Objective
Madrid is one of the 112 cities selected by the European Union to achieve its mission of becoming carbon neutral by 2030. At itdUPM, we have been collaborating in various ways with the City Council and other local stakeholders to support the challenge of decarbonizing a city, playing a role in facilitating collaborative processes and systematizing learning. The different lines of work include:
Objective
Madrid is one of the 112 cities selected by the European Union to achieve its mission of becoming carbon neutral by 2030. At itdUPM, we have been collaborating in various ways with the City Council and other local stakeholders to support the challenge of decarbonizing a city, playing a role in facilitating collaborative processes and systematizing learning. The different lines of work include:
Objective
Madrid is one of the 112 cities selected by the European Union to achieve its mission of becoming carbon neutral by 2030. At itdUPM, we have been collaborating in various ways with the City Council and other local stakeholders to support the challenge of decarbonizing a city, playing a role in facilitating collaborative processes and systematizing learning. The different lines of work include:
ADAPTATION OF SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS TO CLIMATE CHANGE
Through the European LIFE PACT project, the school environments of the Navas de Tolosa and Sagunto schools (in the San Cristóbal de los Ángeles neighborhood of Villaverde) are being transformed into resilient and inclusive spaces, authentic “climate-social oases.” Through collaborative methodologies and the implementation of Nature-Based Solutions (NbS), we are helping to reimagine these spaces by integrating nature, play areas, and multifunctional uses. This transformation not only responds to climate adaptation challenges but also addresses social justice and children’s rights, involving children in the design of their own environments, in a neighborhood characterized by its active and engaged social fabric, contrasted by its high social, economic, and environmental vulnerability. This process is being carried out in parallel in Leuven (Belgium) and Krakow (Poland). In Madrid, we are collaborating with Basurama, Dark Matter Labs, and Democratic Society.
ADAPTATION OF SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS TO CLIMATE CHANGE
Through the European LIFE PACT project, the school environments of the Navas de Tolosa and Sagunto schools (in the San Cristóbal de los Ángeles neighborhood of Villaverde) are being transformed into resilient and inclusive spaces, authentic “climate-social oases.” Through collaborative methodologies and the implementation of Nature-Based Solutions (NbS), we are helping to reimagine these spaces by integrating nature, play areas, and multifunctional uses. This transformation not only responds to climate adaptation challenges but also addresses social justice and children’s rights, involving children in the design of their own environments, in a neighborhood characterized by its active and engaged social fabric, contrasted by its high social, economic, and environmental vulnerability. This process is being carried out in parallel in Leuven (Belgium) and Krakow (Poland). In Madrid, we are collaborating with Basurama, Dark Matter Labs, and Democratic Society.
ADAPTATION OF SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS TO CLIMATE CHANGE
Through the European LIFE PACT project, the school environments of the Navas de Tolosa and Sagunto schools (in the San Cristóbal de los Ángeles neighborhood of Villaverde) are being transformed into resilient and inclusive spaces, authentic “climate-social oases.” Through collaborative methodologies and the implementation of Nature-Based Solutions (NbS), we are helping to reimagine these spaces by integrating nature, play areas, and multifunctional uses. This transformation not only responds to climate adaptation challenges but also addresses social justice and children’s rights, involving children in the design of their own environments, in a neighborhood characterized by its active and engaged social fabric, contrasted by its high social, economic, and environmental vulnerability. This process is being carried out in parallel in Leuven (Belgium) and Krakow (Poland). In Madrid, we are collaborating with Basurama, Dark Matter Labs, and Democratic Society.
URBAN REGENERATION THROUGH NATURAL ITINERARIES
Through the European URBREATH project, degraded urban areas in Madrid’s Villaverde district are being regenerated and integrated through the design of natural pathways and community participation. The goal is to achieve greater connection between public facilities and spaces, green areas, local commerce, and the industrial estate, and to promote a more cohesive and accessible urban network. Furthermore, through the use of advanced technologies—such as digital twins and artificial intelligence—we are helping to facilitate participatory processes that integrate diverse perspectives and knowledge, ensuring that the proposed solutions respond to the needs and aspirations of the neighborhood’s population. With a focus on social and public innovation, we are designing, with the Madrid City Council and local stakeholders, a shared mission to improve social interaction, inclusion, and urban livability. Along these lines, we are working with Dark Matter Labs, Basurama, and Traza.
URBAN REGENERATION THROUGH NATURAL ITINERARIES
Through the European URBREATH project, degraded urban areas in Madrid’s Villaverde district are being regenerated and integrated through the design of natural pathways and community participation. The goal is to achieve greater connection between public facilities and spaces, green areas, local commerce, and the industrial estate, and to promote a more cohesive and accessible urban network. Furthermore, through the use of advanced technologies—such as digital twins and artificial intelligence—we are helping to facilitate participatory processes that integrate diverse perspectives and knowledge, ensuring that the proposed solutions respond to the needs and aspirations of the neighborhood’s population. With a focus on social and public innovation, we are designing, with the Madrid City Council and local stakeholders, a shared mission to improve social interaction, inclusion, and urban livability. Along these lines, we are working with Dark Matter Labs, Basurama, and Traza.
