A Gathering place to cO-design and co-cReate Adaptation (AGORA)

AGORA, a HORIZON Europe project, aims to enhance European resilience to climate change by promoting collaboration and community-based adaptation practices. Its main ambition is to drive societal transformation in various contexts, fostering democracy, climate justice, and citizens' empowerment. The project involves citizens, experts, policymakers, and others in co-designing innovative climate adaptation solutions tailored to local needs.

AGORA provides digital tools and frameworks to enhance awareness and empower informed citizens to actively participate in shaping sustainable local development. The project serves as a meeting point for sharing knowledge, expertise, and practices, fostering dialogue between communities and sciences. Pilot regions in Germany, Sweden, Spain, and Italy act as co-production arenas for implementing climate adaptation solutions.

The ultimate goal is to create a roadmap for transformational change, citizen engagement, and effective policy instruments, ensuring a lasting legacy of climate resilience in Europe. AGORA strives to build a strong, dynamic community of aware citizens committed to making a positive impact on climate action and achieving a climate resilient future.

The Cooperative and Transformative Governance (CAT) research group of the Advancing Systems Analysis (ASA) program contributes to AGORA by leading research on participatory governance. This involves analyzing participatory elements in climate change adaptation policies. By examining how different stakeholders are involved, gaps in representation can be identified and addressed, ensuring that the voices of the most vulnerable and affected communities are heard and considered. The analysis should help in crafting strategies that are not only scientifically sound but also socially inclusive and lead to broader acceptance and stronger commitment from all stakeholders.