Communities for Just Climate Transition

Slovakia faces increasingly severe impacts of climate change, with temperatures rising approximately twice as fast as the global average and a further increase of 1.0–1.5°C projected by 2040 compared with the 1991–2020 baseline. Heatwaves, droughts, and floods threaten public health, particularly among older people, and contribute to emerging climate-related health risks. These pressures are compounded by the deterioration of natural ecosystems, with 75% of species and more than 60% of habitats of European importance in Slovakia in an unfavourable condition. Degradation of soils, forests, and water resources weakens the country's adaptive capacity, while air pollution remains a serious concern in many regions. The project's central challenge, however, is Slovakia's limited capacity to respond to the climate crisis through democratic and participatory processes. Climate transformation is often communicated through top-down technical objectives without sufficient public engagement or consideration of its social implications, contributing to distrust, polarisation, climate disinformation, and limited public support for necessary measures. Local communities lack participatory structures and practical tools to influence climate decision-making and advocate for inclusive solutions reflecting their needs. The project responds to three priorities identified through long-term fieldwork: increasing participation in local climate policy-making, including heat adaptation and urban greenery in Trnava, sustainable mobility and water protection in Dolný Kubín, and energy poverty and air quality in Košice; strengthening local capacities and community leadership; and improving understanding of the social dimensions of a just green transition, particularly for seniors, low-income households, people with disabilities, and Roma communities.

The project aims to strengthen the capacity of five communities across Slovakia, including three established climate hubs in Trnava, Dolný Kubín, and Košice and two new community initiatives, to participate meaningfully in environmental decision-making and co-create just climate solutions using the Living Labs methodology. Implementation will follow four phases over 24 months, from October 2026 to September 2028. The exploration phase will strengthen community capacities through four thematic workshops for up to 15 community leaders on climate justice, participation, inclusion of vulnerable groups, and local advocacy; a public webinar with at least 50 participants; five SWOT analyses and stakeholder maps; up to 25 hours of expert consultations; and a two-day study visit by the Norwegian partner NTNU. The co-creation phase will include five formal consultations with municipalities, five written policy recommendations submitted to local institutions, and five participatory round tables, with at least 30% participation by representatives of vulnerable groups facilitated through partner organisations. A total of 200 mentoring hours will support the preparation of five community action plans. During the experimentation phase, the project will implement five community-led pilot climate measures, one in each community, with grant support of EUR 3,000–5,000 per measure. Depending on local needs, these may focus on climate adaptation, mitigation, advocacy, or education. The final evaluation phase will consolidate the results into a practical toolkit of at least 40 pages, co-authored with NTNU, an updated catalogue of community-driven solutions, five public town-hall discussions, and a two-wave awareness-raising campaign expected to achieve at least 20,000 organic social media reach and 10 press releases in regional media.

The project seeks to generate systemic, behavioural, and environmental change through community-led climate action and participatory decision-making. At the systemic level, five formal consultations with municipalities and five written policy recommendations submitted to local institutions will support the integration of at least five concrete proposals into local policies, municipal regulations, and adaptation strategies, creating a basis for lasting change beyond the project period. At the behavioural level, an evidence-based awareness-raising campaign delivered in two waves will communicate the results of five community measures and encourage the wider public to replicate community-led climate solutions. Planned communication outputs include at least 20,000 organic social media reach, 10 press releases in regional media, five public town-hall discussions, and a closing event. At the environmental level, five pilot community measures will generate practical local benefits through activities such as community gardens, revitalisation of public spaces, biodiversity protection, community energy, sustainable mobility, or advocacy initiatives including public commenting and petitions. Direct beneficiaries will include up to 15 community leaders trained in climate justice, participation, and advocacy; five communities equipped with action plans, practical methodologies, and lasting links with municipalities; and vulnerable groups, including seniors, low-income households, people with disabilities, and Roma communities, involved in co-creating solutions through partner organisations Resdi, Alka, and the Slovak Union of the Blind. Indirect beneficiaries will include the wider Slovak public, other communities able to replicate the approach using the publicly accessible toolkit and catalogue, municipalities receiving evidence-based recommendations, and civil society organisations benefiting from strengthened bilateral cooperation with NTNU.