustainabl...

Last Tuesday, December 14, the Demo Day Madrid took...

Technological innovation at the service of cities to make them more sustainable
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
Moving forward together – Collaboration as the key to success on our qu...

From Renewable energy to environmental protection, from circular economy...

Moving forward together – Collaboration as the key to success on our quest to reach climate neutrality.
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
New equity crowdfunding programme unearths cleantech start-ups

Found by us, funded by you, a new start-up...

New equity crowdfunding programme unearths cleantech start-ups
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
Second life battery prototype will be installed in the Pinada Labs by Lions2Li...

A second life battery prototype was built at the...

Second life battery prototype will be installed in the Pinada Labs by Lions2Life project
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
EU Commission publishes sustainable finance taxonomy

The European Commission has published its EU-wide classification system for...

EU Commission publishes sustainable finance taxonomy
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
Climate resilience needs community roots

EIT Climate-KIC partner Democratic Society has launched its Democratic...

Climate resilience needs community roots
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
New EIT initiative to boost innovation in higher education

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) is...

New EIT initiative to boost innovation in higher education
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
EIT Climate-KIC and partners collaborate with Laudes Foundation to advance Mad...

EIT Climate-KIC, with the support of Laudes Foundation, announces...

EIT Climate-KIC and partners collaborate with Laudes Foundation to advance Madrid and Milan sustainable urban approach across Europe
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
Inclusive guide helps communities build urban resilience

The new Urban Action Kit, launched by the International...

Inclusive guide helps communities build urban resilience
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
Madrid on the path to climate neutrality

The city of Madrid has presented this week the...

Madrid on the path to climate neutrality
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
Integrating nature with technology to strengthen climate adaptation

The European Commission released the new EU Climate Adaptation...

Integrating nature with technology to strengthen climate adaptation
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
Why sustainable water management needs a systemic solution

Ensuring that fresh water is available, in a sustainable...

Why sustainable water management needs a systemic solution
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
Wanted: Green business ideas to fix climate change

Starting today, the seventh edition of the global green...

Wanted: Green business ideas to fix climate change
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
EIT Climate-KIC is a key player in helping Europe adapt to climate change

EIT Climate-KIC welcomes the new EU strategy on adaptation...

EIT Climate-KIC is a key player in helping Europe adapt to climate change
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
Boosting climate adaptation with innovation, an Opinion by Dr. Tom Mitchell

Opinion Tom Mitchell, EIT Climate-KIC Chief Strategy Officer Innovation...

Boosting climate adaptation with innovation, an Opinion by Dr. Tom Mitchell
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
Teaching others how talk about climate change made easy with new guide

The EIT Climate-KIC supported #TalkingClimate Workshop—The Trainer’s Guide by...

Teaching others how talk about climate change made easy with new guide
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
Green Invest from Stuttgart and Start Park from Florence win Climathon Awards ...

A total of 140 teams of citizen finalists applied...

Green Invest from Stuttgart and Start Park from Florence win Climathon Awards 2020
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
PlenEat, a project that boosts the rural-urban virtuous circle

On their website they define themselves as a project...

PlenEat, a project that boosts the rural-urban virtuous circle
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
EIT Climate-KIC’s Open Accelerator: collaboration, not competition

It is no secret that to tackle climate change...

EIT Climate-KIC’s Open Accelerator: collaboration, not competition
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
Circular economy as the best short-term solution to boost the sustainability o...

LOOP-Ports circular economy project, coordinated by Fundación Valenciaport and...

Circular economy as the best short-term solution to boost the sustainability of European ports
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
Open Call: Climate Innovation Leadership Programme

EIT Climate-KIC has opened a call for the new...

Open Call: Climate Innovation Leadership Programme
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
A Snapshot of EIT Climate-KIC’s Innovation Portfolio

Societies worldwide are waking up to the need to...

A Snapshot of EIT Climate-KIC’s Innovation Portfolio
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
Why should countries and regions look to a circular approach?

By 2050, the world will consume resources equivalent to...

Why should countries and regions look to a circular approach?
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
Madrid, Amsterdam and Milan: Three cities putting citizen participation at the...

The Extinction Rebellion or Fridays for Future global actions...

Madrid, Amsterdam and Milan: Three cities putting citizen participation at the heart of climate action
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
Partnering with EIT Climate-KIC on the New Accelerator: Call for Expressions o...

We are looking for new and existing EIT Climate-KIC...

Partnering with EIT Climate-KIC on the New Accelerator: Call for Expressions of Interest
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
EIT Climate-KIC leads collective efforts to accelerate Madrid’s transition t...

A cross- KIC (Knowledge and Innovation Community) initiative is...

EIT Climate-KIC leads collective efforts to accelerate Madrid’s transition towards carbon neutrality
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
Young Innovators organiza dos talleres para profesorado en España

El programa Young Innovators de EIT Climate-KIC en colaboración...

Young Innovators organiza dos talleres para profesorado en España
CLIMATE-KIC NEWS
New online magazine Branch explores the sustainability of the internet

his week saw the launch of Branch magazine, a...

New online magazine Branch explores the sustainability of the internet