IN-PERSON Lisbon Livable Cities. Section A
Abstract
ECLECTIC aims to enable the design, implementation, and monitoring of integrated, innovative strategic action plans for Circular Economy (CE) to contribute to climate-neutral, sustainable, and just planning development of small/medium-sized EU cities. To foster evidence-based co-creative policymaking, planning and governance in cities, ECLECTIC will build on a quintuple helix approach – involving local research institutions, public administrations, industry, and civil society in 4 city-region living labs (CiRLabs in Jonava-LT, Bolzano-IT, Coimbra-PT and Gothenburg-SW). Briefly, the project will co-develop a toolbox, with advanced tools, metrics, and recommendations for decision-makers in municipalities, companies, and civil society, to successfully co-design, implement and monitor evidence-based sustainable, inclusive and just CE action plans, considering context-specific challenges, targets and opportunities. The objective of this article is to present the ECLECTIC project, highlighting the potential local impact that can be created from the implementation of participatory strategies to engage local/regional entities and communities. The methodology adopted – already tested in Bolzano and Coimbra – to create and activate the 4 CiRLabs will be presented, namely the Strategic Plan for Stakeholder Engagement developed for engagement and collaborative co-creation, to identify needs and visions and select strategies to be included in CE action plans. The approach will be discussed, including definition and characterization of CiRLabs geographic/socio-economic system boundaries, identification of key stakeholders, “level of CE maturity” per city-region (CE and sharing initiatives taking place/planned), participatory methods and how they should be conducted. Critical aspects to address scale (how circularity can be facilitated) and responsibility (how to regulate; which actors circulate resources) will also be discussed.
Daniel Ferreira graduated in Socio-Educational Animation and is a team-member of IPC Community Interface Office and IPC Regional Innovation Offices in Coimbra region. He has experience in promoting community activities for various audiences, from companies, associations, municipalities and young people. He’s currently co coordinating “Acionar” Program, adjusting the program Activate Glasgow, to the portuguese context. This program aims to create synergies for training community development actors. He also integrates the ECLETIC project team, coordinated by EURAC Research (Italy).
Sónia Chelinho is a member of the IPC Community Interface Office. She has a PhD in Biology (specialization in Ecology), participated in 12 scientific projects, including ECLECTIC, and published 25 articles in ISI journals. She integrates the team that launched the IPC Regional Innovation Offices in Coimbra region, that aims to connect academia and local/regional communities.
Joana Ramos has the Advanced Specialization Course Contemporary Studies (University of Coimbra), a MsC in accounting and a degree in Business Management. Since 2020 she coordinates the IPC Community Interface Office (GIC). She has extensive know-how in the elaboration of project proposals for funding calls, as well as in project execution. She integrated several national and international projects, including ECLECTIC.
Chiara Pellegrini is Senior Researcher at Institute for Renewable Energy (Eurac Research). She works on circular economy, innovation governance, sustainability management in energy sector. She has been working on several European projects, where she leads activities on innovation and governance. She holds a PhD in Innovation and Sustainability Management (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna – Pisa).
Federico Voltolini is Junior Research at Institute for Renewable energy (Eurac Research). He has a sociological and economic background (MsC in Organizations and Territorial Management and a bachelor’s in business administration, both at University of Trento). He is working on EU projects such as H2020 JUSTNature, JPI-Climate ROLE, H2020 Stardust, on topics related to social and economic aspects of the energy system.
Érica Castanheira is currently the Vice-President of IPC, being responsible for the community interface. She has a PhD in Sustainable Energy Systems (University of Coimbra – UC). She is a researcher at ADAI-LAETA (UC) since 2009, and Guest Professor at DEM-UC. She has participated in national and international projects. From 2017-2021 she was a councillor in Arganil Municipality
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Thursday 10th July, 2025