City of dreams: Can Europe engage the public in regional decarbonisation efforts?

While much of the energy sector’s focus in the energy transition is on global decarbonisation, there is a unique spate of work being carried out at a much more granular level by policymakers, academics and local councils in an effort to decentralise energy systems and drive decarbonisation within cities and local neighbourhoods. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), buildings and construction account for 40% of global energy-related CO2, while in some cities these can generate up to 70% of its overall emissions.