
ActGREEN Zagreb: Innovative green initiatives for a more sustainable city are presented
On October 2, 2024, the Zagreb University of Algebra hosted the presentation of the two-year pilot project of the Net ZeroCities platform called “Activating Green Courtyards for Carbon Neutrality” (ActGREEN), jointly implemented by the City of Zagreb, the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Zagreb, the Croatian Association of Landscape Architects and ODRAZ.
The goal of the project is to transform private and semi-public spaces into green oases with low CO2 emissions. The added value of this project is the inclusion of citizens and the strengthening of the local community, with the aim of improving the city environment and adapting to climate change. Precisely because of this, it was recognized as an innovative way of decarbonizing the city and was chosen as a pilot project of the NetZeroCities platform.

The involvement of citizens and experts from various fields, as well as the sharing of knowledge and experiences with other pilot cities, will strengthen the capacities of the City of Zagreb to successfully test innovative approaches designed to create positive changes.
During the implementation of the project, many innovations are planned to be introduced, such as new green areas, tree planting, LED lighting with green energy, racks for bicycles/romobiles, playgrounds for children, rainwater recycling systems and quality urban furniture. For each courtyard, residents and stakeholders will be consulted from the beginning and their ideas and suggestions will be included in the preparation of the final design.
As part of the project, a Working Group for Climate Neutrality through Greening will be established, the purpose of which will be to monitor and encourage green transformation and achieve climate neutrality through the active involvement of local stakeholders. The goal is to create new forms of local participation and encourage dynamic community engagement in the climate-neutral greening process.
Miljenko Sedlar from North-West Croatia Regional Energy and Climate Agency (REGEA) held an introductory presentation on the role of cities in the green transition and resilience to climate change. In that presentation, he emphasized the importance of climate change analysis, stating that the number of hot nights, when the temperature did not fall below 20 °C, has increased significantly, and 46 such nights were recorded this summer. According to him, this is an increase several times compared to 1990.
The deputy head of the City Office for Reconstruction, Construction, Spatial Planning, Construction and Communal Affairs, Irena Matković, presented the idea and main activities of the project. She pointed out that the project of activating green courtyards has already started with preparatory activities, and she announced an upcoming public invitation to citizens to join the project and green their yards and other spaces. This initiative aims to encourage community involvement in creating greener and more sustainable urban environments.
Luka Korlaet, Deputy Mayor of City of Zagreb, participated in a panel discussion on the green transformation of cities and shared his experiences and vision of the future of Zagreb in the context of the green transition and emphasized that the City, as a signatory to the Mission of 100 Climate Neutral and Smart Cities, will continue to work actively on decarbonization and increasing the share of renewable energy sources, as well as adapting all sectors to the effects of climate change.
After the panel, Miljenko Serdar held the workshop “Planning, tools and implementation of green infrastructure measures and nature-based solutions”, which provided participants with practical insights into the planning and implementation of green measures in urban areas.
The presentation of the project was held as part of the first domestic Urban Forum “Productive, green and fair urban development” intended for representatives of state and local bodies and experts and other professionals in the field of urban development. The forum was organized by the Association of Cities in the Republic of Croatia on October 1 and 2.
More about the project: https://www.odraz.hr/projects/all-projects/actgreen/?lang=en
This project is funded by EIT Climate-KIC as part of the NetZeroCities Pilot Cities Program, Cohort 2 (2023). The project is co-financed by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union or EIT Climate-KIC. Neither the European Union nor EIT Climate-KIC can be held responsible for them.