ATU uses power of community to address climate change

Atlantic Technological University (ATU) is leading the way in addressing climate change by empowering communities across seven countries in Europe through a network of 6 ‘living labs’ that will involve citizens, scientists, policy makers and other stakeholders in identifying social tipping points for achieving systemic transformation acting on climate change.  

The ‘living labs’ are part of the Horizon Europe Project PRO-CLIMATE (Proactive community adaptation to climate change through social transformation and behavioral change) with the objective of supporting communities in navigating the impacts of climate change through innovative social transformation and behavioral change strategies.  

Strategically positioned across six European cities, the labs provide a framework for identifying social tipping points and policy actions crucial for achieving systemic transformation.

Dr Salem Gharbia, the Principal Investigator for PRO-CLIMATE at ATU, expressed enthusiasm about the project's potential impact, stating:

"As the leader of PRO-CLIMATE's Living Labs Development and Management, I am excited to embark on a transformative journey to empower communities in proactively adapting to climate change. Through innovative strategies and collaborative Living Labs across Europe, our consortium aims to unlock social transformation and behavioral change, ensuring a resilient future for coastal communities and cities."

The project will deploy a set of diverse case studies across Europe, addressing varied climate change problems and socio-economic contexts. These case studies will serve as instrumental tools for co-creation, validation, and upscaling of the framework through Living Labs, bringing stakeholders together to understand community governance, institutional structures, and pilot the project's behavior change activities.  

The PRO-CLIMATE consortium, consisting of 10 partners from 7 countries, brings together experienced research teams uniquely tailored for the project's interdisciplinary nature.

Approved for funding within the Horizon Europe Research Programme under the call topic "HORIZON-CL5-2023-D1-01-09: Behavioural change and governance for systemic transformations towards climate resilience," PRO-CLIMATE is set to span a three-year duration.

To learn more about the project, visit the website and subscribe to the newsletter. 

Image: Dr Salem Gharbia

Aidan Haughey 
ATU Communications Manager /
Bainisteoir Cumarsáide OTA
Ollscoil Teicneolaíochta an Atlantaigh (OTA), Éire
Atlantic Technological University (ATU), Ireland       
Tel: +353 86 086 6913
www.atu.ie/communications