Author: Nayla Saniour
Redesigned by: Carla Ălvarez GonzĂĄlez
How can a 15-minute city shape a carbon-neutral future?
The goal is to create a residential quarter that prevents the necessity to travel more than 15 minutes to get the most essential goods and services, and therefore reduces the amount of carbon emissions related to transport â the key to averting the so-called heat-island effect. An important aspect of the implementation will be the involvement of citizens and the active cooperation of all parties (city units) to discuss about the problems, vision for the Climate Quarter and future interventions.
This project is a part of Krakowâs road to climate neutrality as a part of the challenge they took on joining the Deep Demonstrations programme, create by Climate-KIC and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology.
Developing the CQ, the city centre could offer potential for decarbonising mobility which contributes to carbon-neutral infrastructure and lifestyle. The way of reaching this goal is through a climate narrative and communication. Next to that, there will also be a focus on behaviour change, as due to the pandemic the focus on cycling as part of the national recovery plan also offers the opportunity to accelerate this change. The CQâs cross-district bike routes will serve as a testing ground for this experiment.
An innovative approach
The Climate Quarter leverages a co-creation process to identify and address urban challenges. Using methodologies such as focus studies, stakeholder workshops, and consultative points, the project creates space for collaborative decision-making. This participatory approach ensures that interventions reflect the community's needs and aspirations, while external facilitation helps mediate tensions between stakeholders. The projectâs emphasis on behavior change, catalyzed by the pandemic, adds a unique layer to its innovation, focusing on shifting transport habits toward cycling and walking.
Key enablers
- Political: City of Krakow being part of the Climate-KIC programme to reach for carbon neutrality
- Economic: funding, prices for bikes and public transport
- Social: Behaviour change (more bikers due to pandemic)
- Technical: bike lanes, public transport connections
Key inhibiting factors
- Social: in general residents feel uninformed about activities undertaken by the city, they are tired of constant âexperimentsâ in the public space, feel fear of being disappointed â not all groups were sufficiently involved
Main positive lessons
- Quite a wide range of participation forms made it possible to reach many different users of the CQ
- The whole process carried out by the external experts Ă easing tensions between the city and the inhabitants
Main barriers found
- Residents feel uninformed about activities undertaken by the city, they are tired of constant âexperimentsâ in the public space, feel fear of being disappointed
- Mobilisation of supporters, not many unconvinced appeared at the workshops â to be improved in a future
- Religious associations (Catholic and Jewish) and entrepreneurs not sufficiently involved â to be improved in a future
Potential for reapplication and scale-up
The Climate Quarter Project provides a replicable framework for designing sustainable neighborhoods through co-creation and participatory governance. Its emphasis on 15-minute city principles, combined with flexible and inclusive methodologies, makes it adaptable to various urban contexts. However, successful replication will depend on proactive communication, comprehensive stakeholder involvement, and tailored strategies to address local social and economic conditions. By demonstrating the feasibility of carbon-neutral lifestyles, this initiative serves as a model for cities worldwide seeking to align urban living with climate goals.
All images on this site are sourced from climate-kic.org and themayor.eu. Video content is sourced from European Investment Bank YouTube channel.