AGORA: Pilot Case Study in Zaragoza, Spain

The AGORA Project

The AGORA project promotes societal transformation to empower local communities to address the climate crisis. AGORA aims to achieve this through a multidisciplinary, integrated approach and four pilot studies all around Europe.

AGORA is a HORIZON Europe project started in January 2023. It supports the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change.

Introduction

The Spanish pilot case study collaborates with the Government of Aragón and actively engages the representatives from public authorities, academia, civil society, and the private sector. The pilot case study involves two specific sites:

• Zaragoza, the regions central city which serves as home to people from across Aragón and a meeting point for relevant discussions about climate change adaptation, primarily concerning heatwaves and flooding in the area
• Matarraña, a rural area in the southeast part of the region with forests highly vulnerable to fires, which will allow us to address the rural perspective and urgent need to protect natural resources within the region of Aragón.

Activities so far

The First Workshop

Ibercivis Foundation coordinated the first participatory workshop of the AGORA project on October 24th, International Day against Climate Change. This workshop brought together 18 participants from various sectors of Aragonese society: technicians, experts and researchers, representatives from the institutional and political spheres, the private sector, and spokespersons from social and environmental organizations, as well as citizens. The main objective of the workshop was to gain a better understanding of the impacts of climate change in Aragón, identifying causes, consequences, and territorial needs.

To read more about the inception workshop please see here: Kicking off the first AGORA pilot study in Zaragoza, Spain – AGORA (adaptationagora.eu)

Figure 1. Inception workshop in Zaragoza, Spain. (Credit: AGORA project)

The Focus Group Discussion with Migrants

This focus group session targeted migrants from various backgrounds to gather their perspectives and co-create solutions for climate adaptation, focusing on addressing the unique challenges they face due to climate change. This session worked to identify adaptation gaps, gather personal experiences, and evaluate engagement methodologies to ensure inclusive and effective participation in climate action.

To read more about the focus group discussion please see here: Migrant Focus Group – Spanish Pilot – Agora (agoracommunity.org)

The Focus Group Discussion with Workers

This focus group targeted working individuals to gather their perspectives and co-create solutions for climate adaptation. Working individuals were chosen as the target audience for this focus group because of the importance of integrating their views and experiences into climate adaptation strategies. 

To read more about the focus group discussion please see here: Focus Group with Workers in Zaragoza, Spain – Agora (agoracommunity.org)

The Focus Group Discussion with Youth

This focus group targeted young individuals in Zaragoza to gather their perspectives on climate change and co-create methods for climate adaptation, specifically with heat waves and extreme temperatures. The younger generation was selected because of their innate vulnerability to climate change and the importance of including their views in climate adaptation strategies.

To read more about the focus group discussion please see here: Exploring Youth Climate Adaptation – Spanish Pilot Case Study – Agora (agoracommunity.org)