POCACITO

The project POst-CArbon CIties of TOmorrow – foresight for sustainable pathways towards liveable, affordable and prospering cities in a world context (POCACITO) will develop an evidence-based 2050 roadmap for EU post-carbon cities. POCACITO facilitates the transition of EU cities to a forecasted sustainable or “post-carbon” economic model. The project focuses on towns, cities, megacities, metropolitan areas and urban clusters larger than 1 million people as well as small and medium-sized cities. POCACITO’s approach uses participatory scenario development as a mutual learning and living lab environment strategy. The project recognises that post-carbon city transitions should improve urban resilience to fluctuating environmental and socio-economic pressure. Pressure in this context includes long-term changes in urban resident demographics, city and rural migration patterns, and potential city health concerns.

Further, POCACITO develops innovative long-term outlooks for European post-carbon cities to address climate adaptation and urban environmental metabolism concerns by using a participatory city case study approach. Case study cities include Barcelona, Copenhagen/Malmö, Istanbul, Lisbon, Litomerice, Milan/Turin, Offenburg and Zagreb. These cities will develop qualitative post-carbon visions with local stakeholders. Visions will be chosen based on selected best-practice measures and preliminary city assessments. Accompanying studies will yield a typology of post-carbon cities and a post-carbon city index. A “marketplace of ideas” will spread best practices from other EU cities and global cities in global emerging nations, allowing an international exchange of urban best practices. Related research will produce case study city roadmaps and an evidence-based 2050 roadmap for post-carbon EU cities within a global context. The project’s research supports the sustainable development objective of the Europe 2020 strategy and the Innovation Union flagship initiative.