project detail

ERASMUS+ funded project running from 2024 - 2026

CONTEXT

Europe has pledged to lead on climate action and set ambitious goals to achieve that commitment. The European Green Deal, the climate-neutral and smart cities mission, and many other supporting policies and directives strive to support Member States in achieving a 55% cut in emissions by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050.

The YSC builds on the EU 100 climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030, which will act as innovation hubs to enable other cities to follow by 2050. Climate neutrality means massive efforts and changes in the provision of energy, construction and renovation of buildings, production and consumption, waste and water management, public and private transport and infrastructure to make cities more efficient, climate-friendly, equal and just, and thus more sustainable and liveable for all.

Achieving the Net Zero and Smart City goals will require a complete system change of how we govern our cities and engage citizen in the decision making and the implementation of solutions. These changes must involve all relevant stakeholders, including the active engagement of all citizens. Participation of the citizenry is crucial as the bottom-up approach must accompany and complement the top-down approach in collaborative models capable of involving citizens in decisionmaking and implementing processes. 

OBJECTIVE

A central role must be entrusted to the younger generations, who will not only be the primary users of the Smart Cities but will also be designing and delivering many of the solutions needed to the many challenges. The high sensitivity of young people to global issues such as climate change, gender justice and increased equality is the basis for their mobilisation and active participation in change. Furthermore, they are generally digitally savvy, well networked and educated, and ready to undertake new task.

However, despite being well networked and educated and having access to an overwhelming amount of information online, few students are fully aware of the Net Zero and Smart City concepts and what changes it entails, let alone the technological innovation that will facilitate and enable cities to change, or the rapidly evolving job opportunities and associated knowledge and skills needed to design and deliver future Net Zero and Smart Cities solutions. The YSC will contribute to preparing the young generation for the massive task that lies ahead of them in engaging in and designing the Net Zero solutions that are necessary to mitigate and adapt to climate change while ensure increased equality and justice for all. 

DEVLIVERABLES

Climate issues must be addressed urgently by everyone to reach the Net Zero climate goals. Key to the YSC project is the close collaboration that will be establiehed between the students, local authorities and local businesses. Only through applying and developing a close multidisciplinary collaboration between the public, the private and the next generation, will the right ideas and innovations have the opportunity to surface and flourish.

YSC strive to address two mail challenges: 

1. Lack of civic engagement in building Smart Cities: The "Smart City" concept has received much attention over the past years as political and industry leaders have seen its potential in meeting Net Zero objectives. It has however also been acknowledged that citizens active engagement in the design and adoption of these solutions is essential to reach its full potential, and has thus far failed to reach its full capacity. 

2. Address the mismatch between labour market needs and young peoples' wants: Addressing climate change and building Smart Cities will create thousands of jobs, but do the sectors, skills and knowledge this new labour market match the goals of future generations? Research documents there is a mismatch between the expected job-opportunities in the labour market in terms of skills and knowledge and the aspiration of students and educational paths offered by secondary and tertiary educational institutions. 

YSC will make a number of resources available and with an innovative didactic methodology will guide teachers striving to engage their students in designing innovative solutions to the real-life challenges faced by local authorities and businesses in adressing Net Zero and Smart City goals. 

PARTNERS

Universität Siegen, Germany

Der Mittelstand BVMW, Germany

Fondazione AEM, Italy

International School of Bologna, Italy

Erasmus Learning Academy, Spain

Cooperativa Sociale Istituto San Giuseppe, Italy

Abtei-Gymnasium Brauweiler, Germany

Zespol Szkol Technicznych w Klodzku, Poland

For further information about this project please write to Pia Lovengreen Alessi at: pia.alessi@eui.eu