Our climate, our future – the contribution of the CIVINET Slovenia-Croatia-SEE network to the green transition
Civil society organizations contribute to the green transition by informing about new policies, possible ways of implementation and informing about good examples. They contribute by building the capacity of local communities, mobilizing them to participate in planning and solving problems to improve the quality of life. They can also contribute to the networking and partnership approach of different sectors, in order to work in synergy to address common challenges.
All this is done by the network for sustainable urban mobility CIVINET Slovenia-Croatia-SEE, which brings together over 190 stakeholders from six countries – Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, N. Macedonia and Serbia.
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Since its establishment in 2013, the role of the secretariat has been played by a civil society organization, ODRAZ-Sustainable Community Development, which plans and organizes activities in cooperation with the members. It is a real community between different sectors – cities, ministries, faculties, institutes, civil society organizations, companies dealing with public transport and innovation in mobility, etc.
The network supports EU policies (Green Deal, Strategy for Sustainable and Smart Mobility ) and inform on examples of good practice from European cities. The network works to transform societies and local communities towards more sustainable ways of mobility, which aim to increase the quality of life, encourage and change transport habits, ensuring better access and affordable public transport, but also the adoption of sustainable urban mobility plans (SUMP).
The network contributes to building trust between stakeholders, including decision-makers, which leads to the adoption of public policies that take into account the improvement of mobility, but also the social, health and fair dimensions of the green transition.
An important element of the Network’s work is training and the transfer of good practice. This year, webinars were held: ‘COVID-19 as a catalyst for change in sustainable transport planning’ and ‘Clean vehicles and innovative technologies in sustainable transport planning’. The following will be ‘Sustainable Mobility Planning in Rural Areas’.
As epidemiological conditions are improving, the Network is also moving to hybrid meetings, the first to be on the topic of sustainable mobility in tourist destinations. A study trip is also planned.
It is important to mention the preparation of partnership projects and workshops for students of different faculties, who jointly, in an integrated way consider ways to solve traffic problems in local communities, taking into account the social and environmental dimension and the involvement of local residents.
Prepared by Lidija Pavić-Rogošić
Source: European Economic and Social Committee / Diversity Europe Newsletter, July 2021