URBAN REGENERATION THROUGH NATURAL ITINERARIES
Through the European URBREATH project, degraded urban areas in Madrid’s Villaverde district are being regenerated and integrated through the design of natural pathways and community participation. The goal is to achieve greater connection between public facilities and spaces, green areas, local commerce, and the industrial estate, and to promote a more cohesive and accessible urban network. Furthermore, through the use of advanced technologies—such as digital twins and artificial intelligence—we are helping to facilitate participatory processes that integrate diverse perspectives and knowledge, ensuring that the proposed solutions respond to the needs and aspirations of the neighborhood’s population. With a focus on social and public innovation, we are designing, with the Madrid City Council and local stakeholders, a shared mission to improve social interaction, inclusion, and urban livability. Along these lines, we are working with Dark Matter Labs, Basurama, and Traza.
REVIEW OF THE ROADMAP TOWARDS CLIMATE NEUTRALITY
With the goal of reducing emissions by 65% compared to 1990, the city developed and published a Roadmap and investment plan in 2021, which are already underway. The strategy prioritized the levers with the greatest capacity to reduce emissions, evaluating both the investment cost and the economic returns associated with the measures. However, a social analysis was not conducted until 2023 to identify pre-existing inequalities and their relationship to the policies associated with the Roadmap.
For this reason, itdUPM has been working closely with the Madrid City Council’s Subdirectorate General for Energy and Climate Change to integrate the social dimension into climate change mitigation and adaptation policies and inspire other cities to advance toward a just transition. As a result of this work, a new version of the Roadmap has been published.
REVIEW OF THE ROADMAP TOWARDS CLIMATE NEUTRALITY
With the goal of reducing emissions by 65% compared to 1990, the city developed and published a Roadmap and investment plan in 2021, which are already underway. The strategy prioritized the levers with the greatest capacity to reduce emissions, evaluating both the investment cost and the economic returns associated with the measures. However, a social analysis was not conducted until 2023 to identify pre-existing inequalities and their relationship to the policies associated with the Roadmap.
For this reason, itdUPM has been working closely with the Madrid City Council’s Subdirectorate General for Energy and Climate Change to integrate the social dimension into climate change mitigation and adaptation policies and inspire other cities to advance toward a just transition. As a result of this work, a new version of the Roadmap has been published.
REVIEW OF THE ROADMAP TOWARDS CLIMATE NEUTRALITY
In the face of the climate emergency, schools are becoming strategic hubs for catalyzing the just transition toward climate neutrality. However, education for sustainable development and climate action are still not significantly integrated into curricula or teacher training. Within this framework, we are working to create an Alliance that connects and amplifies the reach of climate action education programs, linking them to the city’s mission. Its objective is to make climate action education a priority and a reality in schools. Along these lines—supported by Porticus—we are working with the Montemadrid Foundation, Atelier itd, and the Institute of Educational Sciences (ICE) of the Polytechnic University of Madrid.
01. Repository of climate education initiatives
This tool was created with the aim of publicizing educational initiatives for Climate Action and sustainability in the city of Madrid, to facilitate connections and amplify their reach. This tool facilitates the process of searching for information and selecting the different programs offered by organizations to schools. The repository is a living tool and will continue to be updated. If you have or know of a program you would like to be included, you can complete this form.
02. Alliance
One of Clim-Action’s objectives is to create an alliance between educational stakeholders and organizations so that they can all advance together in climate action education and strengthen their actions. These organizations have identified a series of common challenges and opportunities and are holding a series of regular sessions to share experiences and develop a roadmap for integrating climate action education into schools.
03. Pilots in educational centers
With the goal of supporting schools’ connection to existing programs and resources to strengthen climate action education as a school-wide project, two pilot schools are being developed in vulnerable neighborhoods in the city of Madrid since 2023: the CEIP Ramón María del Valle Inclán (in San Blas) and the Ponce de León Educational Center. To this end, Clim-Acción is supporting the schools in identifying their current situation, defining priorities, and developing an action plan. We also monitor the implementation and evaluation of the selected initiatives, and systematize learning outcomes.
REVIEW OF THE ROADMAP TOWARDS CLIMATE NEUTRALITY
In the face of the climate emergency, schools are becoming strategic hubs for catalyzing the just transition toward climate neutrality. However, education for sustainable development and climate action are still not significantly integrated into curricula or teacher training. Within this framework, we are working to create an Alliance that connects and amplifies the reach of climate action education programs, linking them to the city’s mission. Its objective is to make climate action education a priority and a reality in schools. Along these lines—supported by Porticus—we are working with the Montemadrid Foundation, Atelier itd, and the Institute of Educational Sciences (ICE) of the Polytechnic University of Madrid.
01. Repository of climate education initiatives
This tool was created with the aim of publicizing educational initiatives for Climate Action and sustainability in the city of Madrid, to facilitate connections and amplify their reach. This tool facilitates the process of searching for information and selecting the different programs offered by organizations to schools. The repository is a living tool and will continue to be updated. If you have or know of a program you would like to be included, you can complete this form.
02. Alliance
One of Clim-Action’s objectives is to create an alliance between educational stakeholders and organizations so that they can all advance together in climate action education and strengthen their actions. These organizations have identified a series of common challenges and opportunities and are holding a series of regular sessions to share experiences and develop a roadmap for integrating climate action education into schools.
03. Pilots in educational centers
With the goal of supporting schools’ connection to existing programs and resources to strengthen climate action education as a school-wide project, two pilot schools are being developed in vulnerable neighborhoods in the city of Madrid since 2023: the CEIP Ramón María del Valle Inclán (in San Blas) and the Ponce de León Educational Center. To this end, Clim-Acción is supporting the schools in identifying their current situation, defining priorities, and developing an action plan. We also monitor the implementation and evaluation of the selected initiatives, and systematize learning outcomes.
