Bottom-up, Sustainable, Renewable (BSR) Lab for Just Transition in Polish and German Coal Regions

The project focuses its respective activities on two regions: Eastern Wielkopolska in Poland and Lausitz in Germany. It provides local communities with a forum for inclusive debate. The forum invites citizens to address the region's specific problems, seek solutions, and formulate concrete project ideas. The project also offers access to policy updates, best practices, useful information, and opportunities for networking and exchange of ideas between Eastern Wielkopolska and Lausitz. Over the course of two years, the project organises a series of stakeholder meetings, workshops, and trainings addressing local governments, local businesses, miners, NGOs, and civil society representatives. Furthermore, the project organises two study visits to the respective partner country. The project communicates all relevant activities via its online channels and through media work. The project results are later presented at a final conference.

The overarching goal of the German part of the project is to create new models for participatory development activities as a means of "small scale just transition". In the context of the national legal frameworks, regional development strategies and the Green Deal / Just Transition Mechanism, it helps with the formation/strengthening of civic development communities in Lusatia of civic actors from predominantly rural communities; initiates meaningful and critical engagement opportunities to participate in regional transition projects; facilitates a bottom-up approach to decarbonize economic activities and the use innovative business models; provides capacity building and (transnational) networking possibilities; facilitates communication to raise public awareness; communicates the findings to policy makers and broader public to inform policy processes and inspire other transition communities all over Europe.

Ecologic Institute is supporting a baseline study about the degree of willingness of NGOs, organized civil society and other regional actors to participate in the Lusatian transformation process and the facilitation of expert workshops with local and regional stakeholders.