Second Workshop in Our Series: Collective Agency and Co-evolution Toward Inclusive Energy Transitions

From 4 to 6 June 2025, our team took part in the first CO2LAB of the CO2PED Project, held in Ghent, where we contributed with the second workshop in our ongoing series on collective agency and co-evolution toward inclusive energy transitions. As part of the lab, which brought together our partners from Belgium, the Netherlands, and Estonia, we hosted a dedicated World Café session focused on how municipalities and communities can co-evolve to shape more inclusive and sustainable neighborhoods. Drawing on our research and fieldwork in Portugal, we presented a set of co-created indicators tailored to support Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) in social housing contexts.

The workshop examined the relevance of these indicators in capturing local priorities, such as housing conditions, energy access, and the quality of shared spaces. It also explored their co-evolutionary potential by assessing how they might foster collaboration between institutions, municipalities, and residents. Finally, the session reflected on their adaptability to new contexts, including neighborhoods in Ghent, testing their flexibility across different governance systems and urban realities. This contribution strengthened the shared development of the CO2TOOLKIT, aimed at advancing inclusive and context-sensitive PED strategies throughout Europe.