C-NEWTRAL: smart CompreheNsive training to mainstrEam neW approaches for climaTe-neutRal cities through citizen engAgement and decision-making support

实现气候中立城市是欧盟的优先事项，但由于复杂的城市活动和广泛的利益相关者参与，城市面临许多挑战。欧盟委员会已将“参与式城市治理”和“综合城市规划”确定为推动气候中立城市向前发展的关键推动因素。城市需要增强能力和持续支持，以实施气候中立的解决方案，并评估这些解决方案对社会不同阶层可能产生的影响。然而，缺乏高技能、训练有素的跨学科研究人员和专业人员来完成这项任务，C-NEWTAL的目标是解决这一问题。C-NEWTral以五个关键主题(城市性质、城市机动性、建筑形式、能源、循环性)为基础，通过与欧盟确定的驱动因素相联系的两个跨尺度研究维度进行整合：i.公民参与与公众参与；ii.城市治理与决策。这为个别研究项目提供了一个框架，审查参与和决策，以便将基于自然的解决方案纳入城市更新、积极/绿色/公正的机动性过渡、社会对建筑物/社区/社会住房能效标准的接受程度、城市水管理中的水社会/循环/数字方法，以及这些方面的联系。每个研究人员都将接受先进的参与式方法和治理和规划工具的使用方面的培训，并得到数字技术的支持--欧盟将其视为优先事项，但在城市规划过程中仍处于欠发达状态。研究人员将接触到地方当局、非政府组织或行业的借调人员。该计划将提供一个充满活力、具有智力挑战的跨学科培训环境，吸引最优秀的国际研究生候选人，并培养热情和创新的研究人员社区-有效地为实现气候中立城市的跨部门战略提供建议。

Achieving climate-neutral cities is an EU priority, yet faces many challenges because of the complex urban activities, and the vast range of stakeholders involved. The European Commission has identified 'participative city governance' and 'integrated urban planning' as key enablers for driving climate-neutral cities forward. Cities require enhanced capacity and ongoing support for implementation of climate-neutral solutions and assessment of how they may impact different sections of society. There is however, a lack of highly-skilled, highly-trained interdisciplinary researchers and professionals for this task, which C-NEWTRAL aims to address. C-NEWTRAL is underpinned by five key thematics (Urban Nature, Urban Mobility, Built Form, Energy, Circularity), which are integrated through two cross-scale research dimensions, linked to drivers identified by the EU: I. Citizen Engagement & Public Participation and II. City Governance & Decision-Making. This provides a framework for individual research projects examining participation and decision-making for integrating nature-based solutions in urban regeneration, active/ green/ just mobility transitions, social acceptance of energy performance standards in buildings/ neighbourhoods/ social housing, hydrosocial/ circular/ digital approaches in urban water management, and nexuses among these. Each researcher will be trained in advanced participative methods and use of governance & planning tools, supported by digital technologies - recognised by the EU as a priority, but still under-developed within city planning processes. Researchers will be exposed to secondments in local authorities, NGOs or industry. The program will provide a dynamic, intellectually-challenging, interdisciplinary training environment attracting the best international graduate candidates and fosters an enthusiastic and innovative community of researchers - effectively placed to advise on cross-sectoral strategies for achieving climate-neutral cities.