BOLSTER: Bridging Organizations and Marginalized Communities for Local Sustainability Transitions in EuRope
The European Green Deal (EGD) aims to transform the EU into a fair and prosperous society, with climate neutrality by 2050, guided by the principle of leaving no one behind. It’s a beautiful principle, but how do you put it into practice? Research shows that transition policies tend to benefit already privileged citizens and often reproduce social inequalities. Additionally, there is growing polarization regarding transition plans. We know too little about how marginalized communities are affected by the Green Deal, what their interests are, how they can be involved in decision-making processes, and to what extent this could increase support for transition plans.
BOLSTER conducts action research on this issue in ten European regions. Seven of these regions are at a high risk of being impacted by the Green Deal, because they have a high concentration of carbon-intensive industries. The other three regions have already undergone an economic transition and are being studied to learn from the past. BOLSTER uses new qualitative participatory research methods to improve understanding of the experiences and needs of marginalized communities. Forums are then organized with key regional stakeholders to increase support for transition plans by better addressing the needs of marginalized groups.
Dr. Michiel Stapper (Tilburg University): “Climate change is the greatest challenge of the 21st century, but I am particularly interested in how ordinary, everyday people are affected by climate policies, especially those who are not involved in the conversation.”
Impact
The project is now halfway through. The participatory governance model and monitoring framework are being tested in all regions. Representatives of marginalized groups have been trained, and dialogues with European policymakers are ongoing. By the end of the project, the participatory model will not only be applicable in the seven regions but will also be shared with at least 40 other European regions. Lessons learned will also be discussed with European policymakers.
More info: https://bolster-horizon.eu/
